The effect of social capital level on ÖSS achievement in general high schools

The overall aim of this study is determining the relation teachers? opinions about the social capital level and the achievement level at the OSS exam in general high schools. For this reason, a 62-itemed measure was developed. Batman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa cities, which are located in the South East Anatolian Region and similar in terms of social and economic aspects and represent the region, are included in the scope of the study. In terms of the achievement level at the OSS exam -top, medium and buttom- 969 teachers? opinions from 30 general high schools were taken by means of the questionnaire. One-Way ANOVA, t test and multiple regression methods were used to analyze data. Regarding the results of the study, the teachers?opinons are at ?sometimes? level in the dimensions of organisational commitment, communication-social interaction, cooperation?social networks, participation and trust and also the teachers? opinions are at the ?most of the time? level in the dimensions of tolerance to differences and sharing the norms. Meaningful differences were found among the teachers? opinions about the social capital level in their schools in terms of the variables of gender, length of service and the teachers? length of service in their current schools. According to the results, related to perceptions on social capital level in their schools, male teachers have higher ?organizational commitment? levels than females. In terms of the variable of length of service, in all the dimensions of social capital, it was found that the teacher groups of more length of service had higher level opinions of social capital than the groups of less length of service. A similar result appeared in the perceptions of the teachers who had more length of service in their current schools and it was revealed the fact that when the length of service increases, higher perceptions upon the social capital occurs. According to the multiple regression analysis results, only ?organizational commitment? dimension of social capital had a meaningful effect on the achievement levels of the schools in the OSS exam.