Individual and school variables effects on science learning: a multilevel analysis of PISA 2006 data in

Abstract

The paper describes the outcomes of a two-level regression analysis of the PISA 2006 science test scores in the province of Bolzano (Alto-Adige). They are particularly interesting because of the peculiarity of this province, where the organization of the education system is the same in the whole territory but schools are divided on the basis of language group their students belong: German/Ladin or Italian. More than forty variables from student and school-questionnaires have been analyzed by means of a series of models to study their effects on science scores and to identify which of them were associated with better performances at student and school level. Some hypothesis are also formulated to try to explain the superior performance of German/Ladin students and schools in comparison with Italian ones.