Schulfreude und Wohlbefinden von bildungsbenachteiligten Schülerinnen und Schülern Entwicklung zu Beginn der Primarstufe und am Übergang in die Sekundarstufe
Year: 2023
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Educational inequalities have been discussed in German education and policy for decades (Dahrendorf, 1965; Picht, 1964; cited from Wenzel, 2010). But ever since the results of PISA 2000 showed a strong relationship between social background and educational outcomes, there have been increases in the attention that society, politics and educational research have all paid to educational inequalities. In recent decades, the types and extent of educational inequalities have changed (Geißler, 2005), but they still exist now as they did before. Studies on educational inequalities have focused primarily on background-related disparities (e.g., social and migration background) in academic performance, competencies and participation in education (e.g., Artelt et al., 2001; Bos et al., 2017; Gresch & Becker, 2010; Kotzerke et al., 2013; Zielonka et al., 2014). Although cognitive factors are of great importance for educational success, affective characteristics are also highly relevant in the school context (Gutman & Vorhaus, 2012; Mega et al., 2014; Pekrun et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2018). The aim of this dissertation is to analyze educational inequalities regarding affective characteristics. In recent years, interest in emotions and well-being in school have been growing in educational research. However, studies analyzing the emotions and well-being of disadvantaged students are still scarce. Disadvantaged students have fewer social, economic, and cultural resources. They are considered educationally disadvantaged because they score lower on standardized tests, receive lower school grades, and attend the academic school track (i.e., the German Gymnasium) less frequently (Bos et al., 2017; Kristen & Granato, 2007). Therefore, the aim of this dissertation is to clarify whether educationally disadvantaged students are additionally disadvantaged due to an unfavorable development in their school enjoyment and well-being. I focus on educational transitions because they involve institutional, structural, and social changes (Anderson et al., 2000; J. K. Rice, 2001), which can affect students’ emotions and well-being in school. This dissertation is based on data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS, starting cohort kindergarten; Blossfeld & Roßbach, 2019) in Germany. I analyzed how background characteristics (e.g., social and migration background, parental engagement in school, and home learning environment) affect school enjoyment and well-being at the beginning of primary school (Grades 1 and 2) and during the transition to secondary school (Grades 4 and 5). Results of latent growth curve models showed positive but small effects of parents’ educational aspirations on students’ school enjoyment and well-being in Grade 4 (i.e., before the transition to secondary school). Additionally, parental educational status had a small positive effect on well-being in Grade 4. The cross-lagged panel model showed a small positive effect of home learning environment on school enjoyment in Grade 1. Although positive effects of some background characteristics were observed, when all the results were considered together, there was no systematic evidence that educationally disadvantaged students are additionally disadvantaged regarding their affective characteristics in school. Recommendations for future studies (chapter 8.1) and pedagogical work (chapter 8.2) are given. Especially measures aimed at enhancing positive emotions and well-being in school for all students are recommended. These include transition programs that reduce discontinuity during educational transitions (e.g., at the transition from primary to secondary school), measures that foster a positive school and classroom climate, as well as teaching methods that positively affect emotional experiences during lessons (Faust, 2013; Gläser-Zikuda et al., 2005; Hascher & Hagenauer, 2021).
Author: Ömeroğulları, Melike
Language: German
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7052608412