[[alternative]]A Study of the Intention for and Attitude to Further Education of Students in Practical-skill-oriented Program of mechanical departments in Vocational High Schools

[[abstract]]This study aims to investigate the effects of students’ personal, family, and school backgrounds on their intention for further education and their learning attitude. The third-graders of the practical-skill-oriented program of the mechanical departments in vocational high schools are the main targets of this research. A questionnaire survey was conducted by selecting the target students in Taiwan for the purpose of analyzing some statistic data. Totally 1105 copies of the questionnaire were sent to the students, and 1057 copies were returned. The return rate was about 95.7%. The number of effective questionnaire was 1034 copies, satisfactorily reaching up to 93.6%. From the experimental results and analyses, we hope to understand the effects of different factors on students’ intention for further education and also to give suggestions for the improvement of students’ learning. Conclusions for this study are as follows: 1. Gender: Male students have stronger intention for further education than female students. Also, most of them choose to major in mechanical engineering, and male students perform better learning effectiveness. 2. Academic performance: Students scored over 90 reveal the greatest aspiration for further studies. Students scored over 60 choose to continue as mechanical engineering majors. Male students scored over 80 show greater motivation and preparation to continue their studies than those over 70, and their learning effectiveness is also more satisfactory. 3. Order of birth: The oldest child of the family often reveals the greatest aspiration for further studies. The third or fourth child also shows stronger intention than the second or the only child of the family. 4. Residence: Students living in the provincial or county regions show greater aspiration for further education, and they choose to major in mechanical engineering. 5. Paternal educational level: Students whose paternal education is about the average or higher level show greater aspiration for further studies. Except for those whose fathers are college graduates, most students choose to continue their studies in the scope of mechanical engineering. Fathers usually show positive attitude toward students’ further education if they are bachelor or have higher educational level. 6. Maternal educational level: Students whose mothers are college graduates reveal the greatest aspiration for further education, and they also prefer mechanical engineering department. Generally speaking, students whose mother graduated from junior high schools show higher willingness for their children to continue studies. 7. Family income: Students who come from a family with the monthly income over NT$30,000 reveal greater aspiration for further studies, and their learning effect is more satisfactory. Also, they choose to study in the scope of mechanical engineering. 8. Parents’ attitudes: Parents’ attitudes have a lot to do with students’ aspiration for further education and learning effectiveness. Students whose parents take a positive encouraging attitude reveal higher willingness for further studies than those whose parents take an indifferent or negative attitude. 9. Family affiliation: Students from public vocational high schools show greater aspiration for further studies than those from private ones. Students from the north, center and south of Taiwan choose to major in mechanical engineering. 10. School location: Students from the north, center and south of Taiwan show greater aspiration to continue their studies. In the learning attitude, students from the north show poorer preparation and learning effectiveness than those from the center, south and east. Suggestion for educational administration organizations is: 1. Design the curricula for the students of the practical-skill-oriented program of the mechanical departments discreetly to help them cope with future studies or career development. 2. The schools with the practical-skill-oriented program can make a flexible adjustment by establishing new departments based on the local characteristics. Suggestion for schools is: 1. Before enrolling students, schools should provide as much information about their departments as possible, so that students can have a better understanding about the curriculum of each department. 2. Carry out the spirit of the school-oriented curricula and meanwhile design appropriate curricula for the local students of practical-skill-oriented program. 3. Help those who have poor academic performance to learn more skills. 4. Strengthen the interactive relationship between teachers and parents. Key words: practical-skill-oriented class, intention for further education, mechanical engineering department.