Mathematics described proficiency levels: connecting psychometric and teaching analyses

International audienc

Beyond the mean estimate: a quantile regression analysis of inequalities in educational outcomes using INVALSI survey data

Abstract The number of studies addressing issues of inequality in educational outcomes using cognitive achievement tests and variables from large-scale assessment data has increased. Here the value of using a quantile regression approach is compared with a classical regression analysis approach to study the relationships between educational outcomes and likely predictor variables. Italian primary school data from INVALSI large-scale assessments were analyzed using both quantile and standard regression approaches. Mathematics and reading scores were regressed on students' characteristics and geographical variables selected for their theoretical and policy relevance. The results demonstrated that, in Italy, the role of gender and immigrant status varied across the entire conditional distribution of students’ performance. Analogous results emerged pertaining to the difference in students’ performance across Italian geographic areas. These findings suggest that quantile regression analysis is a useful tool to explore the determinants and mechanisms of inequality in educational outcomes. A proper interpretation of quantile estimates may enable teachers to identify effective learning activities and help policymakers to develop tailored programs that increase equity in education

Openness to Experience, Honesty-Humility and ideological attitudes: A fine-grained analysis

We aimed at replicating and extending recent findings about the relationships between the specific aspects entailed by Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience and ideological attitudes. Study 1 (N= 820) indicated that Openness-Curiosity, not Openness-Cultural, was uniquely associated with Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and that Humility, not Honesty, was uniquely related to Social Dominance Orientation. Divergent effects on RWA were identified for Honesty (positive) and Humility (negative). Study 2 (N= 586) replicated further these results and investigated the moderating role of interest in politics, and the mediating role of Need for Closure in shaping the pattern of associations. Openness-Curiosity and Humility were related to ideological attitudes mostly in a direct way, and these associations were strengthened by interest in politics. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Metodiche per la valutazione prescolare e scolare di abilità cognitive connesse all’apprendimento scolastico

Nel 2010, la legge n. 170 ha riconosciuto dislessia, disgrafia, disortografia e discalculia come disturbi specifici dell’apprendimento che si manifestano in presenza di capacità cognitive adeguate, in assenza di patologie neurologiche e di deficit sensoriali e possono costituire una limitazione importante per attività della vita quotidiana. Quest’intervento normativo ha consentito un importante riconoscimento dei diritti delle persone con DSA identificando, a questo fine, anche una serie di strumenti compensativi e dispensativi. Anche la ricerca sui DSA ha avuto un notevole sviluppo sia in ambito internazionale sia nel nostro Paese. La complessità del quadro clinico che è emerso da questi studi sottolinea l’importanza di una valutazione esaustiva, e cioè non limitata alle abilità di lettura, scrittura e calcolo ma che esamini l’intero spettro delle difficoltà cognitive ed affettive che, sappiamo, possono essere presenti in persone con DSA. Tutti questi fattori hanno contribuito ad aumentare negli operatori sanitari, nel personale della scuola come pure nella popolazione generale, la consapevolezza della rilevanza di un’accurata valutazione dei disturbi dell’apprendimento. In quest’ottica, il volume presenta una sintesi delle informazioni relative alla valutazione dei disturbi dell’apprendimento che tiene conto sia dell’aumentata complessità delle nostre conoscenze sul tema sia della pubblicazione, in questi ultimi anni, di un numero considerevole di nuovi strumenti per la valutazione dei disturbi di lettura, scrittura e calcolo come pure dei disturbi cognitivi ed affettivi, spesso associati ai DSA. Il volume comprende inoltre capitoli dedicati alle difficoltà numeriche, alla valutazione delle difficoltà emotive e dell’impatto sul benessere psicologico dei ragazzi con DSA, e alla valutazione delle difficoltà di apprendimento di chi apprende l’italiano come L2

HEXACO, social worldviews and socio-political attitudes: A mediation analysis

The Dual Process Model of Ideology and Prejudice states that 'dangerous world' and 'competitive jungle' beliefs shape Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), respectively. We investigated whether the associations of the HEXACO personality traits with SDO and RWA were mediated by these beliefs. Study 1 (297 Italian participants) investigated mediation at the general factor level. Study 2 (344 US participants) focused on the components of Honesty and Humility and of Openness-culture and Openness-curiosity. Personality associations with SDO were mostly mediated by Competitive Jungle beliefs, whilst personality associations with RWA were mostly unmediated. At the level of narrow trait components, different effects for Honesty and Humility and for Openness-culture and Openness-curiosity were revealed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Interest and Expertise Moderate the Relationship between Right-Wing Attitudes, Ideological Self-Placement and Voting

Previous research has suggested that the association between right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) is moderated by political interest and involvement. It is here hypothesized that interest also strengthens the association of authoritarianism with political self-placement and that higher levels of interest in politics shape voting choices that are more strongly associated with authoritarianism. Authoritarianism was defined as a second-order factor reflecting onto SDO and RWA in a structural equation modelling approach. In Study 1 (two samples, total N=873), interest was found to moderate the impact of authoritarianism, as hypothesized. In Study 2 (N=721), a higher order interaction involving interest and political expertise was detected. These results were obtained with different measures and in different electoral campaigns. The motivational and cognitive underpinnings of the moderating effects are discussed. Copyright (c) 2012 European Association of Personality Psychology

Validità delle prove PAC-SI nella previsione della lettura in prima e terza primaria.

Nel lavoro è approfondita la validità predittiva delle “Prove di Abilità Cognitive per la Scuola dell’Infanzia” (PAC-SI). Le prove sono state somministrate a fine scuola dell’infanzia a 453 bambini, esaminati un anno dopo con le prove MT di correttezza, rapidità e comprensione nella lettura; un sottocampione (n = 154) è stato riesaminato con le prove MT di lettura in III primaria. I dati indicano che le Prove PAC-SI sono in grado di discriminare, sia in I che in III primaria, tra bambini con buone abilità di lettura e bambini con basse prestazioni in uno solo o tutti gli indici di lettura considerati (ad eccezione del gruppo di I con difficoltà nell’accuratezza). Appare dunque confermata l’associazione tra prove PAC-SI e successive prestazioni in lettura

The interpersonal roots of politics. Social value orientation, socio-political attitudes and prejudice

The relationships between social value orientation, socio-political attitudes and prejudice was investigated in three studies (total N = 1069). Participants filled in questionnaires containing measures of social value orientation, left-right political orientation, social worldviews (i.e. dangerous world and competitive jungle), right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), social dominance orientation (SDO) and prejudice towards immigrants. Study 1 showed that a proself orientation was associated to right-wing political orientation through the mediation of RWA and SDO. Study 2 revealed that social worldviews mediated the relationships of a proself orientation with RWA and SDO. Finally, Study 3 indicated that a proself orientation was related to prejudice through the intervention of social worldviews, RWA and SDO. Overall, these findings provided robust evidence about the elevant role of interpersonal orientation underpinning socio-political attitudes and prejudice

Predictive tools for university performance: an explorative study

The role of mathematics in secondary-tertiary transition is subject to increasing analysis in several education contexts. We explore the longitudinal relationships among a standardized test used for assessing secondary school mathematics, high school final grades and the academic progress of a sample of Italian undergraduates. Results from regression analyses showed that the standardized test and high school final grades together are predictive both of the student’s academic success in terms of Grade Point Average and of academic credits earned, whereas a more specific relationship emerged between the standardized test and the mathematics exam. This study provides findings on the importance of secondary school mathematics as a predictor of university performance, even in courses where mathematics is a service subject

Predictive and concurrent relations between literacy skills in Grades 1 and 3: A longitudinal study of Italian children

A sample of 170 Italian children was assessed for reading accuracy, reading speed, text comprehension and spelling in Grades 1 and 3 in order to investigate the concurrent and longitudinal relationships among literacy skills. Main results from multivariate analyses (regression, discriminant and path analyses) indicated that reading speed was the best predictor of later literacy and that spelling was the most stable measure and influenced text comprehension and reading speed. An asymmetry was also observed in the longitudinal relationship between reading and spelling errors, with reading errors predicting later spelling errors and a non-significant result in the opposite direction. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved