Page 222 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 222
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
basic coordination and exchange of information and material is a
much more common form of teacher-teacher cooperation than more
complex forms of professional collaboration. Further, teachers differ
among each other in their cooperation practices to a greater extent
within the school than between the schools.
Teacher-student cooperation was investigated by relying on ILSA
indicators of teacher-student relations, disciplinary and school cli-
mate. For these, ILSA studies show that students as well as teach-
ers and principals generally reported good relations and a good cli-
mate. Associations between the indicators and student achievement
were also found in ILSA, revealing that students who learn in an or-
derly and peaceful classroom climate and enjoy good teacher-stu-
dent relations tend to perform better. However, these associations
may differ if reports on the climate are given by principals, teachers
or students. Indirect ILSA evidence further indicates that students
in schools where teacher-student relations and the disciplinary cli-
mate are poor are more likely to have low levels of engagement with
and at school. This is important because the research identified low
engagement as one of the warning signs for students at risk of ESL.
Key words: teacher-student relationship, international comparative
assessments, engagement
Introduction
Student achievement has been shown to be a very important factor in pre-
dicting ESL (e.g. Bushnik, Barr-Telford, & Bussière, 2004; Knighton &
Bussière, 2006; Lessard, 2010; Marks, 2007). Therefore, if cooperation prac-
tices in schools influence student achievement they are (indirectly) impor-
tant for the context of ESL. However, due to their cross-sectional design
international large-scale assessments (hereafter ILSA studies) cannot in-
vestigate the causal effects of factors on student achievement or even ESL.
With cross-national comparisons of student achievement in relation to the
education system, school and student background, they offer a way to gain
insight into educational processes and practices occurring in successful
systems and schools.
In ILSA studies the investigation of cooperation practices in schools
is carried out using background questionnaires. Several ILSA studies used
teacher questionnaires to collect data on teacher characteristics and their
teaching and cooperation practices in an effort to find those that are linked
222
basic coordination and exchange of information and material is a
much more common form of teacher-teacher cooperation than more
complex forms of professional collaboration. Further, teachers differ
among each other in their cooperation practices to a greater extent
within the school than between the schools.
Teacher-student cooperation was investigated by relying on ILSA
indicators of teacher-student relations, disciplinary and school cli-
mate. For these, ILSA studies show that students as well as teach-
ers and principals generally reported good relations and a good cli-
mate. Associations between the indicators and student achievement
were also found in ILSA, revealing that students who learn in an or-
derly and peaceful classroom climate and enjoy good teacher-stu-
dent relations tend to perform better. However, these associations
may differ if reports on the climate are given by principals, teachers
or students. Indirect ILSA evidence further indicates that students
in schools where teacher-student relations and the disciplinary cli-
mate are poor are more likely to have low levels of engagement with
and at school. This is important because the research identified low
engagement as one of the warning signs for students at risk of ESL.
Key words: teacher-student relationship, international comparative
assessments, engagement
Introduction
Student achievement has been shown to be a very important factor in pre-
dicting ESL (e.g. Bushnik, Barr-Telford, & Bussière, 2004; Knighton &
Bussière, 2006; Lessard, 2010; Marks, 2007). Therefore, if cooperation prac-
tices in schools influence student achievement they are (indirectly) impor-
tant for the context of ESL. However, due to their cross-sectional design
international large-scale assessments (hereafter ILSA studies) cannot in-
vestigate the causal effects of factors on student achievement or even ESL.
With cross-national comparisons of student achievement in relation to the
education system, school and student background, they offer a way to gain
insight into educational processes and practices occurring in successful
systems and schools.
In ILSA studies the investigation of cooperation practices in schools
is carried out using background questionnaires. Several ILSA studies used
teacher questionnaires to collect data on teacher characteristics and their
teaching and cooperation practices in an effort to find those that are linked
222
