Chapter 10: School Flashcards
Secondary enrollment in developed countries grew during the 20th century from
rare to nearly universal
Today, secondary enrollment is relatively low in
developing countries
Over the past century, the secondary school curriculum in the United States has changed from a focus on…
liberal arts
to a curriculum intended to prepare students for work and citizenship
to a curriculum that includes a wide range of courses from math and English to music and physical education
these changes in curriculum over the century have taken place because..
- it is in response to the different characteristics of the young people attending secondary school
- it is in response to changes in cultural beliefs about what adolescents need to learn
Compulsory education through the midteens is relatively recent in
western cultures
In non-industrialized societies, how common is it for adolescents to attend school?
it is rare for adolescents to attend school, except for the elite
what makes adolescents increasingly more likely to remain in school in developing countries?
economic development/globalization
In the 19th century, secondary education was constructed to provide…
a broad liberal arts education with no economic purpose
By 1920, the central goal of American secondary education shifted to…
more practical goals focusing on training for work and citizenship
Between the 1920s and the middle of the 20th century, the curriculum was enlarged to include…
preparation for family life and leisure
Most decisions about education in the United States are controlled through…
the local and state levels
Variability exists across the different U.S. school districts in areas of..
the curriculums they use, school rules and requirements, and quality of schools
In some developed countries, secondary education takes the form of the comprehensive high school, which teaches…
a general education to all students
In other developed countries, mainly in Europe, there are three types of secondary school… what are they?
a college-preparatory school, a vocational school, and a professional school
Secondary education around the world varies greatly in terms of…
availability and quality
Developed countries tend to provide what kind of secondary education to adolescents?
high-quality
what is secondary school like in developing countries?
they are less likely to complete secondary school
quality of secondary education available to them is often poor
most have gender differences favouring boys
often overcrowded and not enough teachers
most families must pay for secondary education
how is the USA unusual in their type of secondary school?
unusual in having only one institution – the comprehensive high school – as the source of secondary education
One consequence of the European system of different types of secondary schools is that…
adolescents must decide at a relatively early age what direction to pursue for their education and occupation
compare the USA comprehensive system vs. the european system?
Compared with the European system, the comprehensive high school allows for great flexibility
The drawback of the comprehensive high school is…
adolescents are all in the same school and many of the same classes even though by their midteens they may have divergent educational and occupational interests and capacities
In international comparisons, developed countries rank higher than developing countries in academic performance because…
- schools in developed countries are better funded
- adolescents in developing countries have greater work and family responsibilities
Industrialized countries of the West, Japan, and South Korea tend to perform best on…
reading, math, and science
the USA is ranked in what range regarding academic scores?
average
perhaps declinign
the improvement in high school graduation rates has been especially strong in what race?
african american
advantage vs. the disadvantages of being in a large school?
a broad range of classes, but can be alienating for students
benefit of being in smaller schools?
students are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities
relationship between school size or class size and academic achievement?
No clear relation
scholars generally agree that the optimal school size is…
500 to 1,000 students.
what is meant by School climate?
the quality of the classroom interactions between teachers and students
how can school climates affect adolescents?
affects students’ academic performance and their participation in delinquency
what qualities effective in parenting are also effective in schools?
The same qualities of warmth and moderate control
Students on the 8-4 show advantages in outcomes such as…
higher self-esteem and extracurricular activities and lower perceived anonymity
Considerable evidence shows that the reason for difficulties with school transitions in early adolescence is…
not so much the timing of the transition as in the nature of adolescents’ school experiences
such as in the realms of contact, control and teacher’s expectations
why do Students in team-organized schools adjust better to the school transition?
because of the support they feel
what happened to Adolescents whose parents participated in a parenting-effectiveness program?
why??
they did not show the typical decline in functioning after the transition to middle school
this is because parents become aware of and sensitive to adolescents’ needs
Adolescents tend to perform better in school with parents who are…
are involved and have high expectations for educational performance
why is it difficult to tell how much of parents’ contribution to adolescents’ school success is genetic and how much is environmental?
because adolescents receive both genes and family environment from parents in biological familie
In an extensive study of adolescents, students were better off in schools where…
teachers tended to be supportive and involved with students but also applied firm discipline when necessary and held high expectations for students’ conduct and academic performance
Successful teaching is a lot like successful parenting in that…
both combine demandingess and responsiveness.
what is school Engagement?
the quality of being psychologically committed to learning
Engagement is the exception rather than the rule in American schools
A favorable school climate enhances…
and results in…
students’ engagement
higher levels of achievement
there is evidence that the main problems with American secondary education are…
occuring beyond the classroom
Parents who have high expectations also tend to be..
more involved in their adolescents’ education, which contributes to adolescents’ school success
Adolescents’ of authoritative parents have what kind of experience with academics?
have the highest levels of engagement and school success
Adolescents’ of indifferent parents have what kind of experience with academics?
their academics tends to be the worst when they have indifferent parents
Numerous studies have found a positive relationship between family SES and what areas of academic success?
adolescents’ grades, achievement test scores, and the highest level of education attained
what qualities of Middle class parents contribute to their adolescents school success?
-tend to have higher IQs
-better nutrition and health care
-fewer stresses
-more likely to have an authoritative parenting style
-more likely to be actively involved in their adolescents’ education
in what areas of academics may friends’s influence be greater than that of parents?
in consistency of class attendance
time spent on homework
effort
grades
why is the influences of parents and peers on school are intertwined?
as parents influence choice of friends while having friends who do poorly in school tends to be related to lower school success even for adolescents with authoritative parents.
how do friends contribute to school success?
Adolescents tend to choose friends who share their level of academic engagement and achievement, and friends usually reinforce adolescents’ engagement, whether it is positive or negative.
The influence of having high-achieving friends is different than the influence of being in a school of high-achieving peers? How?
By middle school, many adolescents become concerned with concealing a high-achieving orientation from peers to reach a higher social belonging.
Employment in adolescence is related to a wide range of negative outcomes, including…
poorer grades, cheating, and less commitment to school
The negative effect of employment becomes apparent above…
10 hours per week
and worse still above 20 hours per week
Unstructured socializing is related to…
lower academic achievement, but organized activities enhance adolescents’ school engagement.
extracurricular activities appear to have what effects on academic performance?
positive effects
For both work and leisure, the ethnic comparisons are striking, especially with respect to Asian Americans.
why is this?
the value placed on education is so high that the focus on school peformance often comes first in their lives and others aspects regarding work and leisure are given a much lower priority
what makes social class so important in predicting academic achievement?
social class represents other family characteristics that contribute to achievement
Identify the differences between American and Asian views of what schools should require of adolescents?
Americans value academic success but generally believe it should not come at the expense of time with friends and participation in organized activities, including sports, art, and music. This is so that they can become “well-rounded”.
There is a long tradition of Asian cultures valuing education, including the belief that academics come first during adolescence and other activities should be minimized
explain how social class is connected to cultural beliefs about school within American society
within American society, adolescents in lower social classes often perform less well in school, due to family stresses as well as to lower parental engagement in adolescents’ school performance
what culture has the highest academic performance?
Asian Americans
what culture has the lowest academic performance?
African Americans and Latinos lowest
ethnic differences in adolescents’ academic performance are explained in part by 2 things
- social class differences
- culturally different influences from family and friends
For immigrant adolescents, school performance is related to…
how long their families have been in the United States, with more recent immigrants performing better
There are sharp ethnic differences in academic performance. To some extent, the differences are explained by factors such…
social class, parenting practices, and friends’ influences
other factors are at work related to prejudice and discrimination against ethnic groups
Some studies show that African American and Latino adolescents may have less motivation to strive academically because
they are optimistic about their chances of succeeding in the future even without excelling academically.
Some scholars have argued that racism and long-term exclusion from equal educational and occupational opportunities have led African Americans to…
Is this supported through studies?
to view educational attainment as something distinctively “White” and to reject it
According to this theory, Blacks believe that even if they obtain higher education they will be discriminated against occupationally, which discourages their pursuit of educational success.
One study has compared the educational aspirations of Black and White adolescents nationwide, and the results do not support the “acting White” theory.
Gender differences in academic achievement show what?
Girls perform better than boys on nearly all measures of academic performance
-one exception is in math and scient
- however in recent years have become increasingly likely to pursue math and science.
-less likely than boys to have learning disabilities, likely to do their homework, and watch less television
-feel more supported by teachers in school, by parents at home, and by other adults as well.
Gender differences in academic achievement favor females and this gender difference is especially strong among which culture?
African American adolescents
Gifted adolescents are distinguished by which qualities?
precocity, independence, a drive for mastery, and exceptional information processing skills
what percentage of adolescents have a learning disability? what is the most common?
10%
most common is ADHD
The most effective treatment for ADHD is what?
combines behavioral therapy and medication
when are interventions for reading problems most effective?
if they begin long before adolescence.
One problem with keeping gifted students in regular classrooms is that..
they may become bored and alienated from school.
what are the most common type of disability for adolescents?
learning disabilities
(ADHD)
what is is the most common source of difficulty for adolescents?
reading
American secondary schools address the diversity in interests and abilities that exists among their students is through…
placing students into different groups, or “tracks.”
Advocates of tracking argue that…
it is the best way to ensure that all students are engaged in school work best suited to their levels of ability and achievement
Dropping out of high school is predicted by a variety of factors including….
previous problems in school, personality characteristics, and family difficulties
Successful programs to prevent dropping out have…
focused on providing alternative schools.
are there ethnic differences in dropout rates?
Distinct ethnic differences exist in dropout rates and in all ethnic groups except Asian Americans, males are more likely to drop out.
Dropouts sometimes have which kind of personality?
aggressive, active, high-sensation seeking personalities
why should programs to prevent dropping out need to be adapted to adolescents’ individual needs and problems?
Because the problems that lead to dropping out are diverse
The key to the success of dropping out programs?
attention from caring adults, low student-to-teacher rations, and starting the program in middle school.
which gender is more likely to enter college?
females
what are ethnic differences in rates of those who attend college after high-school graduation?
About two-thirds of Asian Americans enter college after high school, compared with 60% of Whites, 55% of Blacks, and one-third of Latinos.
what are the two top preferred majors?
- business
- health professions
Gender differences in the attainment of postgraduate degrees have narrowed down to how many years?
6 years to obtain a 4 year degree
how many college students drop out before obtaining a degree?
half
what factors are related to not dropping out of college?
students’ previous academic performance, ethnic background, and family SES
college participation rose steadily through the 20th century and is now just under what percent?
70
Name the four main student subcultures identified by Clark and Trow, and assess whether they still apply to students today.
The four student subcultures are:
collegiate-pursue FUN
(party focused, socializing)
vocational- pursue a DEGREE
(focused on gaining skills/the practicality of college)
academic- pursue KNOWLEDGE
(get excited about learning, and go all in on the educational mission)
rebel- pursue IDENTITY
(engaged only with things that are of interest to them and are non-conforming)
Most students today are not pure types but have a blend of motives and goals for attending college.
what is the number one reason for dropping out of college? and then what are some other reasons?
cost is number one
other reasons include physical health, mental health, and family problems
Dropout rates are higher among African Americans and Latinos because…
they often come from poorly funded secondary schools that have not prepared them adequately for the demands of college
Retention programs have been successful that focus on…
peer mentoring and special programs for first-year students.
abundant research indicates that college has multiple benefits spanning all the way from..
higher future income to lower likelihood of divorce
Explain what MOOCs are and analyze their potential advantages and disadvantages in delivering tertiary education.
MOOCs are Massive Open Online Courses, and they are available free or at low cost via the Internet.
ADVANTAGES:
-providing courses to many people who could otherwise not afford them or have access
-quick and east
DISADVATANGE:
-research shows only 10% of people who sign up for MOOCs complete them,
-problematic to assess performance without the opportunity for cheating.
-require a great deal of personal initiative
-there are interpersonal aspects to in person classes
Describe the prevalence of taking a gap year?
Taking a gap year is common in Europe and Australia, but only about 2% of Americans take one
what are the benefits to taking a gap year?
Research indicates that taking a gap year enhances motivation and performance once students enroll in tertiary education, so long as they have a clear plan for making their gap year productive.
do college students do better in smaller or larger classes?
Research confirms that students learn much better in smaller classes that require active involvement, and that they enjoy those classes more.
when do students respond MORE favourbly to their college education?
a large majrotiy of students respond favorably to survey questions about the education they are receiving, although they tend to be more satisfied at small colleges with small classes
Satisfaction in college is based mainly on….
what students experience in terms of personal growth.
There are a variety of intellectual benefits to attending college. What are they?
-become less “vocational” in college goals (meaning they are more focused on learning for it’s own sake and not just as a means to get a job)
-develop clearer intellectual values
-gain a more distinct identity
-become more confident socially
-became less dogmatic/less authoritarian
-less ethnocentric in their political and social views
-self-concept and psychological well-being improve.
