The longitudinal association of childhood school engagement with adult educational and occupational achievement: findings from an Australian national study

Abstract

The research investigated the association between school engagement and adult education and occupation outcomes, within the context of a 1985 Australian longitudinal national cohort study of the factors affecting children's long‐term health and well‐being. School engagement may be more modifiable than other factors related to academic success, such as academic attainment, which is influenced by family background. A School Engagement Index was constructed using questionnaire items on school enjoyment and boredom. Related school engagement items included learner self‐concept, motivation to learn, sense of belonging, participation in school or extra‐mural activities, and enjoyment of physical activity. In 2004–2006, participants (aged 26 to 30 years) reported their highest level of education achieved and current occupation. Potential covariates included age, sex, markers of socio‐economic status in childhood, personality and school‐level variables (i.e., number of students, single sex versus co‐education; government, private or independent). Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of achieving post‐compulsory school education and achieving higher status occupations. Findings revealed that each unit of school engagement was independently associated with a 10% higher odds (OR 1.10 95% CI 1.01,1.21) of achieving a post‐compulsory school education. Maternal education, self‐concept as a learner, motivation to learn, all also significantly predicted achieving post‐compulsory school education. School engagement was found to mediate the association between the personality characteristic of agreeableness and education outcomes. Higher school engagement was also independently associated with achieving higher status occupations 20 years later (OR 1.11 95% CI 1.03, 1.20). Importantly, this was independent of a host of background factors.

Engaging student input on student engagement in learning

“…Teachers were also noted as being engaging when they were fun, had a sense of humour, and related in ways that were not 'boring', such as having excitement in their voices. On the surface, the findings in this theme could appear to trivialize learning and teachers, yet research confirms the improvement in outcomes when students are engaged in learning that is enjoyable, interesting, and challenging, with teachers they can relate to (Abbott-Chapman et al, 2014). Particularly pertinent to this theme is a contention by Abbott-Chapman et al (2014: 116) that enjoyment, as an expression of engagement, 'appears to further influence subsequent education and career choices well into adulthood'.…”

“…The provision of diverse applied learning opportunities is considered a modifiable aspect of schools' learning environments that promotes students' active participation (Abbott-Chapman et al, 2014). As one student explained: 'I like being active instead of angry teachers telling you this boring stuff you don't like' (9 I 3).…”

“…In particular, applied forms of learning have been found to increase interest and engagement as well as interpersonal skills (Abbott-Chapman et al, 2014;Istance and Dumont, 2010;Lamb and Rice, 2008).…”

Implicación escolar y autoconcepto multidimensional en una muestra de estudiantes de secundaria

“…Entre los recursos positivos o fortalezas del alumnado que permiten adquirir un funcionamiento óptimo en el entorno educativo destaca la implicación escolar (school engagement), que ha sido identificada como un elemento clave para la adaptación y el éxito académico (Motti-Stefadini y Masten, 2013; Ros, Goikoetxea, Gairín y Lekue, 2012), así como para el éxito en los resultados alcanzados posteriormente en la edad adulta, tales como estudios superiores, mejores posibilidades de empleo, autopercepciones positivas y bienestar (Abbott-Chapman et al, 2014;SalmelaAro y Upadyaya, 2012;Wang y Peck, 2013). El consenso mayoritario en la comunidad científica reconoce la naturaleza multifacética del concepto (Lewis, Huebner, Malone y Valois, 2011;Wang, Willet y Eccles 2011), proponiéndose tres dimensiones: cognitiva, emocional y conductual (Appleton, 2012;Fredricks, Blumenfeld y Paris, 2004;González y Verónica-Paoloni, 2015).…”

Association between childhood health, socioeconomic and school-related factors and effort-reward imbalance at work: a 25-year follow-up study

“…Elovainio et al reported that negative aspects of school such as a lower academic score, repeating a class and absences were associated with lower job control, higher job demand or greater job strain in early midlife 6. We have previously shown that some positive school experiences, namely, higher childhood school engagement, predicted higher adult education and occupation status,8 so they may also be important for job stress, but this has not been examined.…”