The Influence of School Factors on Students’ Self-Concept: Findings from PIRLS 2016

Abstract

In recent years, studies have put emphasis on school not only as an institution for academic achievement but also as an environment for social-emotional development, learning and shaping students’ attitudes and beliefs. There are studies that show the correlation between the environment and development of a child’s self-concept, as well as the correlation between self-concept and school anxiety. The studies have discovered very strong relationship between school success factors such as enjoyment, engagement and achievement and the school’s climate. However, there are many unknown answers to the question how significant the role of school is in shaping child’s awareness of self, self-confidence, self-concept, self-efficacy and self-esteem. The purpose of this study is, first, to analyse different studies on the impact of school on students’ self-concept, academic self-concept and self-efficacy and, second, to identify school factors that influence students’ self-concept from the PIRLS 2016 study. The research question is as follows: which school level factors influence students’ academic self-concept? Authors of this article used linear regression, correlation and frequency analysis of the International Association’s for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2016 data from 8 countries around the Baltic Sea. The results showed that the 4th graders’ academic self-concept in reading correlated with reading achievement and engagement in reading lessons, self-concept had a negative correlation with bullying, absenteeism from school and tiredness during school day. Overall, the authors of this article found that in the PIRLS 2016 study the direct impact of school factors on students’ academic self-concept in reading is very low.