Ruptures in the Learning Culture? An Analysis of Students’ Perceptions of the Transition from Secondary I to Secondary II
Author(s):
Mariella Knapp (presenting / submitting) Michaela Kilian Tamara Katschnig Corinna Geppert
Conference:
ECER 2017
Network:
14. Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research
Format:
Paper

Session Information

14 SES 06 B, Perspectives, Choice and Transitions in Secondary Education

Paper Session

Time:
2017-08-23
15:30-17:00
Room:
K3.22
Chair:
Silvie Kucerova

Contribution

School transitions are often seen as critical events in students’ educational biographies, as they involve long-term and far-reaching decisions, which can be difficult to correct or compensate for later on the career path (Bleher, 2011; Ditton, 1992; Koch, 2008; Sirsch, 2000). As international research points out, students perceptions of a supportive learning environment and a collaborative social relationships in the form of peer networks during the transition can be an important resource for strengthening their aspirations and achievements (e.g. Geppert, Kilian & Katschnig, 2013; Ryan & Patrick, 2001; Schuchart, 2013; Smith et al., 2008; Walker, 2003). The afore-mentioned researchers observed this for the transition from Primary School to Secondary I, but also from Secondary I to Secondary II.

In Austria there is an abundance of further training opportunities at the transition from Secondary I to Secondary II (9th grade). The completion of the 9th grade, which at the same time includes the end of compulsory, schooling, can take place in polytechnic schools, vocational secondary schools, higher vocational secondary schools or academic secondary schools, which offer the possibility of attending  university. However, various types of schools lead to different qualifications and possibilities for further education and careers, but also include different requirements.

As a new school type in Secondary I, the New Middle School (which was introduced in Austria in 2009 and replaced the old school type, the Lower Secondary School) through pedagogical innovations and a modern instruction, aims at increasing the educational aspirations of their students; it also aims at preparing students sufficiently well for the transition to all school types in Secondary II and to allow them to be successful in pursuing the educational pathways they choose. Hence, it seems of interest to examine if and how the New Middle School (NMS) succeeds and which long-term effects attendance has for students, but also the experiences students gain on finishing the NMS (Projektteam NOESIS, 2016).

This relates to how the transition to upper secondary education is experienced by students, and under which conditions it is perceived by especially former students of the NMS, in order to investigate whether the concept of this school type is capable for of satisfying the requirements of Secondary II.

As far as we know from current research, early school leaving is usually connected with student expectations of school, inadequate organization and climate at school, which are unable to satisfy the needs of these students (Lee & Burkam, 2003; Hillenbrand & Ricking, 2011). Also in this context, the importance of students’ school experiences becomes obvious.

The analysis of the experiences and perceptions of students in their first year in Secondary II highlights the problems students face during this transition and how they can be supported in this process. This research is not only relevant for the German-speaking context, where students after four years of Secondary I have to decide again which school to choose, but also for school transitions after the end of full-time compulsory schooling in other countries and the trend for maintaining a high level of students’ learning motivation and educational aspirations. The results of the paper indicate that the experience of the learning culture in the classroom and at school is a finding that is gaining in international importance (Scheerens & Bosker, 1997; Ditton, 2000; Trumbull & Rothstein-Fisch, 2011).

Method

The research question is examined using data from the NOESIS Project, an evaluation project for the New Middle School in Lower Austria. The evaluation project investigates school pathways and whether the NMS has achieved the goals it has set itself. This is done by following students from a longitudinal perspective from the end of primary school, through Secondary I and up to the first year in Secondary II. Three cohorts of students (from the NMS but also from the Academic Secondary School and the Upper Secondary School) were annually asked to fill in questionnaires asking them about their experiences and perceptions in their school, their class climate, their relations with teachers and classmates, their learning, academic self-concept, educational aspirations but also the inner- and out-of-school resources they can access to support their learning. For this paper data on students from the first (N = 2,430) and second cohort (N = 1,294) are analyzed, using descriptive statistics and panel analysis. The data collection process in 9th grade took place in 2015 (first cohort) and 2016 (second cohort,) when students have already transited from Secondary I to Secondary II and could report on their first experiences at their new school. In an online survey, 9th graders were asked to report on their current learning and school experiences but also on how they perceived the transition to upper secondary education. From a longitudinal perspective, the further professional and educational aspirations of the students, as well as their future goals after completion of 9th grade are of interest. Because most of the students were tracked before entrance into Secondary II it is also possible to compare perceptions of students in 8th and 9th grades, but also to examine if the perceptions of NMS students differ from those of students from other school types. The following composition of the sample results from students of the second cohort: 267 of the respondents (20.6%) are from a Polytechnic Course , 507 of the students surveyed (39.2%) attend the upper level of an Academic Secondary School , 377 students (29.1%) are completing 9th grade in a Higher Vocational Secondary School and 143 students (11.1%) attend an Upper Vocational School. Compared to the entire Austrian student body in 9th grade (see Statistics Austria, school year 2014/2015) the distribution of the student groups proves to be representative.

Expected Outcomes

The data suggests the perception of a rupture in the learning culture during the transition from Secondary I to Secondary II, which becomes obvious from students’ perceptions of the learning and class climate. Students perceive only moderate cooperation, exchange, and climate with and between their classmates. According to the current NOESIS analysis, class climate has been assessed more positively in Secondary I. The learning climate in the classes is perceived as strongly oriented towards performance at school. Students often point out that the class is oriented towards better achievement performance compared to their classmates, or avoiding embarrassment. The relationship with teachers is no longer as positive as in Secondary I. On the one hand, students perceive an increase in demand for self-reliant learning, but on the other hand, they perceive fewer opportunities for making their own decisions about their learning. All these perceptions are reflected in the personal experiences of the students: the motivation to learn, academic self-concept, well-being at school and attitudes towards the new school are lower compared to previously reported perceptions. Frequently, perceived changes address aspects of student learning such as greater learning efforts, larger amounts of learning material, new learning system, more lessons, increasingly difficult tests, as well as the major changes inherent in adaptation and reorientation to a new social environment and to new classmates and teachers. Although about 60% of students feel they are well prepared for the transition to Secondary lI, nevertheless, the networks (with their classmates and teachers) established during NMS attendance seem to be available only for some students after transition to Secondary II. Nevertheless, previous education does not play a significant role for this perception per se and it seems that former NMS students tend to perceive this rupture to a lesser degree.

References

Bleher, W. (2011). Übergänge im Bildungssystem : biografisch - institutionell – thematisch. Baltmannsweiler : Schneider-Verl. Hohengehren. Geppert, C., Kilian, M. & Katschnig, T. (2013). „Es ist nicht alles Geld, was hilft“ – Die vielfältigen Ressourcen niederösterreichischer MittelschülerInnen. In Projektteam NOESIS (Ed.), Die vielen Wirklichkeiten der Neuen Mittelschule (p. 53-80). Graz: Leykam. Ditton, H. (1992): Ungleichheit und Mobilität durch Bildung. Theorie und empirische Ditton, H. (2000). Qualitätskontrolle und Qualitätssicherung in Schule und Unterricht. Ein Überblick zum Stand der empirischen Forschung. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 41 (Supplement), p.79-92. Hillenbrand, C. & Ricking, H. (2011). Schulabbruch: Ursachen - Entwicklung - Prävention. Ergebnisse US-amerikanischer und deutscher Forschungen. (Early school-leaving: causes - development - prevention - results of research carried out in the States and in Germany). Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 57(2), p.153-172. Koch, K. (2008): Von der Grundschule zur Sekundarstufe. In: Helsper, W. / Böhme, J. (Hrsg.): Handbuch der Schulforschung. 2. Auflage, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p.577-592. Lee, V. & Burkam, D. (2003). Dropping out of high school: The role of school organization and structure American Educational Research Journal, Vol.40(2), p.353-393. Projektteam Noesis (Hrsg., 2016): „Was Schulen stark macht“. Zur Evaluation der Niederösterreichischen Mittelschule. Lit-Verlag. Ryan, A. & Patrick, H. (2001).The classroom social environment and changes in adolescents' motivation and engagement during middle school. American Educational Research Journal, Vol.38(2), p.437. Scheerens, J. & Bosker, R. (1997). The foundations of educational effectiveness. Oxford: Pergamon. Schuchart, C. (2013). School Social Capital and Secondary Education Plans. Educational Studies, 2013, Vol.39(1), p.29-42. Sirsch, U. (2000). Probleme beim Schulwechsel. Die subjektive Bedeutung des bevorstehenden Wechsels von der Grundschule in die weiterführende Schule. Münster: Waxmann. Smith, J. S.; Akos, P., Lim, S. & Wiley, S. (2008). Student and Stakeholder Perceptions of the Transition to High School. The High School Journal, 91 (3), p.32-42. Trumbull, E. & Rothstein-Fisch, C. (2011). The Intersection of Culture and Achievement Motivation. School Community Journal, 2011, Vol. 21(2), p.25-53. Walker, E. (2003).Urban High School Students' Academic Communities and Their Effects on Mathematics Success. American Educational Research Journal, Spring 2006, Vol.43(1), p.43-73.

Author Information

Mariella Knapp (presenting / submitting)
University of Vienna
Department of Education
Vienna
Michaela Kilian
University Vienna
Department of Education
Vienna
Tamara Katschnig
University of Vienna
Vienna
Corinna Geppert
University of Vienna
Department of Education
Vienna

Update Modus of this Database

The current conference programme can be browsed in the conference management system (conftool) and, closer to the conference, in the conference app.
This database will be updated with the conference data after ECER. 

Search the ECER Programme

  • Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
  • Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
  • Search for authors and in the respective field.
  • For planning your conference attendance, please use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference and the conference agenda provided in conftool.
  • If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.