1. Factors associated with achievement in PISA 2006 Why? Why? –Establishing links –Identifying things we can change –Valuable data in its own right E.g. bullying, parental interaction E.g. bullying, parental interaction Caveat: univariate nature of analyses Caveat: univariate nature of analyses –Links between factors not examined –Especially important in the case of ESCS School factors: School factors: –Presented in terms of number of students not number of schools

2. Factors associated with achievement - overview Student characteristics Student characteristics –At home & in school –Attitudes to & engagement in science –Trends over time School characteristics School characteristics –Enrolment –Resources –Science uptake and promotion

3. Student factors Summary At home In school Attitudes + Higher socioeconomic status Speak English/Gaeilge Parents’ job & educ Books in the home Parental interaction Resources* Higher level science Transition year E.g. Awareness of environmental issues Self-efficacy Engagement in science Science-related career − Family size (larger) *TVs & premium cable Paid work Absenteeism Early school-leaving BullyingGrinds Leaving Cert Applied Optimism regarding environmental issues

4. Student at home ESCS ESCS (Educational, social & cultural status) ESCS (Educational, social & cultural status) –ESCS = parents’ jobs + parents’ education + home resources Strong link with achievement Strong link with achievement Explains 12.7% variance in science scores in Ireland (14.4% across OECD) Explains 12.7% variance in science scores in Ireland (14.4% across OECD) Related to many other factors, not just its component parts Related to many other factors, not just its component parts

5. Student at home Family Language spoken at home Language spoken at home –But not nationality Family size Family size –Three or more siblings Parents Parents –Occupational status –Education e.g. primary (440), degree/postgrad (544) e.g. primary (440), degree/postgrad (544)

6. How often did students engage in activities with parents? How often did students engage in activities with parents? –Few times a year at most: Politics or social issues (54%); books, films or TV (23%); school (12%); just chat (10%); dinner at table (10%) Politics & social issues Politics & social issues –Link to achievement most pronounced Student at home Parental interaction

7. Student at home Parental interaction & gender How often did students & parents eat dinner around the table together? How often did students & parents eat dinner around the table together? FemalesMales %Mean% Sev/week75.3514.073.7522.8 Sev/month11.5513.712.2505.4 Once month3.4510.13.4498.0 Few/yr or less9.8505.510.7460.6

8. Student at home Resources Educational Educational –Desk, calculator, computer for schoolwork… –21 st of 30 OECD countries –All positively linked to achievement Cultural Cultural –Artwork, literature… –26 th of 30 OECD countries –All positively linked to achievement Wealth indicators Wealth indicators –Dishwasher, mobile phones, cars… –Above average on all except computers –All positively linked to achievement EXCEPT if related to TV

9. Student at home Resources in Ireland & OECD

10. Books versus television Books TVs

11. “I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book” Groucho Marx

12. Student attitudes Awareness of environmental issues Awareness of environmental issues –Irish students highest (males higher) General value of science & self-efficacy General value of science & self-efficacy –Average (males higher) Self-efficacy Self-efficacy –Culture and gender effects

13. Student attitudes Optimism regarding environmental issues Optimism regarding environmental issues –Negatively correlated with achievement Engagement in science Engagement in science –Very low in Ireland –Only ‘interest’ index where males were higher

14. Student in school Study of science Higher achievers? Higher achievers? –No sig. differences in maths & reading results Other ‘PISA science’ subjects? Other ‘PISA science’ subjects? –E.g. Home economics, Geography Future research to look at group characteristics Future research to look at group characteristics

15. Student in school or not? Absenteeism Absenteeism –Negative link with achievement –Even 1 or 2 absences in previous fortnight Stay for Leaving Certificate? Stay for Leaving Certificate? –‘Yes’ (90%) outperformed ‘No’ (2%) and even those who were ‘Unsure’ (8%)

16. Student in school Bullying 43% reported experience of bullying by a fellow student in current term 43% reported experience of bullying by a fellow student in current term Why so high? Why so high? –Not restricted to school hours –Presented with list of 6 forms of bullying –Large & representative sample ‘Index’ of bullying created ‘Index’ of bullying created –Number of forms experienced by student

17. Student in school Bullying, gender & achievement

18. Student characteristics 2000-2006 % 2000 % 2006 Change ‘Native’ students 97.794.4 Parental education: primary only 11.83.0 Parental education: 3 rd level 24.545.9 4 or more siblings 25.318.5 0-10 books in the home 9.710.3- No absences in previous 2 wks 57.356.5-

19. School factors EnrolmentResources Science in the school + ESCS (higher) School size (larger) Secondary Science clubs Science competitions − Designated disadvantaged % fee waivers (higher) Comm/comp/voc More computers per student

20. School enrolment ESCS School level ESCS School level ESCS –Student variable aggregated to school level –Each student was assigned the school average Strong link with achievement Strong link with achievement Even among only ‘Low ESCS’ students, the effect remains Even among only ‘Low ESCS’ students, the effect remains

21. School factors School type Better than average performance by students in schools that were: Better than average performance by students in schools that were: –Larger / non-designated disadvantaged / secondary OECD analyses indicate that secondary school advantage disappears when school and student ESCS taken into account OECD analyses indicate that secondary school advantage disappears when school and student ESCS taken into account

22. School factors Resources Material resources Material resources –No link to achievement in Ireland Student:computer ratio Student:computer ratio –More computers linked to lower mean scores! ESCS ESCS Teacher shortage Teacher shortage –No link to achievement in Ireland

23. Science in the school Compulsory versus optional science Compulsory versus optional science –No difference in mean science scores Promotion Promotion –Activities for 3 rd years Positive link to mean science scores Positive link to mean science scores Science clubs & competitions Science clubs & competitions

24. Summary ESCS ESCS –Links with achievement are not always what they seem e.g. computers Home environment Home environment –Not suggesting ‘quick fixes’ –Rather, suitable climate for educational development Gender differences Gender differences –E.g. bullying, parental interaction