LucieDeBlois en

Developing Human Capitalin 15-Year-Olds from Low SES Backgrounds: 

Developing Human Capital in 15-Year-Olds from Low SES Backgrounds CESC-SSHRC Symposium 2006 Lucie DeBlois, Professor, Université Laval Michel Rousseau, Assistant Professor, Université de Moncton Li Zhu, Graduate Student, Université Laval

Outline of Presentation: 

Outline of Presentation Reconceptualizing social capital to include the resiliency model Methodology Results Which family capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities? Which components of school capital are most closely related to students’ human capital? Which school capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities? Which dimensions of social capital are most closely related to the development of students’ human capital? What effect do social capital variables have on the link between SES and students’ human capital? Do certain educational practices foster students’ success?

1. Reconceptualizing social capital to include the resiliency model: 

1. Reconceptualizing social capital to include the resiliency model

2. Methodology: 

2. Methodology Database Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Students’ reading success = measurement of students’ human capital Using trends in PISA literacy scores Level of disadvantage socioeconomic index derived from parents’ employment Statistical analysis Significant at p < 0.05

3.1 Which family capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities?: 

3.1 Which family capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities? Looking at the index of family human capital Looking at the index of family financial capital

3.1 Which family capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities?: 

3.1 Which family capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities? Statistically significant variables having a moderating (indirect) effect on the link between socioeconomic status and students’ human capital Father’s educational attainment (beta = 0.103 p < 0.05) Cultural goods at home (beta = 0.31 p < 0.05) Level of possessions at home (beta = -0.020, p < 0.05) Socioeconomic level Student’s human capital (reading success)

3.2 Which components of school capital are most closely related to students’ human capital?: 

3.2 Which components of school capital are most closely related to students’ human capital? Professional development Disruptive conduct Teacher morale School human capital School financial capital

3.2 Which components of school capital are most closely related to students’ human capital?: 

3.2 Which components of school capital are most closely related to students’ human capital? 1% of variance explained by the following low-correlation variables Disruptive conduct (0.042) Teacher morale (0.049) Material resources (-0.022) Educational resources (-0.075) Shortage of teachers (-0.052) Statistically significant variables having adirect effect on the linkbetween socioeconomic statusand students’ human capital

3.2.1 Example of school human capital: Teacher morale: 

3.2.1 Example of school human capital: Teacher morale

3.2.2 Example of school financial capital:  Quality of educational resources: 

3.2.2 Example of school financial capital: Quality of educational resources

3.3 Which school capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities?: 

3.3 Which school capital variables reduce the impact of socioeconomic inequalities?

3.4 Which dimensions of social capital are most closely related to the development of students’ human capital?: 

3.4 Which dimensions of social capital are most closely related to the development of students’ human capital? Structural dimension Feeling of belonging (beta = -0.013) Normative dimension Pressure to succeed (beta = -0.012) Dynamic dimension Level of students’ cultural activities (beta = 0.042) Interactions between parents and children focusing on culture (beta = 0.045) Interactions between parents and children focusing on friends (beta = 0.013) Educational support from teachers (beta = 0.014) Student-teacher relations (beta = 0.022)

3.5 What effect do social capital variables have on the link between SES and students’ human capital?: 

3.5 What effect do social capital variables have on the link between SES and students’ human capital? The regression equation (multiple regression) predicts 16.8% of the variance in reading success. The moderating effect of certain variables is higher, i.e. they help more to limit the impact of SES differences on human capital development.

3.5 What effect do social capital variables have on the link between SES and students’ human capital?: 

3.5 What effect do social capital variables have on the link between SES and students’ human capital? Statistically significant variables with a moderating effect (indirect effect) on the link between socioeconomic level and students’ human capital Socioeconomic level Students’ human capital Dynamic dimension Students’ level of activity Parent-child interactions focusing on culture Educational support from the family Student-teacher relations

3.5.1 Of the four PISA indicators, which are most closely linked with students’ human capital?: 

3.5.1 Of the four PISA indicators, which are most closely linked with students’ human capital? The cultural communication dimension is the factor most closely related with a child’s human capital, especially discussions on political and social events.

3.6 Do certain educational practices foster students’ success?: 

3.6 Do certain educational practices foster students’ success?

Conclusion: 

Conclusion Three of the six variables in the family capital study have a moderating effect on the link between socioeconomic status and the development of students’ human capital (father’s educational attainment, cultural goods at home and level of goods at home), which would help reduce socioeconomic inequalities. None of the six variables in the school capital study had a moderating effect on the link between SES level and the development of students’ human capital. Even though the majority of school capital variables have a significant regression weighting, the six school capital variables explain only 1% of the variance in students’ human capital. In addition, the low regression weightings suggest a limited direct link between social capital variables and the development of human capital.

Conclusion (cont’d): 

Conclusion (cont’d) 4. However, all of the variables involved in the three dimensions of social capital in the model help explain 16.8% of the variance in students’ human capital. The higher weightings of variables for the dynamic dimension indicate a larger moderating effect between socioeconomic status and the development of students’ human capital. Of the four PISA indicators, cultural communication, involving discussions on political and social events, is most closely related to students’ human capital. Of the six educational practices identified by PISA, although each one has a low significant effect, the indicator "gives students a chance to express their opinions" is dominant. Despite the low correlation, the variable "Teachers promote school success" is the most closely associated with students’ human capital. Despite the low correlation, four of the six variables related to the quality of educational resources are associated with students’ human capital.

Slide19: 

Reading success – A concentric model School financial capital School human capital Father’s educational attainment Teacher morale Cultural goods, level of possessions at home Child’s human capital Reading success Teachers promote school success Cultural communication Topics: social, political events, books…) Especially abundant library resources and scientific equipment Family financial capital Family human capital

Planned dissemination of results: 

Planned dissemination of results Zang X., DeBlois L., Deniger M.A., Kamanzi C., Rousseau M. (submitted) Reconceptualisation de la notion de capital social et de résilience dans le contexte de l'éducation : une modélisation pour les élèves issus de milieux socio-économiques défavorisés : Revues des sciences de l’éducation (submitted) DeBlois L., Hammond A. (in preparation) Comment l’école peut-elle se mettre au service des élèves socialement défavorisés? DeBlois L., Nadeau J., Kamanzi C. (pending) Les enjeux familiaux et le développement du capital social chez l’élève DeBlois L., Akoué M.C., Kamanzi C., (pending) Étude comparative internationale sur l’influence du niveau d’éducation des parents et le développement du capital social chez l’élève DeBlois L., Power G., Rousseau M. (pending) Un modèle mis à l’épreuve. Internet sites: CRIRES — www.ulaval.ca/crires CSQ — www.csq.qc.net/ QFPC — www.fcppq.qc.ca/presscommunique.html