Examining high achievement in mathematics and science among post-primary students in Ireland: a multilevel binary logistic regression analysis of PISA data

Pitsia, Vasiliki

doi:10.1186/s40536-022-00131-x

Large-scale Assessments in Education

An IERI – International Educational Research Institute Journal

Table 4 Means in continuous background variables by science performance group, PISA 2015

From: Examining high achievement in mathematics and science among post-primary students in Ireland: a multilevel binary logistic regression analysis of PISA data

Variable		N	M (SD)	MD	SED	95% CI	t	g
Student enjoyment of science	high achievers	404	1.04 (0.90)	0.91	0.06	0.80, 1.02	16.35	0.84
Student enjoyment of science	non-high achievers	5,159	0.13 (1.09)
Student science self-efficacy	high achievers	402	0.92 (0.95)	0.93	0.06	0.81, 1.05	15.29	0.79
Student science self-efficacy	non-high achievers	5,108	-0.01 (1.19)
Epistemological beliefs about science	high achievers	402	0.79 (0.83)	0.63	0.04	0.54, 0.72	14.49	0.75
Epistemological beliefs about science	non-high achievers	5,111	0.16 (0.84)
Student interest in broad science topics	high achievers	402	0.70 (0.68)	0.69	0.05	0.60, 0.78	14.42	0.75
Student interest in broad science topics	non-high achievers	5,093	0.01 (0.94)
Family economic, social and cultural status	high achievers	404	0.73 (0.72)	0.61	0.04	0.53, 0.69	14.36	0.74
Family economic, social and cultural status	non-high achievers	5,263	0.12 (0.83)
Student science activities	high achievers	401	0.35 (0.87)	0.78	0.06	0.67, 0.89	14.24	0.74
Student science activities	non-high achievers	5,146	-0.43 (1.07)
Students’ past science activities	high achievers	383	0.58 (0.84)	0.63	0.05	0.53, 0.73	12.10	0.64
Students’ past science activities	non-high achievers	4,709	-0.05 (0.99)
Students’ expected occupational status	high achievers	356	68.10 (13.19)	9.81	0.89	8.06, 11.56	11.03	0.61
Students’ expected occupational status	non-high achievers	4,618	58.29 (16.37)
School mean of family economic, social and cultural status	high achievers	406	0.35 (0.39)	0.21	0.02	0.17, 0.25	10.98	0.57
School mean of family economic, social and cultural status	non-high achievers	5,335	0.14 (0.37)
Parent view on science	high achievers	382	0.93 (0.98)	0.60	0.06	0.48, 0.72	10.16	0.54
Parent view on science	non-high achievers	4,683	0.33 (1.12)
Student test anxiety	high achievers	405	-0.28 (0.87)	-0.46	0.05	-0.55, -0.37	10.15	0.52
Student test anxiety	non-high achievers	5,272	0.18 (0.88)
Student achievement motivation	high achievers	405	0.80 (0.93)	0.44	0.05	0.35, 0.53	9.46	0.49
Student achievement motivation	non-high achievers	5,269	0.36 (0.90)
Student instrumental motivation in science	high achievers	403	0.79 (0.92)	0.46	0.05	0.36, 0.56	9.11	0.47
Student instrumental motivation in science	non-high achievers	5,118	0.33 (0.98)
Student environmental awareness	high achievers	405	0.77 (1.02)	0.49	0.06	0.38, 0.60	8.46	0.44
Student environmental awareness	non-high achievers	5,190	0.28 (1.13)
Student perceived autonomy related to ICT use	high achievers	398	0.48 (0.92)	0.40	0.05	0.31, 0.49	8.35	0.43
Student perceived autonomy related to ICT use	non-high achievers	5,033	0.08 (0.92)
Student value of co-operation	high achievers	404	-0.35 (0.98)	-0.42	0.05	-0.52, -0.32	8.15	0.42
Student value of co-operation	non-high achievers	5,262	0.07 (1.00)
Percentage of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged homes in school	high achievers	356	20.54 (19.03)	-8.93	1.26	-11.40, -6.46	7.10	0.39
	non-high achievers	4,735	29.47 (23.14)
Teacher fairness	high achievers	405	8.75 (3.03)	-1.12	0.19	-1.50, -0.74	5.82	0.30
Teacher fairness	non-high achievers	5,268	9.87 (3.78)
Parental current support for learning at home	high achievers	383	0.05 (0.73)	0.23	0.04	0.14, 0.32	5.20	0.28
Parental current support for learning at home	non-high achievers	4,727	-0.18 (0.84)
Average time per week on science	high achievers	404	161.18 (76.00)	19.01	3.80	11.55, 26.47	5.01	0.26
Average time per week on science	non-high achievers	5,221	142.17 (73.29)
Student-related factors affecting school climate	high achievers	382	-0.17 (0.99)	-0.23	0.05	-0.32, -0.14	4.78	0.25
Student-related factors affecting school climate	non-high achievers	4,946	0.06 (0.90)
Student perceived ICT competence	high achievers	399	0.41 (0.92)	0.21	0.05	0.12, 0.30	4.48	0.23
Student perceived ICT competence	non-high achievers	5,056	0.20 (0.90)
School autonomy	high achievers	388	0.78 (0.14)	0.03	0.01	0.02, 0.04	4.35	0.23
School autonomy	non-high achievers	5,015	0.75 (0.13)
ICT availability at school	high achievers	385	5.48 (1.81)	-0.47	0.11	-0.69, -0.25	4.21	0.22
ICT availability at school	non-high achievers	4,736	5.95 (2.13)
Shortage of educational material	high achievers	387	0.01 (1.10)	-0.26	0.06	-0.38, -0.14	4.13	0.22
Shortage of educational material	non-high achievers	4,978	0.27 (1.20)
Adaption of instruction	high achievers	395	0.16 (0.88)	0.20	0.05	0.10, 0.30	4.04	0.21
Adaption of instruction	non-high achievers	4,629	-0.04 (0.95)
Availability of computers at school	high achievers	382	0.58 (0.30)	-0.09	0.02	-0.14, -0.04	3.84	0.20
Availability of computers at school	non-high achievers	4,884	0.67 (0.45)
Science specific resources	high achievers	391	5.98 (1.44)	0.32	0.08	0.16, 0.48	3.81	0.20
Science specific resources	non-high achievers	4,996	5.66 (1.61)

Notes. Variables in descending order of effect size. All differences were statistically significant at the 0.01 level. MD: mean difference, SED: SE of mean difference

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