Uppeldi og menntun - 01.07.2012, Page 110

Uppeldi og menntUn/icelandic JoUrnal of edUcation 21(2) 2012110
brottHvarf og nÁmSgengi nemenda í framHaldSSkÓla
2009 and aimed at students from the Department of General Studies (DGA) (A-group)
who had enrolled into the school without the required attainment to be accepted into
the school’s regular programmes of academic or vocational study. Ten students were
interviewed to seek an answer to why some students of the DGA dropped out while
others continued. The interviews were analysed in light of self-efficacy and motivation
for learning as key concepts, in consonance with a number of international research
projects that have focused on the impact of various student attributes, such as self-
efficacy, self-esteem and resilience on successful educational transition (Jindal-Snape,
2010). The target group of the second study, conducted 2011 (B-group), was students
who had successfully completed their compulsory education, and aimed at finishing
their chosen programmes of study in VMA within the time limit set out by the school’s
curriculum. Ten participants were chosen for the B-group and similar interviews were
conducted with both groups.
The main focus of the article is on the study of the B-group, and it is used to shed
light from a different perspective on the same key issues as informed the analysis of
the results from the A-group, and are believed to impact on student progress through
upper secondary schooling. These are: self-efficacy and motivation for learning,
educational transition, relationships with parents and peers and education for all
students.
The findings indicated, first, that the transition to the upper secondary school was
challenging for both groups as indicated by Galton (2010) and Jindal-Snape (2010). It
was obvious, however, that the participants of the B-group met these challenges with
more determination, and seemed to have the benefit of a stronger sense of efficacy,
more resilience, and stronger motivation for learning than the A-group.
Secondly the findings revealed that more participants from the B-group than was
anticipated, according to their compulsory school records, suffered from reading dif-
ficulties and even dyslexia, and had problems coping with the requirements of initial
mathematics courses. Some had repeatedly failed the beginning course, and reported
that this undermined their sense of efficacy and even their progress within their line
of study. This is in line with the findings of two recent studies: of the teaching of
mathematics (Kristín Bjarnadóttir, 2011) and Icelandic (Svanhildur Sverrisdóttir et al.,
2011), and underscores the need for revision of teaching, learning and learning materi-
als in both subjects.
Thirdly the findings highlighted the importance of parental support and interest
in their children’s learning. Participants from the B-group reported more support
from parents, than did their peers from the A-group, and some said that support and
supervision from their parents had played a crucial role in keeping them on track.
This indicates that schools should encourage parents to take an active role in their
children’s schooling as suggested by Elias et al. (2003) and Sigrún Aðalbjarnardóttir
and Kristjana Stella Blöndal (2005).
The fourth issue that came out of the findings is the importance of having good
friends and successful peer relationships. Participants from the B-group voiced
strongly how much they appreciated having good friends to whom they could turn