Great Expectations? Variation in Educational Plans of Students in Post-Socialist Eastern Europe

• In Event: 435 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 23. Special Topics in Education: International Studies

Abstract

Using all available waves of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) from 1995 to 2011, this study examines the factors influencing educational expectations of students in five Eastern European countries (Hungary, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, Romania, and Slovenia). Consistently across countries and waves, higher parental education and larger number of books at home were positively associated with students’ expectations to complete college and negatively associated with students being undecided regarding their post-secondary plans. Gender and rurality effects varied by country and wave. In most cases, girls and students in urban areas were more likely to expect to complete college and were less likely to be undecided.

Authors

• Volha Chykina, Pennsylvania State University

• Hee Jin Chung, Pennsylvania State University

• Katerina Bodovski, Pennsylvania State University-University Park