Academic Resilience in Mathematics and Science: Europe TIMSS-2019 Data.

BACKGROUND: Academically resilient students are those who exhibit high performance starting from a disadvantaged socioeconomic situation. This study aims to identify the personal, school, and national factors that are associated with that resilience in the European Union (EU). METHOD: The sample comprised 96556 fourth grade students from 21 EU countries participating in TIMSS-2019. Two three-level logistic regression models were specified for the overall sample. RESULTS: The EU has an average of 25.67% resilient students in mathematics and 24.16% in science. Student confidence and having done prior linguistic tasks at school were the variables with the most predictive power after accounting for gender and students' immigrant background. The European countries analyzed largely compensated for the doubly-disadvantaged situation of immigrant students. Those countries with higher proportions of low-performing students had fewer resilient students. CONCLUSIONS: The educational policies in the EU member states are able to largely compensate for unfavorable starting positions; fundamentally, policies of a social nature such as support for immigrant students, families, or schools.

Academic Self-Concept Dramatically Declines in Secondary School: Personal and Contextual Determinants.

Academic self-concept is one of the most important non-cognitive variables in determining students' attitudes towards school and their performance. The objective of this study was to use a longitudinal approach to analyze how academic self-concept changed between primary and secondary schools and to analyze the factors that affected that progression. The sample consisted of 7379 students (47.4% girls) evaluated at two time-points: fourth grade and eighth grade. Six schooling pathways were analyzed: repeating a year before fourth grade, repeating between fourth and eighth grade, and repeating eighth grade. Five two-level hierarchical linear models of intrasubject means were assessed. The results indicate that academic self-concept falls dramatically between primary school and secondary school, varying according to background variables. Nevertheless, the most influential factor was the students' schooling pathway. This study reinforces the evidence that, at least in the Spanish context, educational policies need to address alternatives to repetition.

Should we Help our Children with Homework? A Meta-Analysis Using PISA Data.

BACKGROUND: The role of homework in students' academic performance is a widely debated topic about which there is no definitive answer. The objective of this study was to analyse the importance of parental help with homework in academic achievement, testing its cultural invariance (by country), academic invariance (by subject), and the stability of its effects over time. METHOD: A meta-analysis was performed using the results of PISA evaluations from 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 from countries which applied the family PISA questionnaire. We analysed 180 effects and confirmed the fit of the model and the heterogeneity of the effects, performing an analysis of moderators and multimodal inference. RESULTS: Students who had more help with homework had lower academic achievement, with an overall effect (d) = 0.23, 95% CI [0.21, 0.25]. The effects were greater in Europe than in Asia. We did not find differences by subject type, and the results were stable over time. CONCLUSIONS: Family help with homework does not ensure students' academic success, and it is more important how that help is given than how much. This conclusion is valid for different types of subjects and is stable over time, with some variation between cultures.

El uso de las nuevas tecnologías en las evaluaciones educativas: la lectura en un mundo digital / The use of new technologies in educational assessments: reading in a digital world

Ser un lector competente en un mundo digital requiere una base sólida de Lectura, pero también la capacidad para pensar críticamente; una tarea pendiente para muchos estudiantes españoles. Las pruebas adaptativas informatizadas y los datos de proceso (información sobre las acciones que realizan los estudiantes al responder a la prueba) son especialmente importantes cuando se evalúan competencias como la Lectura. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar cómo el uso de la tecnología está cambiando el concepto de Lectura y las formas para evaluarlo. Esto tiene implicaciones tanto para el alumnado español como para cualquier profesional encargado de interpretar y diseñar evaluaciones educativas. El investigador debe asegurar que el uso de los datos y la tecnología sea el adecuado para los objetivos de la evaluación y sirva de forma fiable, válida y justa a las personas involucradas, pero también del usuario saber cuándo, cómo y para qué utilizar los datos.(AU)

Being a proficient reader in a digital world requires a strong reading foundation, but also the ability to think critically, which is a challenge for many students in Spain. Computerized adaptive tests and process data (information about students’ actions when responding to the test) are especially important when assessing skills such as reading. This work aims to analyze how the use of technology is changing the concept of reading and the ways to evaluate it. This has implications for Spanish students and any professional in charge of interpreting and designing educational evaluations. The researcher must ensure that the use of data and technology is adequate for the objectives of the evaluation and that it works in a reliable, valid, and fair way for the people involved, but also the user must know when, how, and for what purposes to use the data.(AU)

Análisis de Redes: una Alternativa a los Enfoques Clásicos de Evaluación de los Sistemas Educativos / Network analysis: An alternative to classic approaches for education systems evaluation

Las abundantes investigaciones sobre los sistemas educativos han permitido identificar los factores fundamentales que determinan el éxito educativo del alumnado. Sin embargo, estas investigaciones no han sido muy eficientes a la hora de transferir los resultados a los contextos aplicados en los que se mueven los profesionales y directivos que toman las decisiones sobre los sistemas educativos. La razón principal de este fracaso proviene de la poca familiarización de los profesionales de la educación con la sofisticada metodología estadística y psicométrica utilizada por la mayoría de los investigadores. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar los sistemas educativos mediante la metodología de análisis de redes, la cual es muy asequible, clara e intuitiva para profesionales y directivos educativos sin una gran sofisticación metodológica. Se utilizó una muestra de 7,882 estudiantes de segundo curso de la Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria. Se evaluó su competencia matemática y se obtuvieron datos relativos al contexto educativo. Se utilizó para los análisis el análisis de redes, calculando indicadores de centralidad, así como de precisión y estabilidad de la red. Los resultados indican que el autoconcepto y las expectativas académicas tienen un importante efecto sobre los resultados en matemáticas. Los hallazgos convergen con los obtenidos previamente con otros enfoques. El acercamiento de análisis de redes ofrece una combinación idónea entre rigor analítico y sencillez interpretativa, lo que le confiere gran potencial para ser empleado en contextos educativos aplicados para la toma de decisiones basadas en datos.

Widespread research on educational systems has made it possible to identify the main factors that define students’ educational success. Nevertheless, these studies have not been very efficient when it comes to transferring their conclusions to the applied contexts where those who teach or make decisions about educational systems move. The main reason for this failure lies on the unfamiliarity of education professionals with the sophisticated statistical and psychometric methodology used by most researchers. The goal of this paper is to analyze educational systems using the Network Analysis methodology, which is very affordable, clear, and intuitive for teachers and educational leaders without a great methodological sophistication. A sample of 7,882 eighth-graders was used. Students’ mathematical skills were evaluated and data were obtained from their educational context. Network Analysis was used calculating indicators of centrality, as well as precision and stability of the network. The results indicate that academic self-concept and academic expectations have an important effect on performance in mathematics. The findings match with those previously obtained with other approaches. The Network Analysis methodology offers an ideal combination of analytical rigor and interpretative simplicity, that provides a great potential to be used in applied educational contexts for evidence-based decision making.

Should we Help our Children with Homework? A Meta-Analysis Using PISA Data / ¿Debemos Ayudar a Nuestros Hijos con los Deberes? un Meta-Análisis con Datos PISA

Background: The role of homework in students’ academic performance is a widely debated topic about which there is no definitive answer. The objective of this study was to analyse the importance of parental help with homework in academic achievement, testing its cultural invariance (by country), academic invariance (by subject), and the stability of its effects over time. Method: A meta-analysis was performed using the results of PISA evaluations from 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 from countries which applied the family PISA questionnaire. We analysed 180 effects and confirmed the fit of the model and the heterogeneity of the effects, performing an analysis of moderators and multimodal inference. Results: Students who had more help with homework had lower academic achievement, with an overall effect (d) = 0.23, 95% CI [0.21, 0.25]. The effects were greater in Europe than in Asia. We did not find differences by subject type, and the results were stable over time. Conclusions: Family help with homework does not ensure students’ academic success, and it is more important how that help is given than how much. This conclusion is valid for different types of subjects and is stable over time, with some variation between cultures.

Antecedentes: el papel de los deberes escolares en el rendimiento académico es un tema ampliamente debatido, no existiendo una respuesta definitiva. El presente trabajo analiza el efecto de la ayuda parental con los deberes sobre los resultados educativos, comprobando la invarianza cultural (por países) y académica (por asignaturas), así como la estabilidad temporal de los efectos. Método: se realizó un meta-análisis con los resultados PISA de los años 2009, 2012, 2015 y 2018, incluyendo los países que aplicaron el cuestionario PISA para las familias. Se analizaron 180 efectos, comprobando el ajuste del modelo y la heterogeneidad de los efectos, y realizando análisis de moderadores y análisis de inferencia con modelos múltiples. Resultados: los estudiantes que reciben más ayuda con los deberes obtienen resultados más bajos: d = 0.23, IC 95% [0.21, 0.25]. Los efectos son mayores en Europa que en Asia. No se encontraron diferencias en función de la asignatura, y los resultados son estables a lo largo del tiempo. Conclusiones: la ayuda familiar con los deberes no garantiza el éxito académico, siendo más importante cómo se hace que el cuánto. Esta conclusión es válida en todas las asignaturas y se muestra estable en el tiempo, observándose variaciones interculturales.

Academic Resilience in Mathematics and Science: Europe TIMSS-2019 Data / Resiliencia Académica en Matemáticas y Ciencias: Datos de Europa TIMSS-2019

Background: Academically resilient students are those who exhibit highperformance starting from a disadvantaged socioeconomic situation. Thisstudy aims to identify the personal, school, and national factors that areassociated with that resilience in the European Union (EU). Method:The sample comprised 96556 fourth grade students from 21 EU countriesparticipating in TIMSS-2019. Two three-level logistic regression modelswere specified for the overall sample. Results: The EU has an average of25.67% resilient students in mathematics and 24.16% in science. Studentconfidence and having done prior linguistic tasks at school were thevariables with the most predictive power after accounting for gender andstudents’ immigrant background. The European countries analyzed largelycompensated for the doubly-disadvantaged situation of immigrant students.Those countries with higher proportions of low-performing students hadfewer resilient students. Conclusions: The educational policies in the EUmember states are able to largely compensate for unfavorable startingpositions; fundamentally, policies of a social nature such as support forimmigrant students, families, or schools.

Antecedentes: el alumnado académicamente resilientees aquel que obtiene un alto rendimiento partiendo de una situaciónsocioeconómica desaventajada. Esta investigación pretende identificarlos factores personales, escolares y nacionales que están asociados a laresiliencia académica en la Unión Europea (UE). Método: la muestra fuede 96.556 estudiantes de 4º grado de 21 países de la UE participantes enTIMSS-2019. Para el conjunto de la muestra se ajustaron dos modelos deregresión logística multinivel de tres niveles. Resultados:la UE tiene unpromedio de 25,67% de alumnado resiliente en matemáticas y 24,16% enciencias. La confianza de los estudiantes y haber realizado tareas lingüísticasprevias a la escuela son las variables con mayor poder predictivo después detener en cuenta el género y los antecedentes inmigrantes de los estudiantes.Los países europeos analizados compensan en buena medida la situacióndoblemente desaventajada del alumnado inmigrante. Aquellos países queposeen un mayor porcentaje de alumnado con bajo rendimiento tienenmenos estudiantes resilientes. Conclusiones: las políticas educativas delos estados miembros de la UE son capaces de compensar en gran medidalas situaciones desfavorecidas de partida. Fundamentalmente aquellas decarácter social como el apoyo al alumnado inmigrante, a la familia o lasinstituciones educativas.

Resiliencia académica: la influencia del esfuerzo, las expectativas y el autoconcepto académico / Academic resilience: The influence of academic effort, expectations, and self-concept

Resumen Introducción: La resiliencia académica consiste en obtener altas calificaciones a pesar de hallarse en una desventaja socioeconómica. En el presente estudio se observó si el esfuerzo, las expectativas y el autoconcepto académicos forman parte de la resiliencia académica o estarían explicando un buen rendimiento académico en general. Método: Los participantes, una población de 7479 adolescentes españoles (M = 13.87; DT = 0.82), fueron divididos en cuatro grupos según el rendimiento académico (Bueno-Malo) y el nivel socioeconómico (Clase alta-Clase baja). Se realizaron análisis de diferencias y regresiones logísticas binarias para detectar cuál de las variables empleadas explicaba el rendimiento académico en los grupos de igual nivel socioeconómico. También se estudió si el sexo influía en la pertenencia a los grupos de buen rendimiento. Resultados: Se observaron diferencias en el esfuerzo, las expectativas y el autoconcepto académicos en función de los cuatro grupos creados; los grupos de buen rendimiento académico obtuvieron puntuaciones más altas independientemente del nivel socioeconómico. Se observó que las expectativas y el autoconcepto académicos explicaban gran parte del rendimiento académico. Se detectó una tasa de mujeres significativamente más alta con relación a la de hombres en los grupos de mayor rendimiento. Conclusiones: Muchas variables, que se han considerado propias de los alumnos académicamente resilientes, explican un buen rendimiento académico, en general, independientemente del nivel socioeconómico.

Abstract Introduction: Academic resilience is defined as getting high marks despite being at a socioeconomic disadvantage. In the present study, it was observed whether Academic Effort, Expectations and Self-Concept are part of academic resilience or would be explaining a good academic performance in general. Method: The participants, a population of 7479 Spanish adolescents (M = 13.87; SD = 0.82), were divided into four groups according to academic performance (Good-Bad) and socioeconomic level (Upper class-Lower class). Analysis of differences and binary logistic regressions were performed to detect which of the variables used explained the academic performance in the groups of the same socioeconomic level. It was also studied whether sex influenced membership in the good performance groups. Results: Differences in Academic Effort, Expectations and Self-concept were found according to the four groups created; the groups with good academic performance obtained higher scores regardless of socioeconomic level. Expectations and academic self-concept were found to explain much of academic performance. A significantly higher rate of women than men was found in higher performance groups. Conclusions: Many variables that have been considered typical of academically resilient students explain good academic performance in general, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Academic resilience in European countries: The role of teachers, families, and student profiles.

Academic resilience is a student's ability to achieve academic results significantly higher than would be expected according to their socioeconomic level. In this study, we aimed to identify the characteristics of students, families, and teacher activities which had the greatest impact on academic resilience. The sample comprised 117,539 fourth grade students and 6,222 teachers from 4,324 schools in member states of the European Union that participated in the PIRLS 2016 study. We specified a two-level hierarchical linear model in two phases: in the first level we used the students' personal and family background variables, in the second level we used the variables related to teaching activity. In the first phase we used the complete model for all countries and regions, in the second phase we produced a model for each country with the highest possible number of statistically significant variables. The results indicated that the students' personal and family variables that best predicted resilience were the reading self-confidence index, which increased the probability of student resilience by between 62 and 130 percentage points, a feeling of belonging to the school, which increased the chances of being resilient by up to 40 percentage points, and support from the family before starting primary school (Students from Lithuania who had done early literary activities in the family setting were twice as likely to be resilient than those who had not). The teaching-related factors best predicting resilience were keeping order in the classroom, a safe and orderly school environment (increasing chances of resilience by up to 62 percentage points), and teaching focused on comprehension and reflection, which could increase the probability of resilience by up to 61 percentage points.

Temporal Stability of Grit and School Performance in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Perspective / La estabilidad temporal de la tenacidad y el rendimiento escolar en adolescentes: una perspectiva longitudinal

Grit is a construct that is related to perseverance and passion for achieving set goals. Its relationship to school performance has been widely researched although the results are not conclusive. The aim of this study was to examine the temporal stability of grit and its relationship to adolescents' school performance. A sample of 5,371 students were evaluated at two time points, four years apart. At first evaluation, mean age was 9.9 years old (SD = 0.41), at the second it was 13.87 (SD = 0.82). A longitudinal design was used, and the data were analysed using analysis of variance, factor analysis, and structural equations models. Adolescents' academic grit and school achievement fall between ages of 10 and 14. Adolescents with higher levels of grit had higher academic achievement. The two constructs are correlated, which is why interventions aimed at improving academic grit could be important in improving school performance

La tenacidad es un constructo relacionado con la perseverancia y la pasión por conseguir los objetivos propuestos. Su relación con el rendimiento académico ha sido ampliamente investigada, si bien los resultados no son concluyentes. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar la estabilidad temporal de la tenacidad y su relación con el rendimiento académico de los adolescentes. Se utilizó una muestra de 5,371 estudiantes, que fueron evaluados en dos momentos temporales separados por un periodo de cuatro años. En la primera evaluación la media de edad fue de 9.9 años (DT = 0.41) y en la segunda, de 13.87 (DT = 0.82). Se utilizó un diseño longitudinal, analizando los datos mediante análisis de varianza, análisis factorial y modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. La tenacidad y rendimiento académico de los adolescentes descienden entre los 10 y los 14 años. Los que tenían mayor nivel de tenacidad académica mostraron mejores resultados escolares. Ambos constructos están correlacionados, por lo que el uso de programas de intervención para mejorar la tenacidad académica podría ser clave para mejorar su rendimiento académico

Resilient and low performer students: personal and family determinants in european countries / Estudiantes resilientes y de bajo rendimiento: determinantes personales y familiares en países europeos

BACKGROUND: Students' academic achievement depends on their personal, family and sociocultural characteristics. This study aims to identify the personal and family factors of European students who do not perform as expected, whether by surpassing expectations (resilient) or by failing to meet them (low performers). METHOD: The sample was composed of 117,539 fourth grade students who completed the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) test, from 23 European Union countries. Academic performance was evaluated via a reading comprehension test. For each country, two binary logistic regression models were used, one for resilient students and the other for low performers. Variables related to the students and their families were used as predictor variables. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between European countries in terms of the proportion of resilient and low performing students. The two variables with the most predictive power were student confidence with reading, and having done early literacy activities. CONCLUSIONS: Students' personal characteristics and family conditions are instrumental in students being considered resilient or low performers

ANTECEDENTES: el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes depende de sus características personales, familiares y socioculturales. El presente trabajo trata de identificar los factores personales y familiares de los estudiantes europeos que no obtienen el rendimiento esperado, bien sea porque superan las expectativas previas (resilientes), o porque rinden por debajo de lo esperado (low performers). MÉTODO: la muestra está formada por 117.539 estudiantes de cuarto grado que realizaron la prueba de Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), pertenecientes a 23 países de la Unión Europea. El rendimiento académico se evaluó mediante una prueba de compresión lectora. Para cada país se utilizaron dos modelos de regresion logística binaria, uno para los alumnos resilientes y otro para los low performers. Como variables predictoras se utilizaron variables asociadas al alumno y a su familia. RESULTADOS: se han obtenido diferencias importantes entre los países europeos en relación a la proporción de alumnos resilientes y low performers. La confianza de los estudiantes en la lectura y el haber realizado actividades de alfabetización temprana son las dos variables con mayor poder predictivo. CONCLUSIONES: las características personales del alumnado y sus condiciones familiares son determinantes para que los estudiantes sean considerados resilientes y low performers

Resilient and low performer students: Personal and family determinants in European countries.

BACKGROUND: Students' academic achievement depends on their personal, family and sociocultural characteristics. This study aims to identify the personal and family factors of European students who do not perform as expected, whether by surpassing expectations (resilient) or by failing to meet them (low performers). METHOD: The sample was composed of 117,539 fourth grade students who completed the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) test, from 23 European Union countries. Academic performance was evaluated via a reading comprehension test. For each country, two binary logistic regression models were used, one for resilient students and the other for low performers. Variables related to the students and their families were used as predictor variables. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between European countries in terms of the proportion of resilient and low performing students. The two variables with the most predictive power were student confidence with reading, and having done early literacy activities. CONCLUSIONS: Students' personal characteristics and family conditions are instrumental in students being considered resilient or low performers.

An ecological view of measurement: focus on multilevel model explanation of differential item functioning / Un enfoque ecológico de la medición: explicación con modelos multinivel del funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems

Background: The 3rd Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study reports, analyses and compares academic results in mathematics, sciences, and reading for 15 Latin American countries. Validity is the foundation of a testing procedure, and the process of validation is important to the overall success of educational assessment as a whole. This methodological study deals specifically with an ecological point of view which includes and situates the person, process, context, and time of the testing situation. These descriptions indicate specific events showing how and what variables at the individual, school, or country level can give a deep understanding of the response process. The aims were to investigate ecological explanations of differential item functioning. Method: The study analysed the science test given in 2013 to 6th grade students and the data pool consisted of 12,657 students from 2,609 schools and 15 countries. A progressive inclusion of the variance distribution in different Bernoulli logistic regression models was carried out. Results: The analyses showed the presence of differential item functioning in 32% of the science items. Conclusions: The main source of differential item functioning was related to the human development level of the participating countries

Antecedentes: el tercer Estudio Regional Comparativo y Explicativo informa, analiza y compara los resultados académicos en matemáticas, ciencias y lectura de 15 países latinoamericanos. La validez es el fundamento del procedimiento de prueba y el proceso de validación es clave para el éxito de la evaluación educativa en general. Este estudio metodológico se enfoca desde un punto de vista ecológico que sitúa a la persona, el proceso, el contexto y el tiempo donde se desarrolla la prueba. Estas descripciones señalan eventos específicos cómo y qué variables a nivel individual, escuela o país pueden dar un entendimiento profundo del proceso de respuesta. El objetivo fue investigar el funcionamiento diferencial del ítem desde un marco ecológico. Método: se analizó la prueba de ciencias aplicada en 2013 a los alumnos de 6º grado, los datos abarcan a 12.657 alumnos, 2.609 escuelas y 15 países. Se realizó una inclusión progresiva de niveles de distribución de la varianza en diferentes modelos de regresión logística Bernoulli. Resultados: los análisis mostraron la presencia de funcionamiento diferencial del ítem en el 32% de la prueba de ciencias. Conclusión: la principal fuente de funcionamiento diferencial del ítem se ve asociado al nivel de desarrollo humano de los países participantes

An ecological view of measurement: focus on multilevel model explanation of differential item functioning.

BACKGROUND: The 3rd Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study reports, analyses and compares academic results in mathematics, sciences, and reading for 15 Latin American countries. Validity is the foundation of a testing procedure, and the process of validation is important to the overall success of educational assessment as a whole. This methodological study deals specifically with an ecological point of view which includes and situates the person, process, context, and time of the testing situation. These descriptions indicate specific events showing how and what variables at the individual, school, or country level can give a deep understanding of the response process. The aims were to investigate ecological explanations of differential item functioning. METHOD: The study analysed the science test given in 2013 to 6th grade students and the data pool consisted of 12,657 students from 2,609 schools and 15 countries. A progressive inclusion of the variance distribution in different Bernoulli logistic regression models was carried out. RESULTS: The analyses showed the presence of differential item functioning in 32% of the science items. CONCLUSIONS: The main source of differential item functioning was related to the human development level of the participating countries.

Homework and Academic Achievement in Latin America: A Multilevel Approach.

The relationship between homework and academic results has been widely researched. Most of that research has used English-speaking, European or Asian samples, and to date there have been no detailed studies into that relationship in Latin America and the Caribbean. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of quantitative homework characteristics on achievement in science. The sample comprised 61,938 students at 2,955 schools in the 15 Latin American countries (plus the Mexican state of New Leon) which participated in the Third Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study (TERCE), carried out by the Latin American Laboratory for Educational Quality (LLECE) in 2013. The mean age was 12.42 years old (±0.94). Within each country, three hierarchical-linear models were applied at two levels: student and school. The individual level considered time spent doing homework and the school level considered the amount and frequency of homework assignment. In addition, ten control variables were included in order to control the net effect of the characteristics of the homework on the result. The results confirmed that homework is widely assigned in the Latin American region. At the individual level, time spent on homework had little effect on academic performance, while in the quantitative homework characteristics it was the frequency of homework assignment which demonstrated a clearer effect rather than the amount of homework assigned.

Parental involvement and academic performance: Less control and more communication / Implicación familiar y rendimiento académico: menos control y más comunicación

Background: Parental involvement in the educational process is desirable, although more involvement does not guarantee better results. The aim of this research is to explore the relationship between styles of parental involvement at home and academic performance. Method: A random sample of 26,543 Spanish students was used, with a mean age of 14.4 (SD = 0.75). Two thirds (66.2%) attended a publicly funded school; 49.7% were girls; 87.8% had Spanish nationality; and 73.5% were in the school year corresponding to their age. Different three-level hierarchical-linear models were fitted: student, school, and region (autonomous community). Results: Students whose parents exhibited a more distal or indirect profile of family involvement tended to demonstrate better results than those from homes with a more controlling style. Parental involvement styles have an effect on achievement at an individual and school level, even after accounting for the effect of context or background variables. Conclusions: Given the importance of parental involvement in academic performance, schools should consider it in their family information and training policies. Schools which have more communicative family profiles tend to demonstrate lower levels of intra-school differences in students’ academic performance (AU)

Antecedentes: la implicación familiar en el proceso educativo es un hecho deseable, aunque una mayor implicación no garantiza mejores resultados. El objetivo de esta investigación es explorar la relación entre los estilos de implicación familiar en el hogar y los resultados escolares. Método: se utilizó una muestra de 26.543 estudiantes españoles con una medida de edad de 14,4 años (DT = 0,75). El 66,2% asiste a un centro público; el 49,7% son mujeres; el 87,8% es español; y el 73,5% está escolarizado en el curso correspondiente a su edad. Se ajustaron diferentes modelos jerárquico-lineales de tres niveles: alumnado, centro y región. Resultados: los estudiantes cuyos progenitores presentan un perfil de implicación familiar más distal o indirecto tienden a presentar mejores resultados que los que provienen de hogares con un estilo más controlador. Los estilos familiares tienen efecto sobre los resultados individuales y de centro, incluso después de descontar el impacto de las variables de contexto. Conclusiones: dada la importancia de la implicación familiar en el rendimiento, los centros deben de tenerla muy en cuenta en su política de información y formación familiar. Los centros que tienen perfiles familiares más comunicativos tienden a presentar menores diferencias intra-centro en los resultados individuales (AU)

Parental involvement and academic performance: Less control and more communication.

BACKGROUND: Parental involvement in the educational process is desirable, although more involvement does not guarantee better results. The aim of this research is to explore the relationship between styles of parental involvement at home and academic performance. METHOD: A random sample of 26,543 Spanish students was used, with a mean age of 14.4 (SD = 0.75). Two thirds (66.2%) attended a publicly funded school; 49.7% were girls; 87.8% had Spanish nationality; and 73.5% were in the school year corresponding to their age. Different three-level hierarchical-linear models were fitted: student, school, and region (autonomous community). RESULTS: Students whose parents exhibited a more distal or indirect profile of family involvement tended to demonstrate better results than those from homes with a more controlling style. Parental involvement styles have an effect on achievement at an individual and school level, even after accounting for the effect of context or background variables. CONCLUSIONS: Given the importance of parental involvement in academic performance, schools should consider it in their family information and training policies. Schools which have more communicative family profiles tend to demonstrate lower levels of intra-school differences in students’ academic performance.

Students' Achievement and Homework Assignment Strategies.

The optimum time students should spend on homework has been widely researched although the results are far from unanimous. The main objective of this research is to analyze how homework assignment strategies in schools affect students' academic performance and the differences in students' time spent on homework. Participants were a representative sample of Spanish adolescents (N = 26,543) with a mean age of 14.4 (±0.75), 49.7% girls. A test battery was used to measure academic performance in four subjects: Spanish, Mathematics, Science, and Citizenship. A questionnaire allowed the measurement of the indicators used for the description of homework and control variables. Two three-level hierarchical-linear models (student, school, autonomous community) were produced for each subject being evaluated. The relationship between academic results and homework time is negative at the individual level but positive at school level. An increase in the amount of homework a school assigns is associated with an increase in the differences in student time spent on homework. An optimum amount of homework is proposed which schools should assign to maximize gains in achievement for students overall.

Imputación de datos perdidos en las evaluaciones diagnósticas educativas / Imputation methods for missing data in educational diagnostic evaluation

En la evaluación diagnóstica de sistemas educativos se utilizan habitualmente autoinformes para recoger datos de carácter tanto cognitivo como oréctico. Es muy frecuente que por distintas razones en estos autoinformes falten algunos de los datos del alumnado. El objetivo del presente trabajo es comparar el funcionamiento de diferentes métodos de imputación de datos perdidos en el contexto de la evaluación de sistemas educativos. Sobre una base de datos de 5.000 sujetos se simularon 72 condiciones: tres tamaños de pérdida de datos, tres mecanismos de pérdida y ocho métodos de imputación de los datos perdidos. La cuantía de las pérdidas se establecieron en un 5, 10 y 20%. Los mecanismos de pérdida fijados fueron: aleatoria, moderadamente condicionada y fuertemente condicionada. Los ocho métodos de imputación utilizados fueron: eliminación, reemplazo por la media de la escala, por la media del ítem, por la media del sujeto, por la media del sujeto corregida, regresión múltiple e imputación por el algoritmo Esperanza-Maximización (EM) con y sin variables auxiliares. Los resultados indican que la recuperación de los datos es más precisa cuando se emplea una combinación adecuada de diferentes métodos de recuperación de los datos perdidos. Cuando se trata de un caso incompleto funciona muy bien la media del sujeto, mientras que para datos completamente perdidos es recomendable la imputación múltiple con el algoritmo EM. El uso de esta combinación resulta especialmente recomendable cuando la pérdida de datos es mayor y su mecanismo de pérdida está más condicionado. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados y se comentan algunas líneas futuras de investigación que se abren a partir de los resultados obtenidos (AU)

In the diagnostic evaluation of educational systems, self-reports are commonly used to collect data, both cognitive and orectic. For various reasons, in these self-reports, some of the students’ data are frequently missing. The main goal of this research is to compare the performance of different imputation methods for missing data in the context of the evaluation of educational systems. On an empirical database of 5,000 subjects, 72 conditions were simulated: three levels of missing data, three types of loss mechanisms, and eight methods of imputation. The levels of missing data were 5%, 10%, and 20%. The loss mechanisms were set at: Missing completely at random, moderately conditioned, and strongly conditioned. The eight imputation methods used were: listwise deletion, replacement by the mean of the scale, by the item mean, the subject mean, the corrected subject mean, multiple regression, and Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm, with and without auxiliary variables. The results indicate that the recovery of the data is more accurate when using an appropriate combination of different methods of recovering lost data. When a case is incomplete, the mean of the subject works very well, whereas for completely lost data, multiple imputation with the EM algorithm is recommended. The use of this combination is especially recommended when data loss is greater and its loss mechanism is more conditioned. Lastly, the results are discussed, and some future lines of research are analyzed (AU)