Study explores factors associated with student outcomes in schools

The Evaluation Institute of the Supreme Education Council has released the first of three studies discussing factors that affect educational outcomes for students in independent, former Ministry of Education and private Arabic schools in Qatar. The research study drew on data available through routine collections from 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 academic years.

“Students in Qatar come from diverse backgrounds and face many challenges throughout their studies,” said Adel Al Sayed, the director of the Evaluation Institute. “This study shows the Evaluation Institute’s commitment to providing the community with high quality and research relevant to the educational outcomes of our students in Qatar.”

Of the three studies conducted, two were based on student level data while the third covered school level data. The studies looked at a number of background variables in relation students Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessment (QCEA) results. These included the highest level of education completed by either parent, student gender, parent participation in school activities, parent participation in their student’s homework, parent perception of the happiness of their child at school, parent satisfaction with the school, the level of home spending on education, the number and type of other selected resources available in the home, and the level of school resources. Below is a summary of some of the findings

Variation between schools and between students Variation in student outcomes can be divided into differences between schools, and differences between students within schools. In Qatar, as in many countries, the differences in the students’ results within schools are much greater than the differences between schools’ average results.

Parents’ education One of the most consistent findings is that student-learning outcomes are linked with the level of parental education. In general, students with highly educated parents achieve higher results. This is true for all grades, all subjects and in all years. This association is strongest for parental education up to the level of a bachelor’s degree. Students who have a parent with a higher degree do not, on average, perform any better than those whose parents have only a bachelor’s degree.

Schools where the proportion of parents who have at least a bachelor’s degree is high, have higher average student results overall.

Gender
On average, girls consistently perform better than boys in English and Arabic. Girls sometimes perform better than boys in Mathematics and Science. On average, boys do not perform better than girls in any subject. In addition, girls schools have higher average student results overall than boys schools. This is true not only for English and Arabic, but also, to a lesser extent for science and Mathematics.

Home resources
The level of home spending on education has increased over the three years of the study, and there has been an increase in the number of homes with a computer and Internet access. Generally, students who come from homes where there are more educational resources available (e.g. a place to study, computer and internet) perform better at school. This applies up to the level of having a private tutor. Students who come from homes where there is a private tutor as well as the other resources do not do as well.

Parent satisfaction with their child’s school
There is little connection between the level of school resources and parental satisfaction with the school. Parental satisfaction with the school does vary across the grades, but only a very low proportion of the variation in parental satisfaction is associated with these things.

Differences in school average outcomes
Independent schools differ in terms of their student background profile and in average results. The differences in parental education levels broadly account for differences in school’s average achievement levels. In addition, the prior attainment of the students the previous year also contributes to differences in schools’ average achievement levels.

These effects are true for English, Arabic, Mathematics and Science, but they are least for Science.