Measures of school performance for use in Educational Neuropsychology

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Measures of school performance for use in Educational Neuropsychology Helen Reed1*, Carolijn Ouwehand1, Wim V. Elst2, Annemarie Boschloo1 and Jelle Jolles1 1 VU University Amsterdam, Centre for Brain & Learning, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Netherlands 2 Maastricht University, Centre for Brain & Learning, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Netherlands Effects of environmental and biological factors on brain development can predict and explain individual differences in school performance. However, currently available measures such as school grades are subject to variable grading practices, so that scores cannot be commonly interpreted and compared within a given educational context. This pilot study is a first step in development of more valid measures of individual performance. Objectives are to: (1) identify sources and magnitude of variance in school grades; (2) investigate whether the empirical structure of school grades reflects underlying (latent) dimensions of performance, comparable to psychological traits; (3) examine whether quantification of these dimensions using neuropsychological methods can be used to explore educational issues such as age-related differences for weak and strong performers. The study involves 1615 junior secondary students from four large schools in the Netherlands. Considerable grading differences between schools, teachers and school years were found. Nevertheless, the empirical structure of school grades supports a model in which school performance is organised along three dimensions corresponding to the domains languages, world orientation, and science and mathematics. In addition, mastery of the language of schooling appears to be a determining factor for initial access to world orientation. Language mastery also appears to be a key factor underlying age-related differences for weak and strong performers. This study shows that latent measures of school performance, comparable to psychological traits, can be used to explore relationships between individual outcomes and neuropsychological variables. Conference: EARLI SIG22 - Neuroscience and Education, Zurich, Switzerland, 3 Jun - 5 Jun, 2010. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: General cognitive abilities Citation: Reed H, Ouwehand C, Elst WV, Boschloo A and Jolles J (2010). Measures of school performance for use in Educational Neuropsychology. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: EARLI SIG22 - Neuroscience and Education. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.11.00058 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 31 May 2010; Published Online: 31 May 2010. * Correspondence: Helen Reed, VU University Amsterdam, Centre for Brain & Learning, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Amsterdam, Netherlands, hcreed.nl@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Helen Reed Carolijn Ouwehand Wim V Elst Annemarie Boschloo Jelle Jolles Google Helen Reed Carolijn Ouwehand Wim V Elst Annemarie Boschloo Jelle Jolles Google Scholar Helen Reed Carolijn Ouwehand Wim V Elst Annemarie Boschloo Jelle Jolles PubMed Helen Reed Carolijn Ouwehand Wim V Elst Annemarie Boschloo Jelle Jolles Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

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