The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-ISC-25e

Bibliographic reference :
Meuret, D., & Morlaix, S. (2006). L’influence de l’origine sociale sur les performances scolaires : par où passe-t-elle? Revue française de sociologie, 47, 1, 49-79.

Abstract :

This international comparative study conducted by French researchers is based on data drawn from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) steered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In this article, the authors examine the nature of the relationship between social origin and academic achievement. More specifically, they deal with the influence of social origin on written comprehension performances by focusing on different variables internal and external to the school system.

Their initial hypothesis was that countries have different mechanisms that account for social inequalities related to competencies (e.g., financial redistribution policy). The countries under study were Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

Variables under Study
The authors define the variables they studied. First, they define social origin through the father’s profession/occupation by using the socio-economic status (ISEI) index scale. An important part of their research was to examine the direct and indirect effects of social origin, i.e., the father’s professional situation, on written comprehension. The indirect effect refers to the fact that social origin can influence variables external or internal to the school system, which in turn influence written comprehension scores. Variables external to the school system include the mother’s educational level, the time students spend on homework, etc. Variables internal to the school system include the feeling of belonging, teacher support, positive climate, etc.

Then, the authors identified written comprehension, i.e., a specific competency, as a way to assess school performance. Therefore, they avoided using graduation as a reference because it can be a “simplistic view of the influence of social origin”.

Main Results
In order to assess the extent of the relationship between the variables above, a quantitative approach was used. Basically, results were presented as similarities and differences between the countries. In addition, a few general results emerged:
1) Except for Spain and Denmark, the direct influence of the father’s professional situation is more significant than the indirect effect;
2) The effect of social origin on written comprehension is related more to external school variables than internal school variables;
3) The importance of the influence of social origin occurring through external factors (e.g., mother’s education) varies from one country to the other;
4) For all countries, teaching conditions vary little based on students’ social origin;
5) Social inequalities with regard to written comprehension are highly related to the mother’s educational level in Denmark, Germany, Belgium and Spain, whereas in France and Finland, this relationship is less significant. It is close to non-existent in Sweden.

Discussion
Based on current literature, the authors expected to find that internal factors had greater influence than that shown by the results. This caused them to reconsider the importance of certain internal factors they had not considered (e.g. the learning context, means of support). As for the varying influence of external factors, observation of policies can lead to a better understanding and improvement of their potential effect on competencies in general. For the purpose of better defining the factors contributing to social inequalities, the authors emphasize the exploratory nature of their study and suggest the development of a more systemic model that takes into account the way in which variables “interact”, among others.

Key Words :
Social Origin, Academic Performances, Written Comprehension, Socio-economic Status, School System Internal Variables, School System External Variables, PISA, International Comparisons, Quantitative Analysis, School Environment, Newsletter1

Monitored Countries :
Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Switzerland