Exploring the Factors Affecting Learning Achievements of Cram School Students－The Study of a Junior and Senior High Cram School in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Chih-Jung WU, 吳志榮
• Other Authors: Ting-Kun Liu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/gjrp22

碩士 === 朝陽科技大學 === 企業管理系高階產業經營碩士在職專班 === 103 === In the past, compulsory education was extended from six to nine years, and more recently, has been extended further to 12 years. The policy of the government is to reduce student academic pressures, and to increase students' multiple ways of entering a higher school, for the purpose of reducing the demand for attending cram schools; nevertheless, current culture of attending cram schools has not decreased along with the evolution of government policies or era. Especially under the impact of the increasing national income and the declining birthrate, parents continuously think highly of the education of the next generation. In order to not let their children fall behind from starting line, parents allow their children to attend cram schools for remedial education in addition to receiving formal education. These make Taiwan a Land of cram schools. Previous research aimed at exploring the influences of cram school culture and the respective teacher's teaching behaviors on the students’ learning, but research of said cram school students’ subsequent learning achievements are still inadequate. In addition, empirical results of distinguishing influential factors among students’ learning attitudes, teacher qualification, teaching methods, the curriculum and environment of cram schools on students’ subsequent achievements are also rare. In view of this, this study adopted the construction of questionnaires and data variables. Besides the discussion of basic statistical variables of attending cram schools and learning achievements, this paper also differentiates and explores a detailed analysis on factors of students’ learning attitudes, teacher qualification, teaching methods, and the curriculum after going to cram schools. Furthermore, this paper draws its data and variables from 488 senior and 146 junior high school students who currently attend cram schools, including their gender, education level, parental occupation, remedial courses, life at cram schools and learning achievements etc., by using Ordered Probit Regression Model. First of all, the samples of the study are separated into two groups, including senior and junior high students, and some variables have significant effects on both groups. Senior high students’ learning achievements are affected by the years they spent enrolled at a cram school as well as efforts of the cram school teachers in integrating lessons with current events. Surprisingly, we have found that most students do not attend cram schools because their parents require them to do so. In addition, results show that positive reinforcement and motivation can improve performance and raise grades. Meanwhile, with regards to junior high students, the results of ordered probit show that students obtain better learning achievements if they try harder to improve their grades and when cram teachers integrate the lessons with updated events. Moreover, when the samples are separated into other two groups by attending years, 1-2 years and 2-3 years. Eight variables have significant effects in the group of 1-2 years. Students who attend math and science classes have worse leaning achievements than those who attend language classes. On the other hand, eleven variables have significant effects on learning achievements of 2-3 years. To be more specific, students will obtain better achievements when they are willing to study harder and correct the mistakes. On the contrary, students’ learning achievements become poorer if they always feel bored and distracted in classes. This paper collects, analyzes and interprets relevant data through students’ feelings in class and subsequent learning achievements in order to gain valuable results. It is noteworthy that we may provide teachers or teaching institutions with our results for improving teaching skills, learning motivation, and achievements, and we may also offer the government authorities beneficial references and suggestions to aid them in drafting educational policies.