How Do Governments Narrow the Achievement Gaps for Disadvantaged Students in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan?
Open Access
Author:
Su, Chao
Graduate Program:
Educational Theory and Policy
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
April 02, 2018
Committee Members:
David Post, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
Socioeconomic Status (SES) Academic Achievement Education Inequality Mainland China Hong Kong Taiwan Policy and Practice Socioeconomic Status (SES) Academic Achievement Education Inequality Mainland China Hong Kong Taiwan Policy and Practice
Abstract:
The pervasive achievement gap associated with differences in socio-economic-status (SES) has been a near universal obstacle in achieving educational and social equality. In Asia, where education is generally regarded as the only pathway to upward mobility, governmental actions that soften the impact of family background and narrowed the achievement gap for poor students are worthy of investigation. In this thesis, I compare the effects from family backgrounds on students’ academic achievement among three education systems in Asia with high-test scores: Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The data analysis base on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015. I also review the government efforts and policies in each system aimed at lower SES students. The goal is to inspire more research on comparing effective policies that help governments support to students from underprivileged backgrounds and to help them thrive in their increasingly knowledge-intensive societies.
