Finnish Students' School Engagement Profiles in the Light of PISA 2003

摘要

The aim of this study is to examine Finnish students' school engagement profiles in the light of the data collected in the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) in 2003. Even though Finnish students' cognitive achievement has proved excellent in various international assessments, their school engagement has not been flattering. The article first defines the concept of school engagement and discusses some previous findings on students' attitudes and socio-emotional disposition towards school life. Next, on the basis of students' responses to the PISA 2003 survey questionnaire, students are grouped and the groups profiled by cluster analysis into six distinct clusters in terms of peer acceptance, student-teacher relations and perceptions of the value of school and education for the future. This is followed by a description of the cluster profiles and their examination in relation to students' gender and socio-economic background as well as to their performance in mathematics, reading and science and then in relation to their self-beliefs and educational aspirations. The results indicate that when examining school engagement, average values for the whole age group are not sufficient to describe the spectrum of young people's school satisfaction and social relations. Instead, in Finnish schools there are distinct student groups with different engagement profiles, which are associated with both the cognitive and affective learning. In conclusion, some suggestions are made for further interventions as concerns the different student clusters.