An analysis of general and academic high school students in Newfoundland on family background, area of residence, school size and school type factors

Day, Gordon William (1975) An analysis of general and academic high school students in Newfoundland on family background, area of residence, school size and school type factors. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare Grade eleven students enrolled in the Academic (Matriculation) Program in Newfoundland high schools with students enrolled in the general program. The students were compared on socio-economic background, community and school size and type factors. It was felt that this research would give an indication of the influence of these factors on the program of study in which a student is enrolled. -- The information for this study was obtained from the results of a questionnaire sent to all students enrolled in Grade Eleven in the Province of Newfoundland. The questionnaire was part of a study being conducted by Memorial University on the sudden drop in university enrollment which occurred in 1973. The population for the study was all those students who returned usable responses to the Career Decisions of Newfoundland Youth questionnaire. Using the selected variables, a computer program gave descriptive statistics for the Academic and General groups. -- When the results from the research instrument were analyzed it was found that with the exception of sex, the Academic and General Students differed significantly with respect to the chosen socio-economic factors. -- The analysis of the results for the region of Newfoundland showed that the area of the Province in which the student lived was a significant factor in determining the program of study in which a student enrolled. The East Coast of Newfoundland had the smallest percentage in the Academic Program while the South Coast region had the largest. The urban area in the rural/urban dichotomy had the largest percentage of students. The only major variations occurred in schools with ten to nineteen teachers where the Academic Program had 70 per cent of the students compared to 80 per cent for the other size schools. The analysis using type of school as a variable found that the all grade type of school had the largest percentage in the Academic Program when it was compared with Central and Regional High Schools. A comparison of the two types of high schools showed that the Regional High School had the greatest percentage in the Academic Program; however, when size was controlled it was found that the small Central High School had the largest percentage in the Academic Program.

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