University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0720
Survey Title Survey of Junior High School Selection (Elementary School 6th Graders and Parents/guardians), 2007
Depositor Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute
(Former Name:Benesse Corporation)
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' on the SSJDA website.

- Apply to SSJDA. SSJDA's approval is required.
Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
SSJDA Data Analysis Not available
Summary This survey was conducted for the purpose of identifying the actual state and characteristics of junior high school selection today (advancing to regional public junior high school, selecting junior high school by school selection system, private and national junior high school entrance exams, public integrated junior high and high school entrance exams), from the perspectives of both children and guardians.

This survey is broadly divided into two. One is a Tokyo survey, of which target survey area was the 23-ku (wards) of Tokyo. A survey of junior high school entrance exams was conducted in the same area in 1988. The present survey is designed to make a longitudinal comparison possible. The second one is a national survey, expanding the target area beyond the 23-ku (wards) of Tokyo, and designed to make it possible to assess the state of junior high school selection in Japan. The two surveys were conducted using common question items.

The distinguishing characteristics of this survey are as follows.

1. Assessment of changes over time: The Tokyo survey was designed for the purpose of comparison against a survey on junior high school entrance exams conducted in the same area in 1988 and the identification of changes over the past 19 years. Hence, the same question items as the 1988 survey, such as tutoring school (juku) use, regarding junior high school entrance exams, education-related information sources, view of learning, view of occupation, and value system were provided to allow longitudinal comparison.

2. Assessment of differences according to residential areas: The national survey targeted sixth-grade elementary school students and their guardians randomly sampled from the 23-ku (wards) of Tokyo and all prefectures. It was not limited to urban areas and is able to identify attitude to and the actual state of junior high school selection across wider regions.

3. Data matching of children and guardians: In the data set for this survey, survey data in which sixth-grade elementary school students responded and survey data in which their guardians responded were matched. This enabled an analysis identifying the relationship of question items asked to children and question items asked to guardians.

4. Assessment of wide-ranging trends in junior high school selection other than private/national junior high school entrance exams: In addition to selective private/national junior high school entrance exams testing for achievement, etc., question items were provided asking about entrance exams for public integrated junior high and high school and the school selection system, enabling a broad assessment of junior high school selection, including advancement to regional public junior high schools.
Data Type quantitative research: micro data
Universe National survey: Sixth-grade students attending public elementary schools in Japan and their guardians
Tokyo survey: Sixth-grade students attending public elementary schools in the 23-ku (wards) of Tokyo and their guardians
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size National survey:
- Sixth-grade elementary school students 
Number of questionnaires distributed: 3,596,number of responses: 1,501,response rate: 41.7%
- Guardians   
Number of questionnaires distributed: 3,596,number of responses: 1,504,response rate: 41.8%

Tokyo survey:
- Sixth-grade elementary school students
Number of questionnaires distributed: 2,186, number of responses: 852, response rate: 39.0%
- Guardians  
Number of questionnaires distributed: 2,186, number of responses: 852, response rate: 39.0%
Date of Collection 2007-12-01 ~ 2007-12-01
Time Period 2007 ~ 2007
Spatial Unit Japan
tokyo
National Survey: Japan
Tokyo Survey: 23-ku (wards) of Tokyo
Sampling Procedure Other
National survey: randomly sampled based on lists of sixth-grade public elementary school students in Japan
Tokyo survey: randomly sampled based on lists of sixth-grade public elementary school students in the 23-ku (wards) of Tokyo
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Self-administered mail survey
Investigator Benesse Corporation
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0720
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation [Questionnaire]
Major Survey Items *“National survey” and “Tokyo survey” conducted with common question items.
 
[Sixth-grade elementary school students] 
 
- Face items
Gender 
 
- Time use/hours spent studying
Wake-up time/bedtime, how time spent after school, frequency of daily activities (reading newspapers, sports, eating with family, helping with housework), etc.
 
- Tutoring school (juku)/after-school lessons/out-of-school learning opportunities
Time spent on out-of-school study, time spent on doing homework, lessons/sports clubs, home tutoring/distance learning, tutoring school (juku) (purpose, frequency of attendance, time spent on study per session, changes after attending, reasons for attending/not attending tutoring school (juku)), etc.

- School life
Classes/teachers/friendships, whether school is fun, self-evaluation of grades, etc.
 
- Desired level of schooling/future desired occupation
 
- Desired junior high school/junior high school entrance exams
Requirements for desired junior high school, junior high schools that respondent is thinking of taking exams for, thoughts on junior high school entrance exams, reasons for wanting/not wanting to take junior high school entrance exams, etc.
 
- Content of conversations with parents/relationship with parents
Content of conversations with father and mother/relationship with father and mother
 
- Mental and physical fatigue
Tire easily, not motivated, wanting to play more, etc.
 
- Strengths and weaknesses
Physical activity, solving equations, sharing thoughts and opinions, study as planned, etc.
 
- View of learning/view of occupation/value system
Educational credentialism, wanting to work for others, sense of happiness, etc.

[Guardians] 

- Face items
Relationship with children, children’s gender/number of siblings/birth order of children, mother’s and father’s level of educational attainment (junior high school graduated from and highest level of educational attainment), current occupation (employment status and occupation type), living conditions, etc.

- Involvement with children
Teaching study skills, assigning household chores, participating in parents visiting day and other school events, etc.

- Education information sources
Whether actively collecting education information, most important information sources

- Elementary school
Degree of satisfaction with/requests for elementary school and teachers
 
- Desired junior high school for children
Conditions that make the junior high school desirable for respondent’s children, whether it is public, private, or national, etc.

- Desired level of schooling/future outlook for children  
 
- Educational policy at home/worries
Sense of personal growth from having children, having no one to talk to about children’s education, comparing own children to other children, etc.
 
- Children’s tutoring schools (juku)/after-school lessons/out-of-school learning opportunities/education expenses
Attending tutoring schools (juku), various after-school lessons, thoughts on tutoring schools (juku), education expenses and household income, etc.

- Junior high school selection/taking junior high school entrance exams
Thoughts on junior high school selection, (children’s) plan to take junior high school entrance exams, first choice school, key reasons for selecting a junior high school for which respondent’s children will take entrance exam, reasons for not letting children take junior high school entrance exams, etc.

- View of education/view of society
Educational credentialism, anxieties about public junior high schools in school district, competition to get into school, education expenses, guardian’s own experience of taking entrance exams, etc.

*For details of survey items, please refer to the questionnaire.
Date of Release 2014/03/26
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Compulsory and pre-school education
Family life and marriage
Topics in SSJDA Education/Learning
Version 1 : 2014-03-26
Notes for Users The following questions are not publicly available.
National survey [Guardians] Question 1C-1 (municipality)
Tokyo survey [Guardians] Question 1C-1 (municipality), [Sixth-grade elementary school students] Question 15-1