Contextual, Personal and Family Factors in Explaining Academic Achievement: A Multilevel Study

Carla Ortiz- de-Villate, Javier Rodríguez-Santero and Juan-Jesús Torres-Gordillo
Additional contact information
Carla Ortiz- de-Villate: Department of Educational Research Methods and Diagnostics, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
Javier Rodríguez-Santero: Department of Educational Research Methods and Diagnostics, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
Juan-Jesús Torres-Gordillo: Department of Educational Research Methods and Diagnostics, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: Academic success and excellence in marks are not only due to the students’ intrinsic abilities or skills. A multitude of contextual variables is involved in the teaching and learning process. This study identifies and analyses the contextual variables that most significantly affect students’ academic performance. We used census data from the ESCALA tests and context questionnaires for the 2016/17 school year, both carried out by the Andalusian Agency for Educational Assessment. Hierarchical Linear Models were used in the data analysis, as they facilitate the control and description of contextual factors. In addition, differences in performance were studied according to the contextual variables that the family dimension encompasses. At all times, a contextualised cross-sectional perspective was considered, taking as a criterion the covariates with significance values lower than 0.01 in the multilevel models and contrast tests. Finally, a list of contextual variables contributing to the explanation of performance is presented. The socio-economic and cultural conditions of families, their expectations towards their children’s education, and their level of involvement in schools have a significant influence on the academic success of primary school students. Academic success is higher among students with families who play an active role and have positive expectations regarding learning.

Keywords: academic achievement; factors; family; educational improvement; educational efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11297/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11297/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11297-:d:655255

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().