This research used the responses of 187 Tasmanian teachers to a questionnaire comprising 52-Likert-type items, two multiple-choice items, and two open-response items to investigate differences in teachers’ beliefs about aspects of schooling related to students’ secondary school completion. Exploratory factor analysis of responses to the Likert-type items identified 3 factors underpinning teachers’ responses. These were (1) Student and parent aspirations, (2) Teacher and school quality and support, and (3) Expectations for continuing education. Two-way ANOVAs showed that primary school teachers scored higher on average than secondary teachers for student and parent aspirations, and that there was an interaction between level of schooling and Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) for this factor. Descriptive statistics were used to compare responses to the multiple-choice items of teachers at different levels of ICSEA and schooling. Open-response items were categorised in two ways (1) as related to pastoral, academic, or engagement matters, and (2) as negative or positive in relation to each of students, parents, and teachers. The results highlighted less academic and more pastorally focussed cultures in Year 7-10 schools compared with Year 11-12 schools and relatively low expectations for university study across the levels of schooling. The findings implicate teachers’ beliefs about students and their families as crucial to influencing educational aspirations and attainment.
Funding
Australian Research Council
Department of Education Tasmania, con
History
Publication title
Australian Educational Researcher
Volume
46
Issue
5
Pagination
751-774
ISSN
0311-6999
Department/School
Faculty of Education
Publisher
Springer
Place of publication
Netherlands
Rights statement
Copyright 2019 The Australian Association for Research in Education, Inc.
Repository Status
Restricted
Socio-economic Objectives
Schools and learning environments not elsewhere classified; Other education and training not elsewhere classified