Page 293 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 293
tional aims. She believes educational endeavours should therefore be fo- 293
cused on improving the positive value of knowledge and education in all stu-
dents, not only underachievers. At the level of educational policy, the desired
aims of educational reforms, that are supposed to support the economic de-
velopment of the knowledge society, need to be reconsidered.
The significance of in-depth insights into the results of international com-
parative assessment studies have been pointed out in the monograph by
means of an analysis of the factors correlated with the performance of Sloveni-
an students in reading literacy in PISA. Reading literacy is defined as a key com-
petence that ‘each individual needs for his/her personal fulfilment and devel-
opment, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment’(Šterman Ivančič,
2013) and consequently holds an important part in discussions about the eco-
nomic and social development of modern societies. In this respect, special at-
tention has been devoted to the below-average performance of Slovenian stu-
dents in PISA reading literacy in comparison with the international (OECD, EU)
average.
In her chapter, Mojca Štraus addresses the question in relation to which
factors from students’ environments and attitude to reading can differences
be observed if the group of low-achieving students is compared with groups
of higher-achieving students. Based on the results of an analysis of a number
of different factors correlated with reading literacy, the author infers the con-
clusion that low-achieving students are less familiar with reading strategies.
She appraises this as encouraging, as attempts can be made to try and com-
pensate for this and develop these strategies through students’ work along
with work at school. Endeavours to improve the levels of reading competen-
cies must therefore include careful consideration of students’ varying interests
as well as their initial competencies. High reading competence is a result of
persistent practice and engagement, which is closely related to high motiva-
tion for reading and learning.
Motivation as an important factor in reading literacy was the focus of the
chapter by Klaudija Šterman Ivančič. Both at an international level and in sec-
ondary analyses of PISA 2009 in Slovenia, students’ motivation for reading
proved to be one of the most important factors in reading performance. Simul-
taneously, the results of secondary analyses indicate that in Slovenia a great-
er frequency of online reading activities generally results in a higher reading
achievement. In view of the results of the analyses conducted, the author be-
lieves that reading electronic texts and using ICT can become one of the sourc-
es of motivation for reading, especially for students who are less motivated to
read and who demonstrate a lower reading performance - providing it is care-
fully planned in terms of didactic and methodological elements and appropri-
ately applied, and that teachers are suitably trained.
student (under)achievement as a challenge in development of educational policies and practices: conclusion
cused on improving the positive value of knowledge and education in all stu-
dents, not only underachievers. At the level of educational policy, the desired
aims of educational reforms, that are supposed to support the economic de-
velopment of the knowledge society, need to be reconsidered.
The significance of in-depth insights into the results of international com-
parative assessment studies have been pointed out in the monograph by
means of an analysis of the factors correlated with the performance of Sloveni-
an students in reading literacy in PISA. Reading literacy is defined as a key com-
petence that ‘each individual needs for his/her personal fulfilment and devel-
opment, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment’(Šterman Ivančič,
2013) and consequently holds an important part in discussions about the eco-
nomic and social development of modern societies. In this respect, special at-
tention has been devoted to the below-average performance of Slovenian stu-
dents in PISA reading literacy in comparison with the international (OECD, EU)
average.
In her chapter, Mojca Štraus addresses the question in relation to which
factors from students’ environments and attitude to reading can differences
be observed if the group of low-achieving students is compared with groups
of higher-achieving students. Based on the results of an analysis of a number
of different factors correlated with reading literacy, the author infers the con-
clusion that low-achieving students are less familiar with reading strategies.
She appraises this as encouraging, as attempts can be made to try and com-
pensate for this and develop these strategies through students’ work along
with work at school. Endeavours to improve the levels of reading competen-
cies must therefore include careful consideration of students’ varying interests
as well as their initial competencies. High reading competence is a result of
persistent practice and engagement, which is closely related to high motiva-
tion for reading and learning.
Motivation as an important factor in reading literacy was the focus of the
chapter by Klaudija Šterman Ivančič. Both at an international level and in sec-
ondary analyses of PISA 2009 in Slovenia, students’ motivation for reading
proved to be one of the most important factors in reading performance. Simul-
taneously, the results of secondary analyses indicate that in Slovenia a great-
er frequency of online reading activities generally results in a higher reading
achievement. In view of the results of the analyses conducted, the author be-
lieves that reading electronic texts and using ICT can become one of the sourc-
es of motivation for reading, especially for students who are less motivated to
read and who demonstrate a lower reading performance - providing it is care-
fully planned in terms of didactic and methodological elements and appropri-
ately applied, and that teachers are suitably trained.
student (under)achievement as a challenge in development of educational policies and practices: conclusion
