Effects of Manipulable Influences on High School Grades Across Five Ethnic Groups

Abstract

Abstract Theories of school learning consistently point to ability, quality of instruction, motivation, and academic instructional time as important influences. Research also supports those variables and related variables as important for learning, but few researchers have assessed the combined effects or examined both direct and indirect effects. Here we used LISREL to test a conceptual model of school learning, examining the effects of five variables (ability, quality, motivation, course work, and homework) common to school learning theories on student grades. A large, nationally representative sample of high school youth was used to test the model. Following a test of the model for the entire sample, we tested it separately for each major ethnic group, and for boys and girts. Each theory-derived influence was supported, although there were differences in the magnitude of influences across ethnic groups. A particularly interesting finding was that Asian-American students' learning, in particular, seemed strongly influenced by variables that are potentially manipulable. The magnitude of influences on learning for boys and girls was identical. The results support each of the variables tested as an influence on learning as well as the school learning theories from which the variables were derived.