Session Information
09 SES 04 B, Relating Students’ Achievement to Class, School and System Level Factors
Paper Session
Contribution
Learning-to-learn is defined as the willingness and the ability to settle down to novel tasks (Hautamäki, & al., 2010). It’s assessed by administering cognitive tasks measuring general thinking skills, and scales measuring learning-related attitudes (Hautamäki & al., 2002). Centre for Educational Assessment at the University of Helsinki has developed Learning-to-learn -scales for 1st, 3rd/4th, 6th/7th, and 9th grades and upper secondary school, and participated in development of an European learning-to-learn instrument (Kupiainen & al., 2008).
This paper reports on the first two years of a longitudinal study in which development of learning-to-learn skills is followed throughout the nine-year comprehensive school. To deepen the understanding of development of these prerequisites for life-long learning, several theoretical perspectives have been integrated and additional measurements conducted. In this study the relationships between cognitive skills measured by the 1st grade learning-to-learn tool, social skills and peer acceptance, and success in the two most important school subjects at this stage, reading and mathematics, are examined by comparing structural equation models built on two different theoretical assumptions.
The cognitive component of learning-to-learn was assessed in the beginning of the study by a learning preparedness test. The tasks used in this study were measuring visuo-spatial memory (adapted from Wilson & al. 1987), analogical reasoning skills (adapted from Hosenfeld & al., 1997), and capacity to follow teacher’s instructions (adapted from Elkonin, cited in Райгородский, 2008). Earlier analyses of the current longitudinal data (Vainikainen & al., 2011a) show that these are relevant components of learning preparedness in predicting later success in mathematics and reading. Success in mathematics and reading is evaluated by standardized tests commonly used in Finland.
It has been understood for decades that peers can have an important role as supporters – or distracters – of learning (eg. Song & Grabowski, 2006), but it has remained under discussion whether research results tell about similar learners seeking each other’s company or pupils becoming more like their peers when spending time together. In studies about peer effects on school success it has been speculated that school success may play a role in what kind of a social group a child belongs to (see Brown and Lohr, 1987) and on the other hand that belonging to a specific group can affect school success if peers are supportive and school-oriented (see Wentzell and Caldwell, 1997).
In this study it is hypothised that peer acceptance alone doesn’t influence learning or vice versa, but the relationship between them observed in many studies is a result of peers being more similar to each other than to others in the same class. Gender differences are also expected to be found.
Research questions:
1. Do girls’ and boys’ cognitive and social skills predict peer acceptance during the first two years of comprehensive school? Do those skills affect the formation of peer groups?
2. As claimed in many theories, is peer acceptance directly related to better success in reading and mathematics or can the explanation be found in similar children spending time together and affecting each other’s learning?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Brown, B.B., Lohr, M.J. (1987). Peer group affiliation and adolescent self-esteem: An integration of ego-identity and symbolic interaction theories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 47-55. Hautamäki A., Hautamäki J. & Kupiainen S. (2010) Assessment in Schools – Learning to Learn. International Encyclopedia of Education 2010(3), 268–272. Hautamäki, J., Arinen, P., Hautamäki, A. & al.. (2001). Ensiaskeleet – oppimisen edellytykset: Luokanopettajille tarkoitetun seulan toimivuus Helsinki-aineiston perusteella. City of Helsinki.. Hautamäki, J., Arinen, P., Eronen, S. & al.(2002). Assessing Learning-to-learn: A framework. Helsinki: National Board of Education. Hosenfeld, B., van den Boom, D.C., Resing, W.C.M (1997). Constructing geometric analogies test for the longitudinal testing of elementary school children. Journal of Educational Measurement, 34(4), 367-372. Ikäheimo, H., Putkonen, H., & Voutilainen, A. (2002). [Mathematical basic concepts and contents exams for grades 1 to 9]. Opperi. Kupiainen, S., Hautamäki, J., Rantanen, P. (2008). EU pre-pilot on learning to learn: Report on the compiled data. Lindeman, J. (2000). [ALLU Reading Test for Primary School: Technical information]. University of Turku. Райгородский, Д.Я. (ed.)(2008). Энциклопедия психодиагностики. Психодиагностика детей, 177-179. Song, H-D. & Grabowski, B. (2006). Stimulating Instrict Motivation for Problem Solving Using Goal-Oriented Context and Peer Group Composition. Educational Technology Research and Development, 54 (5), 445–466. Vainikainen, M.P., Gustavson, N., Kupiainen, S., Marjanen, J. (2011a). Validity of a learning-to-learn screening test for first graders in predicting later success in mathematics and reading. Paper presented in ECER 2011. Vainikainen, M.P., Marjanen, J., Kupiainen, S., Gustavson, N., Hautamäki, J. (2011b). Oppimaan oppiminen Vantaan peruskouluissa: Ensiluokkalaisten oppimisvalmiudet syksyllä 2010. City of Vantaa. Wentzel, K.R., Caldwell, K. (1997). Friendships, peer acceptance, and group membership: Relations to academic achievement in middle school. Child Development, 68(6), 1198-1209. Wilson, J.T.L., Scott, J.H., Power, K.G. (1987). Developmental differences in the span of visual memory for pattern. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5, 249-255.
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