School Spirit: Clustering Students and Schools in the 20 Richest Countries

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: Student Identity Through the Lens of Global Culture and Academic Achievement

Abstract

Abstract

Cross-national comparisons of educational performance typically focus on simple country rankings by test scores, which sheds little light on differential patterns of student achievement. The current study reports on the clustering of students, schools and nations based on achievement and socioeconomic status using multilevel latent class analysis with the PISA 2009 data, in order to gain insights into differential patterns of achievement and variables associated with these patterns. It is hoped that considering achievement patterns more deeply than simple score ranks will benefit students and educators by providing information regarding various ways that schools can successfully nurture learning. Patterns of achievement and socioeconomic status are reported at all three levels of analysis, and implications of these results are discussed.

Authors

• William Holmes Finch, Ball State University

• Gregory J. Marchant, Ball State University