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Learning Environments in Andhra Pradesh, India: Childrens Academic Self-Concept and Mathematics Achievement Research Symposium 21 May, 2015 Magnolia, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi Renu Singh & Sudipa Sarkar

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2 Young Lives- Panel Data

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Academic Self-Concept 3 Past three decades has seen enormous attention to key psychological constructs such as self-concept within Northern countries. Self-concept represents ones general perception of self in given domains of functioning Academic self-concept is distinct from global self-concept and reflects an aggregated judgment or overall impression of ones competence in given academic domains such as the verbal domain or mathematics (Bong and Sklavik 2003) To analyse changes and factors affecting student achievement, Kupari and Nissinen, 2013 analysed TIMSS 1999 data and TIMSS 2011 data (eighth- graders). They found that students mathematics self-concept, was by far the most significant predictor of their performance

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Learning Environment & Academic Self-Concept 4 Self-concept is constructed through interaction with the socio-cultural environment Recent research suggests that particular aspects of instruction in mathematics classrooms, such as classroom management, classroom climate and cognitive activation are associated with students attitudes and emotions concerning mathematics (Frenzel et al. 2010; Chen et al. 2011; Brown et al. 2010).

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Research Methods 5 This paper attempts to study the relationship between childrens academic self- concept in mathematics and their mathematics achievement as well as understand how various aspects of the classroom learning environment are associated with childrens academic self-concept in elementary classrooms in Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana and Andhra Pradesh), India It draws upon both quantitative and qualitative data from school survey conducted in 2010-11 as well as Round 3 and qualitative sub-study in 2011 Ordinary least square (OLS) method is used to estimate the partial correlation between classroom learning environment and the academic self-concept of primary school students, controlling for other factors, such as school type, household monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE), caste and educational level of parents, as well as urban/rural location of residence. Teachers were observed in 490 classrooms while taking mathematics classes attended by Young Lives children.

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Academic Self-Concept Index 6 Statements I am really good at learning maths Doing maths is very difficult for me (-ve) Most children in my class score better than me (-ve) I am proud of my achievements in school I can do well in school if I work hard I cannot do well in school even if I try hard (-ve)

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Positive Significant Correlation between Academic self-concept and Mathematics score 7 Table 2: Correlation between Mathematics achievement and academic self concept *** p