Page 17 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 17
ontemporary Perspectives 17
on Student (Under)achievement
Urška Štremfel, Tina Vršnik Perše, Klaudija Šterman Ivančič,
Mojca Štraus
The meaning of educational outcomes may differ depending on which inter-
pretations of the purpose and objectives of these outcomes it is based. The
underlying question is about the basic function of education. According to
the traditional public school model, this function was the development of an
environment for spreading knowledge, social integration, moulding man in
terms of morals, and informing the enlightened citizen. In contrast to this, in
recent years another function has been taking centre stage, i.e. the function
of production of human capital (Kodelja, Marjanovič Umek and Krek, 2006), as
knowledge, skills, competencies and other individuals’ qualities of importance
for personal, social and economic welfare (OECD, 2001). This definition of the
function of education highlights the economic understanding, which is based
on the quality of human capital as a factor in economic development, where-
in education and knowledge are two fundamental elements of human capital.
The focus on the function of the educational system as the production of
human capital in recent years, is reflected in the orientation towards the devel-
opment of competencies. The components of educational outcomes are not
only knowledge and skills, but also various other student characteristics, i.e.
learning styles, motivation, attitude, moral and ethical principles, as well as the
development of one’s personality as a whole (e.g. Lafontaine, 2004; Medveš,
2004; Peschar, 2004; Rychen, 2004; Rychen and Salganik, 2003; Salganik, 2001).
To establish an educational system as being successful, it is no longer mere-
ly sufficient that youths attend school; of key importance in relation to this is
what they have learnt by a certain age and to what level their competencies
have been developed. However, this can occur both within school and outside
its boundaries.
on Student (Under)achievement
Urška Štremfel, Tina Vršnik Perše, Klaudija Šterman Ivančič,
Mojca Štraus
The meaning of educational outcomes may differ depending on which inter-
pretations of the purpose and objectives of these outcomes it is based. The
underlying question is about the basic function of education. According to
the traditional public school model, this function was the development of an
environment for spreading knowledge, social integration, moulding man in
terms of morals, and informing the enlightened citizen. In contrast to this, in
recent years another function has been taking centre stage, i.e. the function
of production of human capital (Kodelja, Marjanovič Umek and Krek, 2006), as
knowledge, skills, competencies and other individuals’ qualities of importance
for personal, social and economic welfare (OECD, 2001). This definition of the
function of education highlights the economic understanding, which is based
on the quality of human capital as a factor in economic development, where-
in education and knowledge are two fundamental elements of human capital.
The focus on the function of the educational system as the production of
human capital in recent years, is reflected in the orientation towards the devel-
opment of competencies. The components of educational outcomes are not
only knowledge and skills, but also various other student characteristics, i.e.
learning styles, motivation, attitude, moral and ethical principles, as well as the
development of one’s personality as a whole (e.g. Lafontaine, 2004; Medveš,
2004; Peschar, 2004; Rychen, 2004; Rychen and Salganik, 2003; Salganik, 2001).
To establish an educational system as being successful, it is no longer mere-
ly sufficient that youths attend school; of key importance in relation to this is
what they have learnt by a certain age and to what level their competencies
have been developed. However, this can occur both within school and outside
its boundaries.
