An In-Depth Analysis of the Issue of Sense of Belonging at School in the PISA 2003 Mathematical Literacy Study
In 2003, Macao participated in the PISA mathematical literacy study. Macao’s 15-year-olds ranked ninth in the performance league table and in the same assessment sense of belonging at school was the lowest amongst 41 countries/economies. Similar low affective learning outcomes occurred in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. Preliminary analyses revealed the following phenomenon: (1) students’ low sense of belonging at school is common in different types of schools, including in schools of different economic, social and cultural status of the home; (2) sense of belonging at school is not related to mathematical literacy; (3) students’ low sense of belonging is not related to number of times of grade repetition, grade studied at 15-year-old, and whether is Macao-born or an immigrant. In order to find out why there is a large proportion of students, of these some are high-performing, whose sense of belonging at school is below the OECD average, analysis of variances (ANOVA) are performed to locate factors that may have a bearing on the issue concerned. Three factors are discernible: (1) Attitude towards school; (2) Student-teacher relation; and (3) Teacher support. Based on these findings, Macao schools are informed to strengthen fostering of positive student attitudes toward school, establishing conducive and harmonious teacher-student relationships, and rendering academic support and day-care to students. In sum, schools are not only targeted at building minds but also hearts in the students.
Keywords: Sense of Belonging, Student Attitudes, Student-Teacher Relations, Teacher Support
Prof. Kwok-cheung Cheung
Director, Educational Testing and Assessment Research Centre, University of Macau