The Impact of School Competitive Learning Climate on Student Academic Achievement and Non-cognitive Abilities: An Analysis Based on PISA 2022 Data from East Asian Countries and Regions

Abstract

East Asian countries and regions often achieve leading global scores in international assessments such as PISA, but simultaneously, students in these regions face significant academic pressure and burdens, which affect their overall development. This study used data from PISA 2022 to explore the impact of the Competitive Learning Climate (CLC) in schools in East Asian countries and regions on students' academic achievement and non-cognitive abilities, and compares the results with a sample from OECD countries. Methodologically, this study selected core indicators from the PISA questionnaire including ability grouping and standardized testing. These variables were systematically integrated into a Competitive Learning Climate Scale through adjusted scoring procedures. Utilizing SPSS 27.0 and Stata 18.0, a two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) was constructed with quadratic terms incorporated to examine potential nonlinear effects. The results showed that, across the full sample, the CLC had a significant negative impact on both cognitive achievement and non-cognitive abilities. Furthermore, after including quadratic terms, it was found that under an appropriate level of CLC, academic performance may improve, but this improvement did not apply to non-cognitive abilities. Additionally, there was significant heterogeneity between East Asian countries and regions and OECD countries, with the effects of CLC in the former consistently being insignificant. Overall, the CLC had a negative impact on students' comprehensive development, but within a certain range, it still had a positive effect on academic performance. In East Asian countries and regions, the CLC in schools can be seen as an "ineffective" measure that does not promote academic improvement or development. Based on these findings, schools in the future can reduce the level of Competitive Learning Climate to alleviate student burdens, while also exploring more scientifically rational methods for class grouping and testing formats to leverage the positive effects of competition and promote the simultaneous development of academic achievement and non-cognitive abilities.