Study on students dropouts in Advanced Certificate in Pre school Education Program

T.V.S.De ZoysaD.M.W.Munasinghe

P.SeneviratneT.Mukunthan

14.09.2011

Out Line• Introduction

• Objectives

• Nature of the problem

• Literature Review

• Methodology

• Results and Discussion

• Conclusion/Recommendations

Introduction• ECPE Department has conducted three

programme• ACPE Program was introduced in 2000 • Approximately 200 students register every

year• This is 36 credit program (one year)• Conducted in Sinhala and English Medium• All completed ACPE students can be

enrolled to the diploma program• Academic activities are conducted at three

Regional Centers: Colombo, Kandy and Matara

Introduction (Con…)

Target groups are includes

Employed and unemployed students (such as preschool teachers, crèche workers) Managers of preschools Managers of child day care centresParents and grandparents who wish to develop their competencies on child rearing practices Those who seek employment locally and foreign countries in early childhood sectors.

Entry Requirement for this program

Applicants should be

1. above 18 years old

2. successfully completed the CPE program

Curriculum of this programmecompulsory courses•ESC 2315 – Early Childhood Development

•ESC 2316 – Methods and Management of Teaching and Learning in Pre-

Schools

•ESC 2217 - Socio Cultural Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

•ESC 2218– Project

Curriculum of this programme (Con…)

Optional courses

•ESC 2219 – Play in Early Childhood

•ESC 2220 – Children’s Literature

•ESC 2221 - Adjustment Problems in Early Childhood

•ESC 2222 - Child Rights

Objectives of this Study

1. Identify the background characteristics of the students who have followed the ACPE program

2. Identify the factors affecting dropout of students of ACPE Program

3. Identify the type of factors affecting dropout (institution-based or person-based factors)

4. Make recommendations to minimize students dropout in the program

Nature of the problemAcademic Year

Registered

Students

Sinhala

medium

English

medium

Passed Out Not

Completed

Drop Outs

2000/2001 201 164 37 129 36 36

2001/2002 183 148 35 115 44 24

2002/2003 140 98 42 78 33 29

2003/2004 160 124 36 87 28 45

2004/2005 176 155 21 101 46 29

2006/2007 264 147 117 87 124 53

2007/2008 247 128 119 99 102 46

2008/2009 227 77 150 68 103 56

TOTAL 1598 1041 557 764 516 318

% 100 65.14 34.86 47.81 32.29 19.90

Literature Review• Garrison 1987, Zajkowski 1992, Kamau

2006, Ngoma 2006 and Rekkadal 1983 Indicated A large number of students learn through the distance mode in the world today, but some students who have enrolled in programmes do not complete their studies due to a variety of reasons. Dropout rates for distance education courses are usually higher than those for comparable on- campus courses.

Literature Review(Con…)

• Wanasinghe 1961, Ismail 1997, Lekamge & Karunanayaka 2003locally have highlighted that both institutional and non-institutional factors affect student persistence or withdrawal from distance education programmes.

Literature Review(Con…)

• Matheswaran (2009) indicated the reasons were analyzed on eight different dimensions

• The findings of this study revealed that family-related and economics-related factors were the main reasons for dropout and health-related and social-related factors had influenced at a lower rate.

Literature Review(Con…)

• De Zoysa (2009) conducted a study indicated that the adult learners who hold responsible professions and also who are committed to their family responsibilities find it difficult to involve themselves continuously in their research studies. Lack of leave benefits is a major hindering factor, identified by the study.

Methodology

• In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, survey method was used

population and the sample

The total number of students, who had dropped out since 2000/2001 academic year up to 2008/2009 academic year was considered as the sample of the study

Only 94 students responded to the questionnaire

Sample

Academic Year No. Dropouts2000/2001 36

2001/2002 24

2002/2003 29

2003/2004 45

2004/2005 29

2005/2006 Not Conducted

2006/2007 53

2007/2008 46

2008/2009 56

Total 318

Data collection methods and instruments

• used a questionnaire for collect the data.

• A mail questionnaire was used as the main instrument of obtaining the responses from students.

• The questionnaire consisted of both close ended and open ended questions

Data analysis

• A descriptive analysis of responses was done on the basis of the frequencies of the responses. Frequencies were analyzed as percentages. Furthermore, qualitative data, gained from the responses received for the open ended questions in the questionnaire were analyzed using verbatim quotes.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Sex

Sex Frequency Percentage

Male 03 3.2

Female 91 96.8

Total 94 100

Age

Age Range Frequency Percentage

18-25 years 09 9.6

26-35 years 47 50.0

36-45 years 26 27.7

46-50 years 06 6.4

Above 50 years

05 5.3

Not mention 01 1.0

Total 94 100

Sex and Civil Status

Sex  Civil Status (No.) TotalMarried Unmarried Married and

separated Widowed

Male 02 00 01 00 03

 Female 61 28 01 01 91

Total  63 28 02 01 94

Ethnicity Ethnicity Frequency Percentage

Sinhala 85 90.4

Tamil 04 4.3

Muslim 04 4.3

Others 01 1.1

Total 94 100

Type of Employment

Type of employment

Frequency Percent

Pre-School 42 44.7

Daycare 05 5.3

Own preschool/Day care

18 19.1

Work relevant to Early Childhood

02 2.1

Not employed 27 28.7

Total 94 100

Problems Faced in Following the Programme

Problems Responses Yes NoNO % NO %

Difficulties in finding time for studies

41 44 53 56

Financial problems when following the programme

11 12 83 88

Health problems when following the programme

23 24 71 76

Not psychologically motivated to follow the programme

12 13 82 87

Student Perceptions of Lesson Materials (modules)

Student Perceptions

Strongly Agree

Agree Can’t say Disagree Strongly Disagree

No Response

% % % % % %

Quality of content very high 23.4 52.1 2.1 6.4 0 17Content is presented methodically 18.1 55.3 8.5 3.1 0 14.9

A sufficient number of activities are integrated

13.8 40.4 11.7 14.9 2.1 17

Language is simple and understandable 22.3 52.1 3.2 7.4 1.1 13.8

Modules are not attractive 10.6 34 13.8 20.2 1.1 20.2

Student Perceptions of Day SchoolsStudent

perceptions Strongly

Agree

Agree Can’t say Disagree Strongly Disagree

No Response

% % % % % %

Sufficient no of Day Schools were conducted

14.8 43.6 8.5 15.9 1 15.9

Day schools were very useful

31.9 41.5 5.3 2.1 2.1 17

Learning problems were discussed at Day School

17 41.5 8.5 13.8 2.1 17

Peer interactions were promoted

16 43.6 10.6 8.5 3.2 18.1

Tutors who conducted day schools motivated students

15 43 12.8 6.4 4.3 19.1

Student Perceptions of Assignments

Student

Perception

Strongly

Agree

Agree Can’t

say

Disagree Strongly

Disagree

No

Response

% % % % % %

Assignments

motivated me to do

self studies

31 52 2 00 00 15

Assignments were

well designed20 52 7 3 00 17

No. of assignments

given were sufficient23 54 5 1 00 16

Received good feed

back for assignments19 46 7 10 1 17

Received back the

marked assignments

without delay

14 48 6 9 3 20

Family Related Factors

Family Related FactorResponses

Yes NO

No. % No. %

No support from my family

members

25 27 69 73

Heavy responsibilities looking

after young children

36 38 58 62

Heavy responsibilities looking

after my parents

29 31 65 69

Occupation Related Factors 

FactorsResponses

Yes No

Heavy responsibilities towards the job 31 63

Insufficient time to engage in studies 32 62

The programme is not related to the job 19 75

Difficulties in managing multiple role

(such as being a mother, employed

person and a student etc)

34 60

Administration Related Factors

Factor Yes NO Not Mention

Total

Quality of departmental

coordination work was high

50 35 09 94

Opportunities to communicate

with the internal staff members

45 40 09 94

Quality of the administrative

procedures of the university

related to the programme was

high

29 12 12 94

Main Reasons for Dropping Out

 Main reasons No. %

Not submitting assignments 13 14

Failure to obtain eligibility 14 15

Not prepared for the final examination 27 29

Unable to submit the project 30 32

Not mentioned 10 10

Total 94 100

Major Reasons for dropping out from the programme

Reasons No. A. Personal & family related factors 22

B. Difficulties faced in Project 20

C. Difficulties faced in examinations 19

D. Difficulty in finding time 12

E. Difficulties related to assignments 05

F. Difficulties face due to the distance from home to the Regional

Centre,

05

G. Dissatisfaction with the programme 03

Submission of the Project and Pass Rates

Projects N0 %Submitted and passed 36 38

Submitted and failed 12 13

Not Submitted 30 32

Not mentioned 16 17

Total 94 100

Points at which Students Dropped Out

Specific point No. %

Just after registration 09 10

After 2-3 months 15 16

In the middle 15 16

At the end 30 32

After failing the

Examination

20 21

Not mentioned 05 05

Total 94 100

Suggestions to minimize dropout

Delivery of the Programme Structure of the programme Student support Student – Tutor (lecturer) Relationships Guidance and Counseling Opportunities for Further Education

Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions•ACPE Programme consisted of 97% females and 03% males.

• The majority 75% were adults.

• Seventy five per cent falls into the age category of 26 – 45 years.

•The majority belongs to the Sinhala ethnic group.

•Sixty three per cent are married

Con…• 71% are employed• Those who are unemployed have intentions of

finding employment locally and  • The nature of the components of the

programme does not appear to have led to students dropping out from the programme.

• The majority hold positive attitudes towards the quality of the content.

• Only negative response with regard to the modules was the appearance of the module

Con…• The majority were satisfied about the

number of face to face sessions

• Fifteen to twenty per cent who had not responded had not participated in Day Schools.

• The majority were likewise satisfied about the nature of the assignment component

• The only component which the students are mostly dissatisfied with was the project component.

Con…• Personal and family related problems faced

by the clientele appeared to have contributed to failure.

• Students had faced difficulties in completing different components continuously.

• Dropout rates were more visible towards the latter part of the programme when the final examination and the Project were scheduled.

 

Recommendations• The Department of Early Childhood and

Primary Education should consider the nature and the characteristics of the dropouts when structuring and offering the programme

•  

• The module should be produced in an attractive manner with a touch of colours in order to motivate self learners at a distance

Con…

• Day Schools should be organized and conducted in a more efficient manner

• The quality of the assignment component should be further developed in order to motivate students to self study the modules

• The University and the Department should introduce more efficient coordination and communication systems in order to reduce the isolation of students.

Con…• Make the programme more flexible

• Introduce efficient client oriented “Three Tier Counseling “pre-counseling, continuous - counseling and post – counseling.

• Skill training in time management also should be provided to students.

• Staff development programmes should be conducted on material development, conduct of Day Schools, assignments and final examination paper setting and on providing counseling

THANK YOU