Evaluation through follow-up - pupils born in 1972 (Student Panel 2)

Since the beginning of the 1960s, Statistics Sweden, in collaboration with various research institutions, has carried out follow-up surveys in the school system. These surveys have taken place within the framework of the IS project (Individual Statistics Project) at the University of Gothenburg and the UGU project (Evaluation through follow-up of students) at the University of Teacher Education in Stockholm, which since 1990 have been merged into a research project called 'Evaluation through Follow-up'. The follow-up surveys are part of the central evaluation of the school and are based on large nationally representative samples from different cohorts of students.

Evaluation through follow-up (UGU) is one of the country's largest research databases in the field of education. UGU is part of the central evaluation of the school and is based on large nationally representative samples from different cohorts of students. The longitudinal database contains information on nationally representative samples of school pupils from ten cohorts, born between 1948 and 2004. The sampling process was based on the student's birthday for the first two and on the school class for the other cohorts.

For each cohort, data of mainly two types are collected. School administrative data is collected annually by Statistics Sweden during the time that pupils are in the general school system (primary and secondary school), for most cohorts starting in compulsory school year 3. This information is provided by the school offices and, among other things, includes characteristics of school, class, special support, study choices and grades. Information obtained has varied somewhat, e.g. due to changes in curricula. A more detailed description of this data collection can be found in reports published by Statistics Sweden and linked to datasets for each cohort.

Survey data from the pupils is collected for the first time in compulsory school year 6 (for most cohorts). Questionnaire in survey in year 6 includes questions related to self-perception and interest in learning, attitudes to school, hobbies, school motivation and future plans. For some cohorts, questionnaire data are also collected in year 3 and year 9 in compulsory school and in upper secondary school.

Furthermore, results from various intelligence tests and standartized knowledge tests are included in the data collection year 6. The intelligence tests have been identical for all cohorts (except cohort born in 1987 from which questionnaire data were first collected in year 9). The intelligence test consists of a verbal, a spatial and an inductive test, each containing 40 tasks and specially designed for the UGU project. The verbal test is a vocabulary test of the opposite type. The spatial test is a so-called ‘sheet metal folding test’ and the inductive test are made up of series of numbers. The reliability of the test, intercorrelations and connection with school grades are reported by Svensson (1971).

For the first three cohorts (1948, 1953 and 1967), the standartized knowledge tests in year 6 consist of the standard tests in Swedish, mathematics and English that up to and including the beginning of the 1980s were offered to all pupils in compulsory school year 6. For the cohort 1972, specially prepared tests in reading and mathematics were used. The test in reading consists of 27 tasks and aimed to identify students with reading difficulties. The mathematics test, which was also offered for the fifth cohort, (1977) includes 19 assignments. After a changed version of the test, caused by the previously used test being judged to be somewhat too simple, has been used for the cohort born in 1982. Results on the mathematics test are not available for the 1987 cohort. The mathematics test was not offered to the students in the cohort in 1992, as the test did not seem to fully correspond with current curriculum intentions in mathematics. For further information, see the description of the dataset for each cohort.

For several of the samples, questionnaires were also collected from the students 'parents and teachers in year 6. The teacher questionnaire contains questions about the teacher, class size and composition, the teacher's assessments of the class' knowledge level, etc., school resources, working methods and parental involvement and questions about the existence of evaluations. The questionnaire for the guardians includes questions about the child's upbringing conditions, ambitions and wishes regarding the child's education, views on the school's objectives and the parents' own educational and professional situation.

The students are followed up even after they have left primary school. Among other things, data collection is done during the time they are in high school. Then school administrative data such as e.g. choice of upper secondary school line / program and grades after completing studies. For some of the cohorts, in addition to school administrative data, questionnaire data were also collected from the students. Show less..