Considering Factors of Parental Choice on Elementary School : an Example from Daan District, Taipei City

• Main Authors: Ming, Huichen, 陳明慧
• Other Authors: Cheng,Yusyong
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/96847734100813733219

碩士 === 國立臺東大學 === 教育學系(所) === 101 === With liberalization of education market and increasing self-awareness of parents in Taiwan, cross-district studying has become popular and parental choice on elementary school has received more attention. The birth rate in Taiwan has been continuously declining and many elementary schools now are under pressure of insufficient admission, both push schools to engage in more innovation, diversity, and efficiency in school management. The objectives of this study were to examine factors determining parental choice on elementary school in Taipei City, from both sides of parents and schools. I interviewed 6 parents and conducted questionnaire survey on 228 parents from first grade to sixth grade of an elementary school in Daan District, Taipei City. Results revealed that the most important three dimensions of parental choice on elementary school were characteristics of children, educational philosophy of parents, and course teaching of school. The most important factor of parental choice was whether if the children could have fun learning. Male parents valued more significantly on transportation convenience, overall parents factors, and learning achievement. Parents without high-school degree were significant on learning achievement, teacher quality, and educational philosophy. Parents with age above 50 were significant on educational philosophy. Lower-income parents were significant on school facility and learning achievement. Blue-collar parents and parents living within the school district were significant on transportation convenience and overall parents factors. The main reasons that parents chose cross-district studying were Taipei City had more educational resources; and the studied school was special in having natural campus, large activity space, and simple and resourceful surrounding community. I suggest that municipal education administrators should establish information platform of all schools, has more flexibility in school district boundary, and thus offer parents multiple choices. School principals should establish distinguished features of school, make school information public, and employ various marketing strategies. Meanwhile, parents should engage in participating school education and understanding characteristics of their children in order to choose suitable school.