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Education capability: a focus on gender and science

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The focus of the paper is on the measurement of science education capability with a gender perspective. Measuring science education capability implies going beyond the measurement of children test scores. In the capability approach, we aim at the real opportunities that children can develop later in life and therefore it is important to include some measures of non-cognitive skills. We utilize, therefore, different indicators in addition to test scores in science: enjoyment in science, interest in science, general and personal values of science, self - confidence in performing science related tasks, awareness and perception of environmental issues, and responsibility for sustainable development. We utilize the 2006 PISA survey for Italian 15 year old children because it contains a particular focus on science and we estimate a Structural Equation Model to take into account that capabilities are latent constructs of which we only observe some indicators. We also investigate the determinants of children’s science education capability in Italy taking into account household, individual and school factors. Results confirm that boys outperform girls in science education capability. Our theoretical construct for the science education capability confirms that all the indicators are relevant to measure this capability. School activities to promote sciences improve girls’ capability and interactive methods of teaching improve both girls and boys capability. The household educational resources and the household educational possession are also positively correlated with girls’ and boys’ science education capability.

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  • Addabbo, Tindara & Di Tommaso, Maria Laura & Maccagnan, Anna, 2014. "Education capability: a focus on gender and science," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201433, University of Turin.
    • Handle: RePEc:uto:dipeco:201433
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    1. González de San Román, Ainara & de la Rica, Sara, 2012. "Gender Gaps in PISA Test Scores: The Impact of Social Norms and the Mother's Transmission of Role Attitudes," IZA Discussion Papers 6338, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Anand, Paul & Krishnakumar, Jaya & Tran, Ngoc Bich, 2011. "Measuring welfare: Latent variable models for happiness and capabilities in the presence of unobservable heterogeneity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(3-4), pages 205-215, April.
    3. Martha Nussbaum, 2003. "Capabilities As Fundamental Entitlements: Sen And Social Justice," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2-3), pages 33-59.
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    7. Jaya Krishnakumar, 2007. "Going Beyond Functionings to Capabilities: An Econometric Model to Explain and Estimate Capabilities," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 39-63.
    8. Di Tommaso, Maria Laura, 2007. "Children capabilities: A structural equation model for India," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 436-450, June.
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    1. Tindara Addabbo & Maddalena Davoli & Marina Murat, 2018. "Is there an immigrant-gender gap in education? An empirical investigation based on PISA data from Italy," Center for Economic Research (RECent) 136, University of Modena and Reggio E., Dept. of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    2. Tindara Addabbo & Maddalena Davoli & Marina Murat, 2018. "Is there an immigrant-gender gap in education? An empirical investigation based on PISA data from Italy," Department of Economics 0124, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".

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