A survey of students' perceived knowledge and attitudes regarding a high school course on family living

Case, Raymond Archibald (1988) A survey of students' perceived knowledge and attitudes regarding a high school course on family living. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (14MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceived knowledge levels about, and attitudes toward, issues and topics covered by the Family Living 2200 course of two groups of high school students. One group consisted of students who did Family Living 2200 as part of their program of studies. The second group consisted of students who did not do this course as part of their program of studies. -- To make this comparison a questionnaire was administered to students to ascertain their perceived knowledge of and attitudes toward the content of the Family Living 2200 course. This questionnaire was administered to all students in their final year of secondary school in the Avalon North Integrated School District in the province of Newfoundland. These included students who had completed Family Living 2200 as part of their high school program and students who had not completed this course as part of their high school program. The questionnaire was administered during the last week of May, 1987. At this time students doing Family Living 2200 in the school year 1986-87 had all issues and topics covered and were therefore considered as students who had completed the course. -- Data collected from four hundred and sixty-eight students in eleven secondary schools provided the data used in the testing of the various hypotheses. Statistical procedures used to test these hypotheses included a chi-square test of independence, and a comparison of mean scores of the Family Living 2200 and Non-Family Living 2200 groups. -- Analysis of the data revealed that there was a significantly higher number of females than males doing the course. -- Analysis of the data revealed a practical difference in the level of perceived knowledge about issues and topics covered in the course between students who had completed Family Living 2200 and those who had not completed Family Living 2200. -- Analysis of data revealed that there were no practical differences in attitudes toward issues and topics covered in Family Living 2200 between students who have done this course and students who had not done this course. Both groups indicated that all students should have a knowledge of parenting, child abuse, venereal disease, birth control, problems with teenage pregnancy, abortion, dating and courtship and problems with teenage marriage. Both groups agreed that many problems among teenagers may exist because of a lack of proper education at the high school level and that schools should assume the responsibility for teaching human sexuality and parenting. -- Analysis of data revealed that there were practical differences in attitudes toward the Family Living 2200 course between those students who have completed this course and those who have not completed this course. -- Analysis of data from Part III of the questionnaire indicated that students who have completed Family Living 2200 agree that this course has given them the necessary knowledge of venereal disease, birth control, dating and courtship, teenage pregnancy, teenage marriage, divorce, and child abuse. They also agree that no other high school course would have given them this knowledge. -- In conclusion the results of this study indicated that Family Living 2200 appears to contain subject matter that high school students should know. However, since the study is far from conclusive several recommendations for further study are suggested by the writer. Such recommendations include the following: to carry out similar studios in other school districts of the province; to conduct studies which use pre-tests and post-tests on groups of students who do Family Living 2200 to measure knowledge gain as a result of doing this course; and to conduct studies to ascertain the attitudes of parents, teachers and administrators toward Family Living 2200.

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