THE EFFECT OF AGE-POSITION AND SEX ON ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE - A STUDY OF SECONDARY-SCHOOLS IN CYPRUS

Citation
M. Melkonian et E. Ierokipiotis, THE EFFECT OF AGE-POSITION AND SEX ON ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE - A STUDY OF SECONDARY-SCHOOLS IN CYPRUS, Educational research, 39(3), 1997, pp. 355-363
Citations number
12
Journal title
ISSN journal
00131881
Volume
39
Issue
3
Year of publication
1997
Pages
355 - 363
Database
ISI
SICI code
0013-1881(1997)39:3<355:TEOAAS>2.0.ZU;2-V
Abstract
The present study examined one aspect of the 'season of birth' phenome non, the variations in educational achievement effected by a child's a ge-position within the class. Sex differences in achievement were also examined. An analysis based on a sample of nearly 4,000 high school e xamination results was conducted. The research analysed the Creek lang uage grade, mathematics grade and the overall 'high school' grade, obt ained by 17+ year old students who graduated at the end of the 1992/93 and 1993/94 academic years. The presence of an age-position related e ffect was found, but in contrast to similar research studies the young est students, in most instances, outperformed the oldest students. Nev ertheless, this finding is consistent with research studies related to the age-position effect when framed within the context of the Cypriot educational policy of promotion by examination. It was found that the youngest-born pupils in a year group made up the highest percentage o f repeating, i.e. non-promoted students. However, the findings do sugg est a need for a re-evaluation of the nature of the age-position effec t. It was also found that, in general, female students attained signif icantly higher grades than their male counterparts.