Evaluation of Students' Attitudes Towards Vocational Education in Jordan

Sammanfattning: This doctoral dissertation consists of the empirical main study and the explorative study. The main goal of the empirical study has been to acquire knowledge about students’ attitudes towards vocational education in Jordan, and to explore the dimensionality of their attitudes as well. Another goal has been to investigate which background variables best explain the differences in students’ attitudes. A third goal has been to describe and explain the relationship between students’ attitudes and their behaviour. The goal of the explorative study has been to investigate the perceptions of decision makers about students’ attitudes and the status of vocational education. Data of the empirical study were collected from a multi-stage stratified cluster random sample of tenth-grade students. Data analysis of the empirical study has been based on a reliable and valid attitude scale rigorously constructed to achieve the aforementioned goals. Data collection and analysis of the explorative study have been based on the open-ended interview questions carried out with a group of decision makers. Results of the empirical study showed that students have nearly neutral attitudes towards vocational education, and that three main dimensions comprise the dimensional space of their attitudes. These dimensions are first, a preference to enter a vocational school and encourage others to do so. Second, the importance and usefulness of a vocational school. Third, low status, hatred, and negative image of a vocational school. Only four background variables have been found to be significant predictors of students’ attitudes towards vocational education. These are students’ behaviour to enter vocational or academic school, students’ intention to study at the university, students’ achievement in Arabic language, and finally their place of residence. Results of the attitude behaviour relationship have ascertained the predictability of human behaviour from attitudes, taking into consideration other variables as well. Results of the explorative study have clearly indicated that attitudes towards vocational education are negative. Vocational education has suffered from poor image and low reputation. It is not well liked in the society, and has been considered a second alternative for low achievement students as well.