A PRODUÇÃO DE EDUCAÇÃO NOS AÇORES: O DESEMPENHO DO INDIVÍDUO NA MATEMÁTICA

Abstract

This work is based on the theoretical tools and analytical framework, developed in the area of the Economics of Education, to evaluate the performance of students in the Azores, based on survey data obtained in various secondary schools in the region. It is intended, therefore, to contribute to a better perception of the relationship between resources (factors of production used) and the production of the educational system in the Azores, according to student performance in 9th grade mathematics. As individual performance can be explained by the Ordered Probit model, we tested the influence of different sets of variables in determining the classification obtained at the end of 9th grade (in-school summary assessment). The results point to the existence of a positive relationship between parents with higher education levels and the educational performance of the child. Positive results also occur due to parental involvement with the child, in particular, the moments of conversation about television programs. The conclusions also point to the negative effect of the presence of older siblings in the household on individual educational outcome. Another contribution is the confirmation that the individual within a low-income family is less likely to achieve higher academic results. A strong positive association between the attitude of students towards Mathematics and their performance in the discipline is evident in the results, which also prove that the school and the classroom affect the educational achievement of a student.