Attitudes towards, and effectiveness of, work-related learning in the Bangladeshi community

• Main Author: Lais, Mohammed Abul
• Published: Middlesex University 2003
• Subjects: 373.246095492
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.568738

The purpose of this research was to investigate the attitudes of the Bangladeshi disaffected pupils in Yr.10 & 11, their teachers, parents, career officers and significant members of Bangladeshi community, towards work-related learning and also to conduct an extensive examination into the effectiveness of work-related learning for Bangladeshi disaffected pupils at key stage 4. A mixed methodology design was employed. Quantitative methodology was used to develop and validate a questionnaire with 62 items to investigate the attitudes of the 328 research subjects towards work-related learning. A response rate of 889c (N=288) was obtained showing their overall positive attitudes towards work-related learning. Using Principle Components Analysis (PCA), two factors, 'skills for working life' (SWL) and 'learning opportunities'(LOP) were identified from an overall number of 17 factors with eigenvalue greater than 1. Factor 1 with an eigenvalue 14.88 accounted for 28% of the variance and consisted of 32 items. Factor 2 with an eigenvalue 3.06 accounted for 4.9% of the variance and consisted of 27 items. An internal reliability of 0.93 for factor one, and 0.88 for factor two, was found by using Cronbach's alpha. In the qualitative arm of the research, a case study approach was employed to determine the reasons for the attitudes and the extent of the effectiveness of work-related learning within a Bangladeshi community at Key Stage 4. By purposive sampling 24 people were selected for in-depth interviews from both extremes of attitudes - those who either strongly agreed or strongly disagreed - within quantitative sample. The themes that emerged included skills for working life, learning opportunities and utilisation of traditional practical skills through out-of-school context. Overall, the National Curriculum was inappropriate for many pupils, religion and culture were not seen as barriers to education, and work-related learning programmes reduced the disaffection of pupils within the Bangladeshi community. Finally the research concludes with suggestions for the Bangladeshi community, schools, the Department for Education and Skills, the Careers Service, employers, parents and other partners involved in work-related learning programmes.