Page 278 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 278
of lowest achieving students agrees least with claims that men and women
should have equal opportunities to hold a government post, get the same
payment for performing the same job and have equal rights in all aspects (as
well as, for example, being equally trained for political leadership). The high-
er the level of civic knowledge achievement, the more the students espoused
the equal role of men and women, ethnic and racial groups. In a similar vein,
the attitudes of the lowest achieving students regarding the equality of mi-
grants are lower than the national average. The claims that immigrants should
have equal opportunities to continue speaking their mother tongue; the op-
tion to vote in elections (after they have lived in a country for several years); the
right to retain their customs and ways of life; have the same rights as all oth-
er inhabitants; and that immigrant children should have equal education op-
portunities, are most approved of by those students having achieved highest
civic knowledge. Meanwhile, those scoring most below the national average
on this topic were the lowest achievers. Regarding migration, the lowest civic
knowledge achievement students differ from the second and third proficien-
cy level students. The results of this set are important because they point to a
278 significant link between attitudes in respect of the rights and responsibilities –
more precisely the area of various (in)equalities and knowledge.
f ) Institutions and Society
No significant statistical differences exist between the students with the low-
est civic knowledge achievement and other groups regarding their trust in
institutions (the Slovenian government, local authorities, courts, the police
force, political parties and the national assembly) and the country (the Slo-
venian flag is important to them, the country’s political system is functioning
well, they feel great respect towards Slovenia, they are proud of the country’s
achievements and the fact that they live in Slovenia etc.). This is an important
finding because it points to the fact that groups with different proficiency lev-
els of civic knowledge do not diverse on this matter. The highest achievement
group does not trust institutions more than others and vice-versa.
g) Participation in Society
The attitudes of students with the lowest achievements regarding civic knowl-
edge are below the national average in respect of their civic efficiency. Their
attitudes also differ significantly from the group of the highest achieving stu-
dents. This scale is composed from answers to questions on how well the stu-
dents believe they would do (how successful they would be) while debating a
newspaper article that reports a conflict between countries; advocating their
own opinion on a contentious political or social issue; running for school elec-
tion; organising a group of students with the aim of making a change at the
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
should have equal opportunities to hold a government post, get the same
payment for performing the same job and have equal rights in all aspects (as
well as, for example, being equally trained for political leadership). The high-
er the level of civic knowledge achievement, the more the students espoused
the equal role of men and women, ethnic and racial groups. In a similar vein,
the attitudes of the lowest achieving students regarding the equality of mi-
grants are lower than the national average. The claims that immigrants should
have equal opportunities to continue speaking their mother tongue; the op-
tion to vote in elections (after they have lived in a country for several years); the
right to retain their customs and ways of life; have the same rights as all oth-
er inhabitants; and that immigrant children should have equal education op-
portunities, are most approved of by those students having achieved highest
civic knowledge. Meanwhile, those scoring most below the national average
on this topic were the lowest achievers. Regarding migration, the lowest civic
knowledge achievement students differ from the second and third proficien-
cy level students. The results of this set are important because they point to a
278 significant link between attitudes in respect of the rights and responsibilities –
more precisely the area of various (in)equalities and knowledge.
f ) Institutions and Society
No significant statistical differences exist between the students with the low-
est civic knowledge achievement and other groups regarding their trust in
institutions (the Slovenian government, local authorities, courts, the police
force, political parties and the national assembly) and the country (the Slo-
venian flag is important to them, the country’s political system is functioning
well, they feel great respect towards Slovenia, they are proud of the country’s
achievements and the fact that they live in Slovenia etc.). This is an important
finding because it points to the fact that groups with different proficiency lev-
els of civic knowledge do not diverse on this matter. The highest achievement
group does not trust institutions more than others and vice-versa.
g) Participation in Society
The attitudes of students with the lowest achievements regarding civic knowl-
edge are below the national average in respect of their civic efficiency. Their
attitudes also differ significantly from the group of the highest achieving stu-
dents. This scale is composed from answers to questions on how well the stu-
dents believe they would do (how successful they would be) while debating a
newspaper article that reports a conflict between countries; advocating their
own opinion on a contentious political or social issue; running for school elec-
tion; organising a group of students with the aim of making a change at the
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
