Ethical Research Concerns on Criminal Justice and Security Management - Literature review Example

Literature review on the effects of socioeconomic factors on academic performance Literature review on the effects of socioeconomic factors on academic performance Education is an avenue through which students are equipped with knowledge, skills and values while at the same time fostering right attitudes and habits. It is through education that cultural values are transmitted from one generation to the other generation. The family happens to be the oldest social group and the most important as far as dissemination of both formal and informal education is concerned. A number of family variables have implications on education performance, and they include; gender, beliefs, occupation, income, education, neighborhood and community. There is a direct relationship between a person’s life chance, wellbeing and income. It is thus important to have a deep understanding of what benefits or hinders one from acquiring education (Battle Juan, 2002). This study takes a holistic approach in attempts to understand how socioeconomic factors influence academic performance. Literature review Socioeconomic status is a term that means the position of individuals, families, or other units based on one or more dimensions of stratification (Fergusson M D, 2008).A number of ways have been used to measure socioeconomic status including educational, exposure to poverty, exposure to adverse life events, for example, unemployment or mono parental families, income and occupational attainment. Through social class privilege, control, and power are emphasized. Defining and measuring socioeconomic status has changed significantly over time (Zhao, 2011). Other indicators have been added, such as home resources, personal library books, home atmosphere and other school issues (Cobbold, 2009). Individuals and families with low socioeconomic status may have psychosocial problems, for example, they might be cynical, hostile or even have a low self-esteem. Preparation of children for schooling by parents from higher socioeconomic status is usually successful. This is because they enjoy harnessing resources that are needed to promote the development of children. They are capable of providing young children with quality equipment and basic educational requirements. Various learning activities undertaken at home ensures parents have the opportunity to learn about their children’s health, social, emotional and cognitive development and consequently use this knowledge to boost the performance of their children in school (Ramsey (Ramsey et al., 1994). Challenges faced by parents of low socioeconomic status in achieving readiness for school for their children are formidable. They prioritize housing, health care, clothing and food due to inadequate resources and thus consider educational toys, games and books which are supposed to enhance child development as luxuries. They again need energy, knowledge and resources to look for less expensive and innovative ways that would otherwise foster the development of their children. Lower economic families also need resources required to access community resources that support children’s readiness for school. On the other hand, affluent families quite often lack energy and time to invest on their children’s preparation for school and this force them to use child care services instead. Students of low socioeconomic status are taught to respect authority, which denies them a chance to think critically and evaluate ideas and situations (Crnic, 1994). Children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to aspire to higher education (Bowden, 2011).The impacts of social, economic status have on school performance have been studied since 1990. This has led to additional indications for instance the socioeconomic status of the school together with the economic status of neighbors (Sandro, 1987). In most cases, socioeconomic status indicators tend to vary, with the most commonly used being educational level, financial level and parental occupation. Education gaps among people from different socio-economic backgrounds were characterized as a long lasting social phenomenon. Differences in the socioeconomic status, in schools, cause social, economic gaps in academic achievement that is, large differences. Socioeconomic status is related to school performance. All the same, this does not mean that children from financially stable children are more likely to have more experiences that stimulate their intellectual development (Sandro, 1987). Literature shows that the socioeconomic status of the family is the only strong predictor on matters educational outcomes (Battle Juan, 2002).To explain this phenomenon, the researchers argue that parents who come from families of low socioeconomic status are less concerned with their childrens schooling and support them less in comparison to parents of children from rich families, resulting into lower academic performance (Delaney, 2011). Socioeconomic status is interrelated with the home environment. It is the socioeconomic status that dictates the quality of life of a student. A study that was carried out in 2009 on socioeconomic status, cultural status and academic performance, indicated that students who have parents with low education, who are unemployed or with low paying jobs, experience difficulties in engaging in both curricular and extra-curricular activities, which makes them perform poorly than other pupils (PISA, 2009). Students with low socioeconomic status tend to feel intimidated by the others because of the socioeconomic status they inherited from their parents and the performance characteristics of the school. A student who has an internet at home will probably aspire to join university, more so if he is motivated by teachers to pursue higher education and if he goes to a private school (Bowden, 2011). Students from poor backgrounds tend to perform dismally in school. The academic level of the parents plays a very crucial role in students academic performance in Turkey especially the fathers. In some cultures, the socioeconomic status has little influence on the school performance. It has been demonstrated that the higher the socioeconomic status, the lower its effects on school performance (Egeli E, 2004). A school that lacks facilities is located in a neighborhood where the socioeconomic background of students is wanting and this negatively affects their performance (Cobbold, 2009). A study carried out in California demonstrated that students with higher socioeconomic status study in larger schools during those from low socioeconomic or average status study in smaller schools (Friederickson, 2005). The students endowed with better social, economic resources find it easy to adapt to various channels that equip them with knowledge and skills relevant to their profession and trade. On passing primary school examinations, students from higher social, economic status stand better chances of joining secondary schools as compared to those from lower economic status families. Those in elite schools are taught independent thinking and decision making skills preparing them for leadership positions. Those who make it to middle level colleges and schools are taught responsibility and working without supervision qualities that prepare them for middle level jobs (Joan, 1984). Research results indicate that children from low socioeconomic households develop academic skills more slowly as compared to those children from higher social, economic families. Initial academic skills are associated with the home environment. Low literacy surroundings affect a child’s pre-academic skills. Even the school systems in low socioeconomic status are often under resourced, negatively impacting on students’ academic progress. Low socioeconomic status contributes to inadequate education and higher dropout rates which in turn affect children’s academic performance (Morgan et al., 2009). In 2007, the dropout rate for high school students was highest in low-income (16.7%) when compared to high-income families (3.2%) (NCES, 2008). A teacher’s work experience and quality of training determine the children’s academic performance (Gimbert et al., 2007). Children in low income schools have lower chances of having well-qualified teachers. Research evidence showed that of high school Mathematics teachers in low income school districts 27% specialized in mathematics, in college as contrasted to 43% of teachers who did so in affluent school districts (Ingersoll, 1999). Children from low social, economic environments are low at acquiring language skills and also exhibit delayed letter recognition, phonological awareness and are at a higher risk for reading difficulties (Aikens & Barbarin, 2008). Children of higher social, economic status are more likely to display proficiency on tasks of subtraction, addition, ordinal sequencing, and Mathematics word problems than children from lower social, economic backgrounds (Coley, 2002). Students who are identified as members of the lower class in college has been associated with feelings of not belonging in school and desires to drop out of school before graduation (Langhout, Drake, & Rosselli, 2009). Children from lower SES households are more likely as compared to those from high-SES households to display traits of learning-related problems. A mother’s social, economic status was likewise related to her child’s disinterest, inattention, and lack of cooperation in school (Morgan et al., 2009). Low social, economic families are less likely to have financial resources or time to provide children with educational assistance. Children’s initial reading competence is related to the number of books owned, home literacy environment and parent distress (Aikens & Barbarin, 2008). However, parents from low social, economic families might not afford resources example books, computers, or tutors (Orr, 2003). A nationwide study of kindergarten children in America, 36% of parents from the lowest-income backgrounds read to their children daily, compared with 62% of parents from the highest-income category (Coley, 2002). Students of low social, economic status were reported to have made more effort towards academics (Kaylor & Flores, 2008). Studies have repeatedly shown that students from low socioeconomic families get low test scores have a higher likelihood of dropping out of school (Baharudin & Luster, 1998; Jeynes, 2002; Eamon, 2005; Majoribanks 1996; Hochschild, 2003). Low socioeconomic students are known to score ten percent lower on the National Assessment of Educational Programs than the higher socioeconomic students (Sherri, 2004). Previous studies have shown that children with both parents perform better than those from single parenthood. This is because single parents happen to have less income and experience time struggle as they do things on their own. They get less involved in their children academic issues as they do not set very high expectations for them than in two parent households (Sandro, 1987). Parental education and social- economic backgrounds influence education and childrearing, such that a variety of parental behaviors are indirectly related to childrens school performance. For example, higher socioeconomic status and high levels of education may enhance parents willingness to become involved in their childrens education, and also equip parents with model social skills and problem-solving tactics which are conducive to childrens school victory. Hence, parents of higher socio-economic status and have acquired higher levels of education may encourage their children to learn and impart more positive ability beliefs. Therefore, they may use more effective learning strategies compared to children of parents with lower socio-economic status and lower levels of education or no education (Joan, 2009). It is important to note that parents are very influential yet significantly underrated factors in their children’s education. In connection to this, the society needs to encourage parental participation in public education (Ramachandrant et al., 2003; Palmer 2005; Verpoor 2005; Cooter, 2006; Nannyonjo, 2007; Hanushek, 2007; Lynch, 2009 Okummu et al. 2008 and Onzima, 2010). Conclusion Scholars who have studied this topic have totally agreed on the implication of economic factors on education performance. Low economic status negatively affects educational performance mostly because resources necessary for educational ventures. On the other hand, Higher social, economic factors are beneficial, and makes it even easier for one to achieve academic succeed through the provision of the requirements and boosting the esteem of the individual concerned. As evident from the literature, there is exists a gap between socioeconomic status and performance and measures should be put in place to bridge the gap for example through the use of poverty eradication strategies. The media ought to give suggestions on the appropriate remedies and solutions to government and other institutions of private sector on how to restore the balance between people of higher social, economic class, middle social, economic class and those from low socioeconomic class in terms of schools, amounts of fees, standard of education and the academic performance of the students. References Battle Juan, M. L. (2002). The Increasing Significance of Class: The Relative Effects of Race and Social Economic Status on Academic Achievement. Journal of Poverty. Bowden, D. (2011). The Importance of Cultural and Economic Influences Behind the Decision to Attend Higher Education. The Journal of Socio-Economic, 41; 95-103. Cobbold, T. (2009). The Interaction of School Size and Social Economic Status on Student Performance. Canberra, Australia. Crnic K, G. L. (1994). Reconsidering School Readiness: Conceptual and Applied Perspectives, Early Education Development. Delaney, H. R. (2011). Student Performance. Egeli E, O. F. (2004). Effects of Otorhinolarynhological Diseases and Social Economic Status of School Performance: A Survey Study. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolary, 68; 883-888. Fergusson M D, H. J. (2008). The Transmission of Social Inequality: Examinations of the Linkages between Family Social Economic Status in Childhood and Educational Achievement in Young Adulthood. New York: Research on Social Stratification and Mobility. Friederickson N, P. (2005). Ethnic Gender and Social Economic Group Differences in Academic Performance and Secondary School Selection: A longitudinal Analysis. Learning Individual Differences. Joan, G. (1984). A Place Called School: Prospects for the Future. New York: Mc Graws- Hills. Ramey S L, C. T. (1994). The Transition to School. Phi Delta : Kappan. Sandro, C. (1987). Schools Urged to get Parents Involved Family Participation Aids Academic. Zhao, V. D. (2011). The Quadratic Relationship Between Social Economic Status and Learning Performance in Chinaby Muiltilevel Analysis: Implications for Policies to Foster Education Equity . International Journal of Educational Development . Read More