This research is therefore intended to pro- Some of the aspects that characterise a ׀.3. How do we pated. An example of the various statistical vide scientic evidence to support the ben- longitudinal study such as this one are as fol- tools that minimise possible mea surement ets of Junior Achievement’s metho dology lows, among many others: do it? Methodology errors are studies 2440 and 2753 by the and programmes, highlighting the impor- used Spanish Centre for Sociological Research tance of education for developing these • The same group of people is followed (Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas , skills, which are ultimately what will ensure over a long period of time. This research on the impact of the Junior CIS), which report on the opinions held by the well-being and happiness of our young • It is possible to observe intra-individual Achievement Foundation’s programmes be- young Spanish people aged 15 to 19 re- people. differences (in the same individual). gan in the 2015/2016 academic year. Over garding certain qualities that represent • The groups of people are not homoge- the last four years, more than 24,900 sur- non-cognitive skills and how admissible neous. veys of students from different Spanish some responsibility- avoiding behaviours ׀.2. What is a • It is scientically rigorous, identifying the provinces were analysed, evaluating a to- are seen to be. We selected young people “ longitudinal effects of the Foundation’s programmes tal of 14 different programmes through from the CIS studies whose sociodemogra- report”? once the specic characteristics of each surveys completed before and after the spe- phic characteristics are similar to those of student have been ruled out. Thus, the cic training. the participants in the Junior Achievement estimated effects can be extrapolated to The survey results demonstrate the im- Foundation’s programmes as a way of It is a scientic research method in which the the whole population of students with the pact that the Foundation’s educational pro- comparing the differences between stu- same group of people is followed over a pe- certainty that it is not due to the specic grammes have on the young people who dents who receive this training and those riod of time, in this case, four years. sample that was studied. . This type of study gathers information on • This is the method recommended by take part in them, i.e. the cognitive and who do not the same child or young person over several experts for the evaluation of human non-cognitive changes that occur in the stu- More specically, the causal effects were years, making it easier to identify and assess development. dents. The surveys ask questions that allow identied at the level of the group of JA par- causal effects more precisely. Specical- • Very useful for establishing strong us to analyse the importance placed by stu- ticipants, given the impossibility to identi- ly, this longitudinal approach makes it pos- cause-effect relationships. dents on a series of qualities or values re- fy them on an individual level in this type of sible to observe the changes that students • The variations observed are independ- lated to the non-cognitive skills on the list evaluation. based It should be noted that only statistically experience as a consequence of their par- ent of factors that remain static in both analysed by Méndez (2014), which is , such as ci- signicant effects are relevant and can be ticipation in the Junior Achievement Foun- the student and the family and school on the World Values Survey , where students are asked to as- replicated. Therefore, in order to make the dation’s educational programmes and how environment. vic capital these changes persist over time, thus prov- sess whether behaviours such as cheating study even more rigorous and reliable, only ing the effectiveness of these programmes. on an exam or taking the bus without pay- effects with an incidence of at least 5% were ing the fare are appropriate. It also includes considered. questions related to their socio-economic The novelty of the study we are presenting context, academic performance, educa- this year compared to those from previous or the number years lies in the fact that this is the rst time we tional and job expectations of unexcused absences from school. This were able to use a longitudinal xed- effects In short, using a longitudinal research method ensures that allows us to measure the dropout rate or en- approach, where we use the information for the results presented in this report are as robust and scien- trepreneurial spirit, essential indicators in the the same students gathered over several tifically sound as possible, and hence that the effects of Junior Foundation’s mission. consecutive years to identify causal effects Achievement’s educational programmes are sustained over At the same time, secondary databases more precisely. More specically, over time time. were analysed to learn about the behaviour this periodic information allows us to identi- of young people who have not participa ted fy causal effects beyond the individual, family, in the Foundation’s programmes, serving as educational or social characteristics that re- counterfactuals to those who have partici- main unchanged over time. Without a doubt, *
“Learn by doing” is a practical and active methodology where the students are the protagonists of their own learning,
allowing them to develop critical thinking, creativity, argumentation, effective communication, teamwork and self-evaluation
skills, among others. 10٪٪UUǼȬƇƤɅ٪ȷɅɍƫɬ JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT 11