Explaining School Performance in Literature: some Strategies of Causal Analysis

Bulcock, J. W. & Finn, J. D., 1975. Explaining School Performance in Literature: Some Strategies of Causal Analyses. Scand. J. educ. Res. 19, 75‐110. This paper focuses on the cultural and personality resources of individuals and their school related skills as determinants of achievement in mother tongue literature. A path analytic approach is used to test a popular model of literature achievement which is applied to a subsample of Swedish 14‐year‐olds selected from the data bank archive of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, University of Stockholm. Because the sex of the student and the amount of effort expended on school work account for variance in levels of performance over‐and‐above the causally interrelated system factors, it is necessary to control for the possibility of their confounding influence. Accordingly, a ‘pooling’ procedure is used for adjusting the correlation matrix in order to account for the bias in the regression model which is attributable to these factors. The logic of this procedure is developed in the appendix.

     

小学数学双语教学中的课堂教学语言选择

小学数学双语教学是以外语为语言背景进行的教与学的交流,其重点在于解决数学问题的同时解决语言问题。因此,教师在处理教学交流时应注意不同交流方式中教学语言的选择,其中,常规性交流适宜用纯英语进行,相关性交流尽量要使用外语,程序性交流应该最大程度地使用外语,构思性交流适宜从使用母语向使用外语逐步过渡,同时,小学双语数学教学要注重学生对语言与数学结合的思维习惯的培养。     

Robust and specific personality traits as predictors of adolescents’ final grades and GPA at the end of compulsory schooling

The study investigated the predictive value of robust and specific personality traits in adolescents (M _age?=?14.7 years), in explaining their academic achievement at the end of basic compulsory schooling. Personality data were obtained through self, maternal, and peer reports using the Inventory of Child/Adolescent Individual Differences. Adolescent gender and maternal education predicted 36, 26, 19, and 26 % of the variance in the final grades in Slovene, English, and mathematics and the overall GPA, respectively. Personality ratings by each of the three groups of informants substantially improved the prediction of students’ academic achievements, over and beyond gender and maternal education. The robust trait scores contributed to significant increments in the variance explained, across the academic achievement indicators, ranging from 8 to 17 % (self-report), 15 to 24 % (maternal report), and 20 to 32 % (peer report). Conscientiousness was consistently the most powerful predictor of students’ academic success and extraversion was negatively associated with all achievement indicators. The study provided support for a relatively stronger predictive utility of specific, rather than robust personality traits. Likewise, peer ratings of the students’ personality provided relatively larger increments in variance explained in academic achievements than maternal and self-ratings; in general, the personality trait ratings added more to the prediction of mathematics grades and the GPA relative to the prediction of success in languages. Among specific traits, subjectively perceived student intelligence was the most powerful and consistent predictor of final grades and GPA.     

The Effect of Schools and Classes on Mathematics Achievement

In this article, the effects of secondary schools, teachers, and classes on mathematics achievement are explored. The results of multilevel analyses indicate important recruitment differences between schools and classes within schools. After controlling for this, the group composition at the class level remained very important for the explanation of differences in mathematics achievement. Also the learning climate in the class, which correlates positively with group composition, explained an additional part of the variance. The effect of other educational process variables disappeared when group composition variables were entered into the model. At the school level, the proportion of girls was positively related to mathematics achievements. Indications of differential effectiveness of classes and schools and of heteroscedasticity related to SES, average class SES, average class SES, sex, and learning climate were found.     

高中生学习态度、父母受教育程度与数学成绩关系研究

采用数学学习态度问卷对500名高中生进行调查。性别、父亲受教育程度、母亲受教育程度的主效应显著,性别与父母受教育程度及三者之间的交互作用均显著;多元逐步回归分析显示,性别、父亲受教育程度、母亲受教育程度、智力的想象力成绩、数学学习动机、自我效能感等6个变量对数学成绩有预测作用,可解释数学成绩45.4%的变异量。     

Modeling achievement in mathematics: the role of learner and learning environment characteristics

This study examined a structural model of mathematics achievement among Druze 8th graders in Israel. The model integrates 2 psychosocial theories: goal theory and social learning theory. Variables in the model included gender, father's and mother's education, classroom mastery and performance goal orientation, mathematics self-efficacy and self-regulated learning, mastery and performance goals, and mathematics achievement. Data on learner and learning environment variables and achievement in mathematics were collected from 273 boys and girls. Results indicate appropriate fit of the model for the entire sample. Invariance analysis across gender indicated that only 2 of the 11 path coefficients, mother's education on mathematics achievement and classroom mastery goal orientation on self-regulation, were not invariant across gender. The same pattern of relationships accounted for different amounts of variance in mathematics achievement for boys and girls.     

英语教学中应注意母语负迁移对汉英翻译中多余词汇现象的影响

母语负迁移现象是二语学习者的障碍和二语习得研究的对象.以汉语为母语的英语学习者在翻译中出现的错译、误译大都是由于受到母语负迁移的影响.特别是汉英翻译中多余词汇的现象,是母语负迁移的明显表现形式.文章通过分析汉英翻译中出现的多余词汇现象,提出了相关的翻译方法、对策以及对大学英语教学的启示.     

Outcomes of schooling: Mathematics achievement and attitudes towards mathematics learning in Hong Kong

High achievement of cognitive skills and the formation of favourable attitudes towards learning are universally acclaimed outcomes of schooling. The present study utilised the Second IEA Mathematics Study data (N=5644) to examine which of the ten measured attitude dimensions are pertinent in explaining mathematics achievement variance of Form One students in Hong Kong. Correlational and commonality analysis revealed that students' perception of their ability to do mathematics, the importance of mathematics to society and the concept of mathematics being a creative subject are the most pertinent attitude dimensions. In particular, the perception of students' estimated abilities to do mathematics made a substantial, unique and common contribution to the explained mathematics achievement variance.     

PREDICTING MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT: THE INFLUENCE OF PRIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTITUDES

Achievement in mathematics is inextricably linked to future career opportunities, and therefore, understanding those factors that influence achievement is important. This study sought to examine the relationships among attitude towards mathematics, ability and mathematical achievement. This examination was also supported by a focus on gender effects. By drawing on a sample of Australian secondary school students, it was demonstrated through the results of a multivariate analysis of variance that females were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards mathematics. In addition, the predictive capacity of prior achievement and attitudes towards mathematics on a nationally recognised secondary school mathematics examination was shown to be large (R ²  =  0.692). However, when these predictors were controlled, the influence of gender was non-significant. Moreover, a structural equation model was developed from the same measures and subsequent testing indicated that the model offered a reasonable fit of the data. The positing and testing of this model signifies growth in the Australian research literature by showing the contribution that ability (as measured by standardised test results in numeracy and literacy) and attitude towards mathematics play in explaining mathematical achievement in secondary school. The implications of these results for teachers, parents and other researchers are then considered.     

试析美国双语教育政策的演变

美国双语教育有三方面的目的：更多更好地快速学会英语；更好掌握学校课程；培养学生自尊心以使他们取得更好的学业成绩，并减少极学现象。本文将以这三个目的为基础，从母语对第二语言习得是促进还是干扰、要多元文化还是要统一一种语言的共同文化、如何平衡学业指导目标与语言发展计划三方面，分析其对美国双语教育政策演变的影响。     

高校英语教学中的母语文化缺失现状调查及应对策略

随着诸多因素的影响,高校英语教学逐渐出现了母语文化缺失的现象,英语教育呈单向化发展,因此对跨文化交流的双向发展造成不利影响。本文主要针对高校英语教学母语文化缺失的现象设计调查问卷,对英语教学中导致英语教学母语文化缺失的现象分析和讨论,从而提出英语教学融入母语的策略。     

国外数学焦虑的研究进展

数学焦虑是一种特殊的学科焦虑。从数学焦虑的心理层面出发,一些测量数学焦虑的工具被开发出来,并得出了它的维度。数学焦虑的影响因素主要来自三个方面:环境性因素、个体的人格特征和情境性因素,同时数学焦虑会影响到数学认知,进而影响个体的数学成绩。     

Affective and motivational factors of learning in online mathematics courses

We investigated what factors would be related to students' achievement in mathematics courses offered at a virtual high school. This was an attempt to understand why some succeed and some do not as well as to suggest what should be done to help with student success. Seventy‐two students responded to a self‐report survey on motivation (ie, self‐efficacy, intrinsic value), mathematics achievement emotions (ie, anxiety, anger, shame, hopelessness, boredom, enjoyment, pride), and cognitive processes (ie, cognitive strategy use, self‐regulation). A three‐step hierarchical multivariate regression was employed to examine which of the factors predict student achievement. Results showed that motivation accounted for approximately 13% of the variance in student achievement and self‐efficacy was the significant individual predictor of student achievement. However, when achievement emotions were added to the analysis, self‐efficacy failed to predict student achievement and emotions accounted for 37% of the variance in student achievement. Cognitive strategy use and self‐regulation did not explain any additional variance in the final scores. Findings are discussed and implications for future research and development are also suggested.     

“人”“文”合壁:作文教学的要义

长期的个性箝制，窒息了学生的母语感悟和文学才情。学生从作文的虚伪滑向做人的虚伪．从“统一说话”滑向“双重人格”。作文教学要从本质上厘清“人”与“文”的关系，使“人”融入“文”，“文”又高扬着“人”；要培养学生的悟性、灵性和人格，真正建构以人为本，“人”、“文”合壁的作文机制。     

Self-regulated learning: the role of motivation,emotion, and use of learning strategies in students’ learning experiences in a self-paced online mathematics course

Enrollment in online remedial mathematics courses has increased in popularity in institutions of higher learning; however, students unskilled in self-regulated learning (SRL) find online remedial mathematics courses particularly challenging. We investigated the role of SRL, specifically motivation, emotion, and learning strategies, in students’ learning experiences in a remedial online mathematics course. With an online survey of 229 college students, we found that student motivation explained a small portion of variance in achievement; whereas student motivation and emotion explained a significant portion of variance in satisfaction. In addition, significant differences in motivation and emotion were found in passing and nonpassing students; however, learning strategies did not influence student achievement and satisfaction. Implications for teaching and learning in self-paced online remedial mathematics courses are discussed.     

Explaining learning gaps in Namibia: The role of language proficiency

In a multilingual context, this study investigates the role on mathematics achievement of the provision of instruction in the home language. It compares characteristics of 5048 Grade 6 learners in 275 Namibian schools. The outcome variable is the standardized SACMEQ mathematics score collected in year 2000. Hierarchical linear modeling is used to partition the total variance in mathematics achievement into its within- and between-school components. The results do confirm the significant role of low language skills on the overall low mathematics scores, which may question the effectiveness and equity of the current bilingual policy.     

母语对二语习得的影响

二事习得离不开母事对它的影响，有证据表明，母事对二语习得有正向迁移，也有负向迁移。同时，实践也证明，母语水平的高低对二语习得影响很大。     

Understanding mathematics achievement: an analysis of the effects of student and family factors

Educators are increasingly recognising the importance of improving students’ mathematics achievement. Much of the current research focuses on the impact of instructional variables on mathematics achievement. The goal of this study was to examine the influence of less researched variables – family and student factors. Participants were 747 economically disadvantaged elementary students grades K-8 in Ohio. Predictor variables included: (a) 13 factors from a parent survey on both child and family circumstances and (b) reading achievement, measured by a norm-referenced achievement test. Outcome variables included three mathematics scales from the same achievement test. Regression analyses examined the impact of the predictors on the outcomes. Reading achievement significantly predicted mathematics achievement for all three outcomes. Parent pessimism and parent-perceived school/cognitive competence of children also emerged as significant predictors for two of the three mathematics outcomes. Implications for research, policy and practice will be shared.     

小学生心理素质对学业成绩影响的研究

运用《瑞文标准推理测验》和自编《小学生心理素质问卷》对1247名小学生作心理素质团体测试。路径分析结果表明:(1)整体上看,小学生心理素质对学业成绩的影响是:认知、个性对学业成绩起直接作用;适应性通过认知、个性对学业成绩有间接作用。(2)从学业成绩分组来看,对高分组的小学生而言,个性对学业成绩有直接影响,认知和适应性对学业成绩有间接影响;对中等组的小学生而言,认知、个性、适应性都对学业成绩有直接影响;对低分组的小学生而言,认知对学业成绩有直接影响,个性、适应性对学业成绩有间接影响。