Family capital: A determinant of supplementary education in 17 nations

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of family capital on the use of supplementary education.

Design/methodology/approach

Using logistic regression, it examines family-level determinants – SES, family structure, culture, educational aspirations, language, parental level of education and occupational prestige, and gender – among 17 nations, grouped by level of intensity.

Findings

Families with high levels of cultural capital are most likely to purchase supplementary education. This finding is interpreted as supporting the notion that family choice of supplementary education is a social reproduction mechanism in education.

Originality/value

This research helps us understand how and why families choose additional education, and how supplementary education can be an “unequalizer.” It will also inform future studies on national variations in supplementary education.

Citation

Southgate, D.E. (2013), "Family capital: A determinant of supplementary education in 17 nations", Out of the Shadows: The Global Intensification of Supplementary Education (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 22), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 245-258. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3679(2013)0000022012