Predicting physics achievement : a hierarchical model of student perceptions, student backgrounds, and school characteristics

Spurrell, R. Bruce (1999) Predicting physics achievement : a hierarchical model of student perceptions, student backgrounds, and school characteristics. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (8MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to develop a model to predict physics achievement. A population of about 1500 students was used to explain approximately 64% of the variance found in high school physics marks. The model was developed using proximal and distal variables derived from an educational productivity theory. The model contains four student background characteristics (context variables), two student perception variables (transactional variables), and five school level variables (context variables) that were arranged and analyzed in a hierarchical fashion. The model supported the idea that proximal variables were more influential in predicting achievement than were distal variables. The model also indicated that student perceptions were important predictors of achievement but they were much less important than the student background characteristics such as prior achievement.

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