ISSN: 2308-0876
NOTE: THIS JOURNAL IS SHIFTED TO NEW
WEBSITE (www.kwpublications.com)
Open access
The present study was designed with the aim to investigate the factors affecting adult participation in Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes, through a survey conducted in public Vocational Training Institutes (VTI) in Greece. In detail, the study sought to identify whether: a) there are specific factors influencing participation in VET, 2) these factors are differentiated according to variables, such as sex, age, birthplace, occupation, educational background, training sector or parents’ occupation. In this context, Boshier’s Education Participation Scale (a questionnaire based on a seven-factor typology) was administered to a random sample of 257 trainees in Northern Greece. The findings of the study highlighted that the most important factor affecting the decision to enroll in VET programmes, is trainees’ need for «professional advancement», followed by «cognitive interest» and «educational preparation», whilst «social relations» was identified as another salient parameter. As far as demographic/social and course-related variables identified to influence participation in VET were concerned, the findings indicated that all variables, except father’s occupation, have a statistically significant correlation.
Ahl, H. (2006). Motivation in adult education. A problem solver or a euphemism for direction and control?. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 25(5), 385-405.
Aslanian, C. B., & Brickell, H. M. (1980). Americans in Transition: Life Changes as Reasons for Adult Learning. New York: College Entrance Examination Board.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215.
Bash, L. (2003). Adult Learners in the Academy. Bolton, Massachusetts: Anker Publishing Company.
Bell, J. (1999). Doing your research project: A guide for first time researchers in. education and social science (3rd edn). Buckingham: Open University Press.
Borg, W. R., & Gall, M. D. (1989). Educational Research: An Introduction (5th edn). New York: Longman.
Boshier, R. (1971) Motivational orientations of adult education participants: a factor analytic exploration of Houle’s typology. Adult Education, 21(2), 3-26.
Boshier, R. (1977). Motivational orientations re-visited: life-space motives and the Education Participation Scale. Adult Education, 24(2), 89-115.
Boshier, R. (1991). Psychometric properties of the alternative form of the Education Participation Scale. Adult Education, 41(3), 150-167.
Boshier, R., & Collins, J. B. (1983). Education Participation Scale factor structure and socio-demographic correlates for 12.000 learners. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 2(2), 163-177.
Boshier, R., & Collins, J. B. (1985). The Houle typology after 25 years: a large- scale empirical test. Adult Education Quarterly, 35(3), 113-130.
Bova, B. M. (1979). Motivational orientations of adults in Technical- Vocational and Post-Secondary Institutions. Albuguerque: University of New Mexico.
Burgess, P. (1971). Reasons for Adult Participation in Group Education Activities. Adult Education, 22, 3-29.
Clair, R. (2006). Looking to learn: investigating the motivations to learn and the barriers faced by adults wishing to undertake part-time study. Scottish Executive Social Research. UK: University of Glasgow.
Cofer, C. N., & Appley, M. H. (1967). Motivation: Theory and Research. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Cohen, L., & Manion, L. (1994). Research methods in education (4th edn). London: Routledge.
Cross, K. P. (1981). Adults as learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper and Row.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). The general causality orientations scale: Self-Determination in personality. Journal of Research in Personality, 19, 109-134.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The what and why of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination, Psychology Inquiry, 11, 4: 227-268.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008a). Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological well-being across life’s domains. Canadian Psychology, 49(1), 14-23.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008b). Self-Determination theory: a macrotheory ?f human motivation, development and health. Canadian Psychology, 49(3), 182-185.
Dollisso, A. D., & Martin, R. A. (1999). Perceptions Regarding Adult Learners Motivation to Participate in Educational Programs. Journal of Agricultural Education, 40(4), 38-46.
European Council. (2002). The Copenhagen Declaration: Declaration of the European Ministers of vocational education and training, and the European Commission, convened in Copenhagen on enhanced European cooperation in vocational education and training, 29-30 November 2002. Brussels.
Fullarton, S. (2001). VET in schools: participation and pathways, LSAY Report. Melbourne: ACER.
Hair, J., Anderson, R., Tatham, R., & Black, W. (1995). Multivariate Data Analysis with Readings. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Herzberg, F. (1966). Work and the Nature of Man. Cleveland: World Publishing.
Houle, C. O. (1961). The inquiring mind. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
Houle, C. O. (1979). Motivation and participation with special reference to non-traditional forms of study. In OECD Learning opportunity for adults, Vol. III, The non-participation issue (p.p. 8-34). Paris: OECD.
Hull, C. (1943). Principles of Behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Javeau, J. (1996), Conducting Research with Questionnaires (Athens: Typothito, G. Dardanos) (in Greek).
Johnstone, J. W., & Rivera, R. J. (1965). Volunteers for learning. Chicago: Aldine.
Knowles, M., Holton, E., & Swanson, R. (1998). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (5th ed.). Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
Knox, A. B. (1977). Adult Development and Learning. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.
Lewin, K. (1938). The Conceptual Representation and the Measurement of Psychological Forces. Contributions to Psychological Theory, 4. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press.
Maehr, M. L., & Meyer, H. A. (1997). Understanding Motivation and Schooling: Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We Need to Go. Educational Psychology Review, 9(4), 371-409.
Maslow, A. H. (1970). Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper & Row.
McClelland, D. (1953). Towards a theory of motive acquisition. American Psychologist, 20, 321-333.
McGregor, D. (1960). Human side of enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Merriam, S. B., & Caffarella, R. S. (1999). Learning in Adulthood: a comprehensive guide, (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.
National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). (1999). What Motivates People to Learn. Leicester: NIACE.
National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE). (2005). Adult Participation in Learning. Leicester: NIACE.
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric Theory. New York: McGraw Hill.
Official Journal of the European Union. (2009). Council conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’). Brussels: C 119/02.
Panitsides, E. (2008). The Lisbon Impact upon Greek Lifelong Educational Policy. In: N.P. Terzis (ed.) European Unification and Educational Challenges in the Balkans (pp. 381-386). Thessaloniki: Kyriakidis.
Panitsides, E. (2013). Researching returns emanating from participation in adult education courses: A quantitative approach. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 32(5), 600-619
Rogers, C. (1959). A Theory of Therapy, Personality and Interpersonal Relationships as Developed in the Client-centered Framework. In S. Koch (ed.) Psychology: A Study of a Science. Vol. 3: Formulations of the Person and the Social Context (p.p. 184-256). New York: McGraw Hill.
Rubenson, K. (2001). The Adult Education and Training Survey. Measuring Motivation and Barriers in the AETS: A Critical Review. Canada: Human Resources Development.
Sargant, N. (1996). Learning and ‘leisure’. In R. Edwards, A. Hanson & P. Raggatt (eds.) Adult Learners, Education and Training. Boundaries of Adult Learning (pp.197-210). London: Routledge.
Sargant, N. (1997). The Learning Divide. A study of participation in adult learning in the United Kingdom. Leicester: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).
Siebert, H. (1985). Research on motivation for further education in the federal republic of Germany. In J.H. Knoll (ed.) Motivation for adult education (pp. 35-40). München: Saur.
Freud, S. (1900). The Interpretation of Dreams. New York: Macmillan.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Macmillan.
Smith, J., & Spurling, A. (2001). Understanding Motivation for Lifelong Learning. London: National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE).
Tett, L. (1996). Education and the marketplace. In P. Raggatt, R. Edwards, & N. Small (eds) Adult Learners, Education and Training. The Learning Society: Challenges and Trends (pp.150-161). London: Routledge.
The Bruges Communiqué on enhanced European Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training for the period 2011-2020. (2010). Communiqué of the European Ministers for Vocational Education and Training, the European Social Partners and the European Commission. Bruges.
Thorndike, E. L. (1911). Animal Intelligence. New York: Macmillan.
Tough, A. (1968). Why adults learn. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
Vallerand, R. J., & Bissonnette, R. (1992). Intrinsic, extrinsic and amotivational styles as predictors of behavior: a prospective study. Journal of Personality, 60(3), 599-620.
Wlodkowski, R. J. (1999). Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn: A Comprehensive Guide for Teaching All Adults. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Wolfgang, M. E., & Dowling, W. D. (1981). Differences in motivation of adult and younger undergraduates. Journal of Higher Education, 52(6), 640-648.
In-Text Citation: (Sarri et al., 2013)
To Cite this Article: Sarri, C., Valkanos, E., Panda, D., & Panitsides, E. A. (2013). Factors affecting participation in Vocational Education and Training: The case of Vocational Training Institutes in Greece. Multilingual Academic Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 1(2), 76–90.
Copyright: © 2013 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode