Examining Educational Inequalities: Insights in the Context of Improved Mathematics Performance on National and International Assessments at Primary Level in Ireland
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| Title: | Examining Educational Inequalities: Insights in the Context of Improved Mathematics Performance on National and International Assessments at Primary Level in Ireland |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Karakolidis, Anastasios (ORCID |
| Source: | Large-scale Assessments in Education. 2021 9. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 23 |
| Publication Date: | 2021 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: | Equal Education, Mathematics Achievement, National Competency Tests, International Assessment, Elementary Education, Foreign Countries, Educational Change, Mathematics Tests, Achievement Gap |
| Geographic Terms: | Ireland |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s40536-021-00098-1 |
| ISSN: | 2196-0739 |
| Abstract: | Background: Evaluations of effectiveness of educational reforms are often based on the level of improvement in student performance from one cycle of a particular assessment to the next. However, improvements in overall performance do not necessarily translate to improved equality. Indeed, improvements that favour certain subgroups of students can exacerbate educational performance gaps and thus, inequality. This research examines changes in equality of mathematics achievement and subgroup performance differences in Irish primary school students over time. Ireland constitutes an interesting case study due to the introduction of a new National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in 2011, the initial implementation of which has been linked to significant improvements in student mathematics performance. This paper aims to investigate whether these improvements have been accompanied by improvements in equality. Methods: Using data from the Irish National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading (NAMER) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) from the period before and after the introduction of the Strategy, the study examines (i) deviations in student scores, (ii) variability in achievement at student and school levels and (iii) performance gaps based on demographic and socioeconomic factors over time. Bivariate analyses and multilevel regression models were used to identify student- and school-level variables related to mathematics performance. Results: The results showed a decrease in variability in students' mathematics performance after the introduction of the Strategy; this decrease was statistically significant only for TIMSS. Additionally, there was a considerable decrease in variance in mathematics performance attributed to between-school differences over time. These findings constitute evidence of increased equality as performance differences between students and schools tended to shrink. Regarding performance gaps and variance in mathematics performance explained by background characteristics, this study provided mixed results. In NAMER, subsequent to the introduction of the Strategy, the performance gaps and variance in mathematics achievement explained by selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics decreased considerably. However, this was not the case for TIMSS. Conclusions: The evidence provided by this study suggests that Ireland has made reasonable progress in addressing inequality. However, there is room for improvement, as a significant proportion of the variance in student mathematics performance is still explained by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2021 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1288551 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1288551 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Examining Educational Inequalities: Insights in the Context of Improved Mathematics Performance on National and International Assessments at Primary Level in Ireland – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Karakolidis%2C+Anastasios%22">Karakolidis, Anastasios</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7460-7759">0000-0002-7460-7759</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Duggan%2C+Alice%22">Duggan, Alice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shiel%2C+Gerry%22">Shiel, Gerry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kiniry%2C+Joanne%22">Kiniry, Joanne</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Large-scale+Assessments+in+Education%22"><i>Large-scale Assessments in Education</i></searchLink>. 2021 9. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 23 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2021 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Competency+Tests%22">National Competency Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22International+Assessment%22">International Assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Tests%22">Mathematics Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Gap%22">Achievement Gap</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ireland%22">Ireland</searchLink> – Name: SubjectThesaurus Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Trends+in+International+Mathematics+and+Science+Study%22">Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1186/s40536-021-00098-1 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 2196-0739 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Background: Evaluations of effectiveness of educational reforms are often based on the level of improvement in student performance from one cycle of a particular assessment to the next. However, improvements in overall performance do not necessarily translate to improved equality. Indeed, improvements that favour certain subgroups of students can exacerbate educational performance gaps and thus, inequality. This research examines changes in equality of mathematics achievement and subgroup performance differences in Irish primary school students over time. Ireland constitutes an interesting case study due to the introduction of a new National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in 2011, the initial implementation of which has been linked to significant improvements in student mathematics performance. This paper aims to investigate whether these improvements have been accompanied by improvements in equality. Methods: Using data from the Irish National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading (NAMER) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) from the period before and after the introduction of the Strategy, the study examines (i) deviations in student scores, (ii) variability in achievement at student and school levels and (iii) performance gaps based on demographic and socioeconomic factors over time. Bivariate analyses and multilevel regression models were used to identify student- and school-level variables related to mathematics performance. Results: The results showed a decrease in variability in students' mathematics performance after the introduction of the Strategy; this decrease was statistically significant only for TIMSS. Additionally, there was a considerable decrease in variance in mathematics performance attributed to between-school differences over time. These findings constitute evidence of increased equality as performance differences between students and schools tended to shrink. Regarding performance gaps and variance in mathematics performance explained by background characteristics, this study provided mixed results. In NAMER, subsequent to the introduction of the Strategy, the performance gaps and variance in mathematics achievement explained by selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics decreased considerably. However, this was not the case for TIMSS. Conclusions: The evidence provided by this study suggests that Ireland has made reasonable progress in addressing inequality. However, there is room for improvement, as a significant proportion of the variance in student mathematics performance is still explained by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2021 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1288551 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1288551 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1186/s40536-021-00098-1 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 23 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Equal Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement Type: general – SubjectFull: National Competency Tests Type: general – SubjectFull: International Assessment Type: general – SubjectFull: Elementary Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Change Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematics Tests Type: general – SubjectFull: Achievement Gap Type: general – SubjectFull: Ireland Type: general – SubjectFull: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Examining Educational Inequalities: Insights in the Context of Improved Mathematics Performance on National and International Assessments at Primary Level in Ireland Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Karakolidis, Anastasios – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Duggan, Alice – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shiel, Gerry – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kiniry, Joanne IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2021 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 2196-0739 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 9 Titles: – TitleFull: Large-scale Assessments in Education Type: main |
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