Vocational education– Research of student satisfaction

1. RCG Consulting, 2011 Vocational education– Research of student satisfaction

2. Technical information • Aim of research • Research of students’ satisfaction of vocational colleges • Goals of research • Motivation, values, expectations – identification and assessment of importance • Information sources -– assessment of importance • Identification of factors, which essentially influence formation of students’ attitude/satisfaction towards vocational education and vocational educational institutions • Assessment of students’ satisfaction by vocational education and vocational colleges. Definition of a student satisfaction index • Target Group • Students of vocational colleges (19 colleges) • Methods of research • Qualitative (focus groups) and Quantitative

3. Qualitative research Quantitative research Size of research: 10 focus groups ( 8 respondents in each group) Distribution of respondents in focus groups Research Target Group - 5 clusters • Students who have secondary education • Students who have vocational education • Students who have higher education • Students who receive vocational education in parallel with higher education 2 focus groups were composed of each cluster Igroup - Duration of a study period no more than one year IIgroup - Duration of a study period more than one year Both groups - according to mixed vocational institutions, location, gender and age Research sample - 1000 respondents Selection method : random selection Respondents were selected by random sampling on a list of vocational students Research instrument - Questionnaire, Structured Interview Duration of an interview - 30-40 minutes Margin of Error is ±3%

4. Marital status Larger number of singles – 80,7% can be explained by young age of students Distribution by age 48,1% Vocational education is more attractive for younger generation. It should be underlined that the number of young people aged less than 20 is 48,1 %

5. The dominant factors related to practical values and personal interests where revealed during the assessment process of the reasons for receiving/entering vocational education (The importance of the following reasons in making decision to receive/enter vocational education)

6. First choice - How important was it for you in selecting profession (1=MIN & 5=MAX) 82,7% First Choice of profession is very important for the majority (82.7%)

7. The importance of the following reasons in choosing a profession Profession choice is connected to practical values, personal abilities and interests

8. How important was for you to choose the institution at first? (1=MIN & 5=MAX) 76,9% The choice of the institution is very important for the majority (76,9%)

9. The Importance of the following reasons in choosing Institution The specific indicators of colleges, as the factor, has less influenced the choice than the attitude towards vocational education and profession in general. This can be explained by small number of colleges – restricted choice.

10. The need of all offered conditions for receiving complete vocational education was assessed with high indicator Organization of teaching process and discipline as a necessary condition to receive complete vocational education is presented with 100% indicator

11. Is it realistic to achieve following outcomes as a result of your study period: Expectations towards results of vocational education are very optimistic

12. The main factors in choosing profession and institution

13. Student Satisfaction Index: • Mechanism of creation of index : • With regard to define student satisfaction, at the primary stage we select 39 parameters/ variables. Each of them received variation different from zero (“information volume”) . • Unified/general indicator of student satisfaction was received by means of the satisfaction index, which presents “ the best alternative” of primary parameters, latent factor and two conditions were defined: • Condition of maximum awareness: reflection of maximum volume of information of variables by means of optimal combination of primary variables; • Condition of normalization: when each variable receives minimum meaning, then the satisfaction index equals to zero and when each variable receives maximum meaning – the satisfaction index equals 100. • Satisfaction of the mentioned conditions was done by a multivariable statistical analysis method: • Reduction on one latent variable was done by multiple factoral analysis • In the creation of latent factor, percentage of each parameter was defined by means of regression analysis, concretely “ beta” coefficients (dependent variable - latent factor, independent variables - primary parameters). • To satisfy the condition of normalization rectilinear transformation of factor was used.

14. Importance of parameters in formation of satisfaction index Importance of satisfaction index– 85 (min=0 & max=100) There are 5 most important parameters in definition of satisfaction : 1) Professional development 2) Hope for good income 3) Efficiency of assessment of knowledge 4) Hope of state assistance 5) Teaching programs Summing of 5 parameters in the definition of satisfaction index is 51.2%

15. Importance of General parameters in formation of satisfaction index Importance of satisfaction index – 85 (min=0 & max=100)

16. Significance of satisfaction index according to gender and age

17. Professions

18. Gender distribution according to professions It was revealed gender correlation with professions, which can be explained by traditional division of professions, more appropriate to woman (sewing) and more appropriate to man (electrician)

19. How content you are with the following conditions at your your institution Existing problems are mostly related to teaching process

20. 5,00 Map of Informational Sources internet official web-pages of the instituttion – People possessing experience of studying at vocational institution ??? ?????n 4,50 19,60% 47,10% 4,37 52,90% 41,20% 4,32 4,09 4,23 informational 9,80% – TV programme / meetings familiar / 4,05 ?internet social nets? – friends relatives / 11,80% 3,90% 3,80 15,70% 3,75 25,50% 9,80% 3,66 3,63 3,59 – internet advertisement – 3,50 article printed editions TV advertisement _ 2,00% of institutions 3,37 – radio programme / – media 3,00 2,00% advertisement 5,90% , 3,05 3,05 advertisement – 2,00% 2,50 , 2,64 2,00 0,00% 10,00% 20,00% 30,00% 40,00% 50,00% From which Informational sources You Received information Aboutvocational Institutions