Premium
How do Finnish students prepare for their future in three school types? The relation between content of plans, information gathering and self‐evaluations
Author(s) -
Malmberg LarsErik
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8279.1996.tb01212.x
Subject(s) - psychology , relation (database) , content (measure theory) , mathematics education , computer science , mathematics , database , mathematical analysis
The effect of gender and school type on Swedish speaking Finnish students' information gathering for the future and self‐evaluation was investigated in a study, in which 15‐year‐old comprehensive school students and 18‐year‐old upper secondary school and vocational school students ( N =460) served as samples. It was observed that girls generally reported more information gathering than boys did, about three content areas, mostly concerning future education and occupation, and less concerning family life. Girls also reported more information gathering in all contexts except formal education, than boys. Home was reported as the most used source of knowledge, next came peers and school friends; mass media and formal education were the least used source. Formal education was emphasised by comprehensive school students, and mass media by upper secondary school students. Generalisation of more reported information gathering across contexts was more typical of girls, while generalisation of less information gathering was more typical of boys. Limited relationships between self‐evaluation, measured as self‐esteem, certainty of goal realisation and school achievement, and information gathering were found. It is suggested that informal learning of cultural knowledge is a more powerful mediator of future preparation than formal education.