DETERMINANTS OF EDUCATIONAL PLANS OF THE INDETERMINANT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

Abstract

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 lifestyles 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.

Citation

JACK LAM, Y. (1982), "DETERMINANTS OF EDUCATIONAL PLANS OF THE INDETERMINANT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 213-229. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009863