Determinants of country differences in effects of parental education on children’s academic achievement

Abstract

Background: In a previous study, the total, direct and indirect effects of parental education on reading, mathematics and science achievement have been estimated for Grade 4 pupils of 37 countries that participated in PIRLS and TIMSS 2011 studies (Gustafsson et al. in TIMSS and PIRLS 2011: Relationships among reading, mathematics, and science achievement at the fourth grade-implications for early learning. pp 2013). Several theories proposed to account for the variation were reviewed. With this previous study as the point of departure, the current study was to identify determinants and mechanisms that can explain the substantial variation found in the relationship between parental education and school achievement across the 37 countries in the previous study. Methods: The effects estimated in Gustafsson et al. (TIMSS and PIRLS 2011:Relationships among reading, mathematics, and science achievement at the fourth grade-implications for early learning. pp 2013) formed the empirical data of the current study. In a first step of analysis the total, direct and indirect effects were described for the 37 countries, focusing on countries with a high and low level in these three respects. In the second step of analysis, two indicators of characteristics of the educational system, the Gini index as a measure of degree of economic inequality and the HDI as a measure of general societal development, were related to the estimated coefficients. Results:We found different patterns of relations with the direct and the indirect effects of parental education, and the direct and indirect effects therefore tended to cancel, so that small or no total effects were found. We also found opposite results when we investigated bivariate correlations and when we investigated partial correlation with HDI and Gini. Conclusion:The pattern of empirical findings thus is more complex than expect. There is, potentially, a large number of factors outside of the home which may be of importance mediating the relation between parental education and student achievement. However, the data available for the current study does not allow investigation of such factors, so this will be tasks for further research.

How robust are socio‐economic achievement gradients using PISA data? A case study from Germany

“…This is because parental education is commonly used in secondary analyses of ILSA (e.g. Martins & Veiga, 2010; Yang‐Hansen & Gustafsson, 2016)—as well as the social stratification literature more generally. The data we have available is also particularly well suited to studying this socio‐economic indicator.…”

Challenges to Remote Instruction During the Pandemic: A Qualitative Study with Primary Grade Teachers in India

“…Parental involvement has been acknowledged as an important predictor of children’s academic success and researchers around the world have identified many factors that challenge parental involvement in children’s learning (Jeynes, 2011 ). Research has shown positive correlation between parental education/income status and student achievement (Idris et al, 2020 ) and according to Hansen and Gustafsson ( 2016 ), it can be explained “by the relations which go from parental education via the resources and different activities in the home to achievement…” (p. 5). Hansen and Gustafsson’s ( 2016 ) multi-country comparative study with 37 nations reported that the correlation between parent education and student achievement was higher for countries with higher income inequality because “education is more equitable in countries with less economic inequity” (p. 11).…”

“…Research has shown positive correlation between parental education/income status and student achievement (Idris et al, 2020 ) and according to Hansen and Gustafsson ( 2016 ), it can be explained “by the relations which go from parental education via the resources and different activities in the home to achievement…” (p. 5). Hansen and Gustafsson’s ( 2016 ) multi-country comparative study with 37 nations reported that the correlation between parent education and student achievement was higher for countries with higher income inequality because “education is more equitable in countries with less economic inequity” (p. 11). To add, the school’s language of instruction also limits the involvement of parents who do not speak that language (Vera et al, 2012 ).…”

Beyond the mean estimate: a quantile regression analysis of inequalities in educational outcomes using INVALSI survey data

“…the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Also, numerous scholars have also investigated the gender gap and inequality of opportunity in education through secondary analysis and meta-analysis (Baye and Monseur 2016;Hansen and Gustafsson 2016) using large-scale assessment data. Moreover, the relationship between educational outcomes and other predictors, e.g.…”