Achievement Profiles in Math, Science, and English: Exploring Contextualized Sex Differences

Raymon Pomoy Española

Abstract


Abstract: Achievement Profiles in Math, Science, and English: Exploring Contextualized Sex Differences. Objectives: The study used a person-oriented approach to explore sex differences at the level of achievement profiles and describe such differences in the context of urban/rural schools. Methods: The achievement test scores in math, science and English of 2,408 tenth graders sampled from the database of the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM) in the Philippines were used to derive achievement profiles through cluster analysis. Findings: Four profiles were derived: Low Achievers, True Average Achievers, High Achievers with weak math and science skills, and High Achievers with strong math and science skills. Significant sex and urban/rural school differences among the profiles were found. The female advantage was more evident among Low Achievers, but not among High Achievers. Finally, High Achievers with weak math and science skills were mostly females in urban schools. Conclusion: The findings suggest that it was important to situate sex differences in context in order to understand achievement in key courses, such as STEM, of young children.

Keywords: achievement profiles, urban and rural schools, sex differences, cluster analysis.

Abstrak: Profil Capaian Belajar Matematika, Sains, dan Bahasa Inggris: Eksplorasi Perbedaan Jenis Kelamin yang Dikontekstualisasikan. Tujuan: Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan person-oriented approach untuk mengeksplorasi perbedaan jenis kelamin pada tingkat capaian belajar dan mendeskripsikan perbedaan tersebut dalam konteks sekolah perkotaan/pedesaan. Metode: Nilai uji capaian pembelajaran matematika, sains, dan bahasa Inggris dari 2.408 siswa kelas sepuluh yang diambil sampelnya dari database Pusat Pengukuran Pendidikan (CEM) di Filipina digunakan untuk memperoleh profil capaian belajar melalui analisis kluster. Temuan: Empat profil diperoleh yaitu siswa dengan capaian rendah, capaian rata-rata, capaian tinggi dengan keterampilan matematika dan sains yang lemah, serta capaian tinggi dengan keterampilan matematika dan sains yang kuat. Ditemukan perbedaan profil yang signifikan untuk jenis kelamin dan sekolah perkotaan/pedesaan yang berbeda. Keunggulan wanita lebih terlihat di antara kelompok capaian rendah, tetapi tidak untuk kelompok capaian tinggi. Akhirnya, kelompok capaian tinggi dengan keterampilan matematika dan sains yang lemah sebagian besar adalah perempuan di sekolah perkotaan. Kesimpulan: Temuan menunjukkan bahwa penting untuk menempatkan perbedaan jenis kelamin dalam konteks untuk memahami pencapaian dalam pelajaran-pelajaran inti, seperti STEM, bagi anak-anak.

Kata kunci: profil prestasi siswa, sekolah perkotaan dan pedesaaan, perbedaan jenis kelamin, analisis kluster.


DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23960/jpp.v13.i1.202308


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