DETERMINANTS OF EDUCATIONAL PLANS OF THE INDETERMINANT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
| Date | 01 February 1982 |
| Pages | 213-229 |
| Published date | 01 February 1982 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009863 |
| Author | YEE‐LAY JACK LAM |
| Subject Matter | Education |
THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
VOLUME XX, NUMBER 2 SUMMER, 1982
DETERMINANTS OF EDUCATIONAL PLANS
OF THE INDETERMINANT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
YEE-LAY JACK LAM
Persistent concern
for
equal opportunities
in
higher education
and the
significant
decline
of
Universities' enrolment across Canada
in the
late 1970's increasingly
prompted researchers
to
focus upon
a
growing group
of
high school students who
were undecided whether they should proceed with further studies
or
whether they
should join
the
labour market. Data for the present study were obtained from
374
males
and 423
female high school students close
to
graduation. Crucial socio-
economic factors, school factors
and
intra-personal variables affecting their
perceived probability
for
further education
in
future were identified
and
their
conceptual causal linkages were empirically examined
in two
separate path
analyses. Some striking similarities were located between male and female students
indicating that socio-economic factors play dominant roles accountng for the types
of school activities they engaged
in.
These
in
turn exerted considerable influence
upon their educational plans and aspirations. Extreme pragmatic outlooks, new life-
styles characteristic
of
students' subculture,
and
inaccurate assessment
of the
educational level required for the professions to which they aspired were important
deterring factors
to
further studies for both groups
of
students. On the other hand,
family size, maturity and school achievement had varying degrees
of
impact on the
two groups. Strategies aiming
at
more effective guidance
of
students' choice were
entertained.
Due to declining enrolments in post-secondary institutions across North
America, planners and administrators have become vitally interested in the
decisions of high school graduates. Of particular interest and importance is
a group of high school graduates who expressed the intention of delaying
further education, but who had not ruled out the possibility of future study.
These indeterminant graduates constitute a growing proportion of the
secondary school population. Understanding their reasons for delaying
further education leads us to the exploration of actual and potential
barriers to higher education.
Governing the present investigation are two specific questions:
1.
What are the crucial factors influencing the educational plans of grade
12 male students who expressed a preference for delaying further
education?
2.
What are the crucial factors influencing the educational plans of grade
12 female students who expressed a preference for delaying further
education?
YEE-LAY JACK LAM
is
Chairman
of the
Department
of
Administrative
and
Education
Services, and Assistant to the Dean, Faculty of Education, Brandon University. He holds the
degrees
of
B.A. (Hons.) (Hong Kong), M. Ed. and Ph.D. (Toronto).
214
Determinants
of
Educational Plans
REVIEW
OF
LITERATURE
For the purpose of defining the theoretical premises for the subsequent
empirical paradigms, three broad categories of variables relevant to high
school students' further educational aspirations and attendance seem to
emerge from sociological research. These three categories, for
convenience, could be termed "intrapersonal", "immediate external", and
"remote external."
"Intrapersonal" factors refer to attitudes, perceptions, motivation, value
systems, and other personal dispositions. "Immediate external" factors
refer to a wide range of school activities, academic achievement, and the
influences exerted by such "significant others" as parents, peers, and
school personnel. "Remote external" factors refer to the socio-economic
backgrounds of students, such as parental income, parental educational
levels,
and family size.
Among research findings falling into the first category was the report by
Bradshaw and his associates1 that occupational goals and the kind of value
attached to post-secondary education accounted greatly for the manifested
educational aspirations of students. Frymier et al.2 re-affirmed the
importance of motivation as a factor explaining under and over-achievers,
and differentiating between college and non-college bound high school
students. In reviewing literature concerning barriers to women's
participation in post-secondary education, Westervelt and Mannings
stressed that attitudes of women towards themselves and in relation to
others, and motivation for achievement, were important as institutional
and situational barriers.
With respect to the explanation of "immediate external" factors, Carter4
reported that special-needs students were often hampered by teacher
behavior in the classroom. Findings of Harvey et al.5 relating to children's
SES and teacher expectations substantiated the "middle class bias
hypothesis." Reference to literature examining peer group influence
shows that secondary students were affected significantly by peer group
pressure. For instance Damico6 stated that peer pressure had led many
students either to over or underachieve to a significant degree. Parental
expectations were proven to be even more significant than peers'
influence, both in students' academic performance and plans.7
In addition, students' involvement in school activities and the amount of
information they secured pertaining to post-secondary education were
carefully investigated. Snyder8 and Otto9 separately confirmed that
participation in extra-curricular activities tended to have a salutary effect
upon achievement, and, as shown by Bradshaw 10and Meyer11 influenced
in many instances the educational goals which were cherished.
With respect to the information that students could secure from their
schools which would enhance their opportunity of furthering their
education, no factor was more important than the financial one. Jackson
and Weathersby12, in their review of literature on individual demand for
higher education, concluded that increasing financial assistance statistically
improves access to higher education. Brossman13 stressed the need for
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