A Multilevel Analysis of Reading Literacy Achievement: Comparisons of the Canadian National Sample, and its Highest, and Lowest Quartiles
Date
2013-04-30
Authors
Thomas, Shawn W.
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Abstract
This study investigates the importance of demographic variables and the influence of teachers on the reading literacy performance of Canadian 15-year-olds in a multi-level analysis of the national population as well as its highest and lowest quartiles. A large-scale representative dataset was chosen for these purposes. Multi-level modeling was completed using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (v. 6.08) quantifying the variance present at the student- and school-levels as well as identifying statistically significant correlates for each of the three models examined. Results were consistent with prior research while the use of a quartile-split accessed subpopulations based on achievement that are otherwise not closely examined by national averages. Students’ gender and schools’ SES appear to be the most influential individual factors of those examined, while the positive influence of teachers is a conclusion to be gleaned from this research.
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Keywords
demographic variables, teachers, literacy