doi.org/10.15198/seeci.2020.51.147-168
RESEARCH
REASONS FOR WHICH THE PEOPLE OF THE METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY (CARACAS-VENEZUELA) STUDY INITIAL EDUCATION (MAY, 2018)
RAZONES POR LAS CUALES LAS PERSONAS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD METROPOLITANA (CARACAS-VENEZUELA) ESTUDIAN EDUCACIÓN INICIAL (MAYO, 2018)
RAZÕES PELAS QUAIS AS PESSOAS DA UNIVERSIDADE METROPOLITANA (CARACAS, VENEZUELA) ESTUDAM A EDUCAÇÃO INICIAL (MAIO 2018)
Natalia Castañon-Octavio1. Degree in Education, Master in School Psychology and Doctor in Philosophy and Educational Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. Full-time Research Professor at the Metropolitan University (Caracas-Venezuela).
Emily Abouhamad1
Verónica Borges1
1Metropolitan University. Caracas, Venezuela
ABSTRACT
The present article focuses as a central problem the questioning on the reasons why the students of the University study Initial Education, since it is known the absence of demand of said career. From the above it is derived that the general objective is to describe the reasons that motivate a group of students of the Metropolitan University to study the initial education career, through the investigation of the personal profile, academic profile and country context of each one. Of them and the incidence of the latter in their vocational choice. This research is descriptive, quantitative and in turn non-experimental. It was concluded, through the results obtained, that 52.9% of the selected sample affirms that they study the career of Initial Education since they have the competences of a teacher profile, that is, skills to work with children and vocation. On the other hand, 47.1% of the subjects surveyed, declare that their selection of the initial education career as a vocational choice, is because they consider that Education is important for society and its development. In conclusion there are two motivations for study: vocation and competences in the educational roll.
KEY WORDS: early childhood education, academic teaching staff, educational staff,vocational guidance, motivation for achievement, educational vocation, initial education
RESUMEN
El presente artículo focaliza como problema central el cuestionamiento sobre las razones por las que el estudiantado de la Universidad Metropolitana (Caracas-Venezuela) cursa la carrera de Educación Inicial, ya que se conoce la ausencia de demanda de dicha carrera. De lo anterior se deriva que el objetivo general radica en describir las razones que motivan a un grupo de estudiantes de dicha institución, a estudiar la carrera Educación inicial, a través de la indagación del perfil personal, perfil académico y contexto país de cada uno de ellos y la incidencia de estos últimos en su elección vocacional. Esta investigación tuvo un enfoque cuantitativo, es de tipo descriptiva y a su vez, no experimental. La muestra fue de 34 estudiantes que actualmente cursan la carrera de Educación Inicial. Se concluyó, a través de los resultados obtenidos, que el 52,9% de la muestra seleccionada afirma que estudia la carrera de Educación Inicial ya que tienen las competencias del perfil de un docente, es decir, habilidades para trabajar con niños y vocación. Por otro lado, el 47,1% de los sujetos encuestados, declaran que su selección de la carrera de Educación Inicial como elección vocacional, se debe a que consideran que la Educación es importante para la sociedad y su desarrollo. En conclusión son dos las motivaciones de estudio: vocación y competencias en el roll educativo.
PALABRAS CLAVE: educación de la primera infancia, personal académico docente, personal educativo, orientación vocacional, motivación al logro, vocación educativa, educación inicial
RESUME
O presente artigo focaliza como problema central o questionamento sobre as razões pelas quais os estudantes da Universidade Metropolitana (Caracas-Venezuela) cursam a disciplina de Educação Inicial, já que se conhece a ausência de demanda desta disciplina. Do anterior se deriva que o objetivo geral radica em descrever as razões que motivam a um grupo de estudantes de tal instituição, a estudar a disciplina de Educação Inicial, através da indagação do perfil pessoal, perfil acadêmico e contexto-país de cada um deles e a incidência destes últimos em sua eleição vocacional. Esta investigação teve um enfoque quantitativo, e do tipo descritiva e a sua vez, não experimental. A amostra foi de 34 estudantes que atualmente cursam a disciplina de Educação Inicial. Se concluiu que através dos resultados obtidos, um 52,9 % da amostra selecionada afirma que estuda tal disciplina porque tem as habilidades do perfil de um docente, isso é, habilidades para trabalhar com crianças e vocação para isso. Por outro lado, 47,1% declaram que sua escolha se deve por considerar que a Educação é importante para a sociedade e seu desenvolvimento. Em conclusão são duas as motivações deste estudo: vocação e habilidades para o papel educativo.
PALAVRAS CHAVE: educação primária, pessoal acadêmico docente, pessoal educativo, orientação vocacional, motivação ao logro vocacional educativo, educação Inicial
Correspondencia:
Natalia Castañon Octavio: Metropolitan University. Venezuela.
ncastanon@unimet.edu.ve
Emily Abouhamad: Metropolitan University. Venezuela.
emilyabouhamad@correo.unimet.edu.ve
Verónica Borges: Metropolitan University. Venezuela.
veronicaborges@correo.unimet.edu.ve
Received: 09/05/2019
Accepted: 07/08/2019
Published: 15/03/2020
How to cite the article:
Castañon Octavio, N., Abouhamad, E. & Borges, V. (2020). Reasons for which the people of the metropolitan university (Caracas - Venezuela) study initial education (May, 2018). [Razones por las cuales las personas de la universidad metropolitana (Caracas-Venezuela) estudian educación inicial (mayo, 2018)]. Revista de Comunicación de la SEECI, 51, 147-168.
doi: http://doi.org/10.15198/seeci.2020.51.147-168
Recuperado de http://www.seeci.net/revista/index.php/seeci/article/view/592
1. Introduction
For an individual, the choice of a career and working area is a decision that arises with difficulty and confusion, and even more so when he does not have sufficient instruments and knowledge that allow him to choose the right career in which he will develop throughout his life, bringing as a consequence that he does not pursue higher education immediately after high school. On the other hand, a bad decision can cause frustrations and instability in the individual, causing changes of career (De León and Rodríguez, 2008).
According to Tchitawe and Guerra (cited in Zaldivar, 2005), in 1908 Boston City saw the birth of the first professional center aimed at helping young people asking for guidance to choose their career and orient themselves in the professional world. This first “Vocational Bureau” was organized by Frank Parsons, who was the first to coin the term vocational guidance. The idea was very well seen in the business world as a way to optimize the workforce. Among young people (and especially their parents) it was considered an aid to find safe paths to professional success. By 1930, they define the term vocational guidance as the process of individual assistance for the selection of an occupation, training for it, beginning and development in it (Fitch, 1935, cited by González, 2003). In the United States, professional guidance arises as a social and educational concern that responds to the needs of individuals; it helps them to adapt to the new social and economic changes and places each worker in a suitable job.
Additionally, according to González, initially vocational guidance was required as a process for the professional choice of people and define what their profession would be in the course of life (González, 2003). In the 1970s a movement called ‘Career Education’ emerged because, according to Álvarez and Santana, it has begun to be considered that vocational guidance should have an important link with the academic curriculum (Álvarez and Santana, 2019).
This innovative movement was born with the purpose of perfecting and modifying the American education system, since it had several deficiencies. Referring to these deficiencies, some of them are :
− Absence of a link between the training received and what is required when exercising a specific profession.
− Faults in the structure of the curricula aimed at higher education students, forgetting another fundamental part of the students.
− Lack of information and experiences to address the transitional school-work process.
− Poor relationship between the educational center and its immediate surroundings.
− Lack of appreciation and little recognition regarding the importance of work in the life and values of individuals.
Career Education, in addition to offering a new and different approach to the development of guiding actions, also wishes to update its teaching to adapt it to the needs of young people and society in general (Álvarez and Santana, 2019).
The approach to career education leads to a review of the intervention models of Vocational Guidance in school contexts. Indeed, from the approach to career education, there is a need to overcome a conception of vocational guidance of a psychometric nature, as a set of specific activities and far from the curricular environment, in favor of an integrated guiding practice linked to the teaching processes (Avent, 1972). According to González (González, 2003), vocational guidance in light of this new approach is characterized as:
− A continuous process that optimizes the cognitive and motivational abilities that allows students to choose their professional training.
− A participatory process of different actors in the environment.
− A process that involves the individual in his vocational choice.
− A preventive process to make a responsible choice.
− A process focused on students.
Taking into account the Career Education movement and its purpose of including vocational guidance in the educational curriculum, Alvarez and Bisquerra understand guidance as a “continuous process that should be considered an integral part of the educational process that ultimately must reach all people in all its aspects throughout the life cycle”. (Alvarez and Bisquerra, 2008, p.122)
In another respect, the article published by the Venezuelan Violence Observatory highlights the National Survey of Living Conditions (Encovi), corresponding to the year 2016, which shows a great deterioration in the living conditions of Venezuelans. This survey is conducted by households and contains information on various aspects of the life of Venezuelans, such as family income, food, security, health, education, employment, housing and services. In the previous years in which this survey was conducted, the results showed the increase in the Social Crisis, however, the results of 2016 show a much more complicated reality.
Likewise, 52% of households do not have the necessary income to buy the basic food basket and are considered to be in extreme poverty. 30%, although they have income to buy them, do not have enough income for other basic expenses. Consequently, 82% of Venezuelan households are in poverty.
The current government of Venezuela pointed out from the outset that poverty was the axis of its execution; however, since then the greatest reduction in living conditions in the country’s history in the last hundred years has taken place. The figures indicate that it is the most abrupt debacle in social conditions in Latin America in the last fifty years.
On the other hand, the increase of 16% in 2014 to 31% in 2016 of the proportion of households in structural poverty is also expressed, and it is becoming increasingly clear that it is not a transition stage, but rather a process that demonstrates the institutional disability to guarantee the well-being of the country. Adding to all this is the fact that at least half of the population does not have access to the purchase of protein, approximately 10 million people consume only two meals a day, and 94% of the population agrees that violence is increasing every day.
Because this study is focused on subjects who are studying the Education degree course at the Metropolitan University (Caracas-Venezuela), it is important to make a brief description of it.
The Early education degree course at the Metropolitan University (UNIMET) has a twelve-quarter curriculum to acquire the Bachelor of Education degree, where the twelve periods must be passed, the Community Service must be done, the General and Basic Training electives, English and Degree Paper.
According to the Early education Curriculum (2005), the profile of educators conceives an open, dynamic, reflective, critical and researching individual, with skills, knowledge and attitudes to design, develop, evaluate and formulate educational intervention strategies and programs in changing socio-educational and cultural contexts. Additionally, it states that it is necessary to consider, in the training of teachers, what was stated by UNESCO (1996) regarding the four pillars of knowledge, providing comprehensive and human training, which brings together personal, emotional, attitudinal, intellectual aspects and skills such as the relationship with others. The pillars of knowledge are: learn to do, learn to know, learn to live together and learn to be, they are associated with fundamental competences in the daily life of pedagogical action. (UNESCO, 1996)
1. The Early education Curriculum (2005) also makes reference to the relationship between the training of teachers and the three dimensions of its profile, as follows:
Personal: Associated with the pillar of knowledge “Learning to Be”, it implies the development of personal charisma and abilities to communicate effectively, as well as the development of body and mind, intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic sense, individual responsibility, creativity, ethics. and morale.
2. Pedagogical - Professional: Related to the “Learn to Know” and “Learn to Do” pillars, with the first one, it highlights the importance of acquiring instruments of thought that facilitate the understanding of the world, so that it is possible to live with dignity, developing professional skills and communicating with other individuals. This pillar highlights the importance of knowing, discovering and investigating. The second sets out the need to influence the environment and is linked to personal training How to teach? How to put into practice what is known? and how to innovate in action? This knowledge requires different skills associated with social behavior, the capacity for initiative and the ability to take risks.
3. Social - Cultural: This dimension is linked to the “Learn to Live” knowledge pillar, in order to participate and cooperate with others in all human activities. Its work in the training process is to study the diversity of the human species. The same author refers to the fact that Early education guarantees the good development of the human being, and how the child’s success depends on the experiences lived and the relationships in his first years of life.
Students’ demand for the Early education or Preschool Education degree course at the Metropolitan University (Caracas-Venezuela) has decreased in recent years. In this sense, it is necessary to know the aspects that motivate current registrants to continue their studies.
Starting from the foundation providing some theoretical references, according to de León and Rodríguez, when choosing their professional career, young people tend to be undecided about which would be the most appropriate. Therefore, it is necessary that vocational guidance allow the student to interact with their own characteristics and professional goals (De León and Rodríguez, 2008).
From this, it is highlighted that one of the factors that influence the choice of a career for a lifetime are the results obtained from the Vocational Guidance Test, which according to Galilea, is a process that aims to awaken vocational interests, adjusting these interests to the labor competence of the individual and to the needs of the work environment. Therefore, the first step of vocational rehabilitation is the choice of a realistic interest that allows the subject to reach his work goal (Galilea, 2005.
Additionally, there are several theories that provide information about the reasons why people choose their careers, such as Ginzberg’s Theory of Occupational Choice (Cited in Centurion, 2014). In this theory, it is concluded that at least four significant variables are involved in vocational choice, which are:
1. The reality factor: it is the cause of the individual responding to the pressures of their environment by making vocationally impacting decisions.
2. The influence of the educational process: it is perceived in the quantity and quality of education that a person has had, which will facilitate or limit flexibility and the type of vocational choice.
3. The emotional factors involved in the individual’s responses to their environment: personality factors and emotional factors are important because of their vocational relationship.
4. The values of the individual: they are key in the vocational choice, since they could influence the quality of the selections made. (Centurión, 2014).
Other important elements that are involved when choosing a career are: the personal profile, the academic profile and the context in which the individual develops and the values. In assessing careers, students attribute intrinsic or extrinsic values. Extrinsic values refer to practical thinking; for example, choosing a profession to obtain rewards such as prestige, money, cars, etc. Intrinsic values refer to what directly involves the affections, feelings, intellect of the individual. It is that which has intimate and particular value for each individual.
On the other hand, the academic profile is related to the educational process factor, proposed in the Theory of Occupational Choice, since several components must be taken into account, such as the quality of said process, the average grade and the index of the individual.
Referring to the current reality factor (July 2018), Venezuelans face a daily humanitarian, moral, ethical, educational, economic, political and social crisis, it is an unprecedented general crisis that is unfavorable to the country.
Currently, it is known that there is absence of demand in the Early education degree course, however, there is a number of people who study in the Metropolitan University, this has generated a great question: What are the reasons why people at the Metropolitan University study the Early education degree course ?
2. OBJECTIVES
2.1. General Objective
Describe the reasons that motivate the students of the Metropolitan University to study the Early education degree course.
2.2. Specific objectives
1. Identify the personal profile of the Early education students at the Metropolitan University.
2. Know the academic profile of Early education students at the Metropolitan University.
3. Detect the reasons related to the country context for which the students of the Metropolitan University chose the Early education degree course.
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1. Approach
Every piece of research is based on two main approaches: the quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. For the present study, the quantitative approach was used through a systematic, disciplined and controlled process.
Therefore, the data were measurements that tried to explain a social reality seen from an external and objective perspective. Although, for the purposes of this piece of research, the results cannot be generalized by the sample size, accuracy of the measurements was sought through the data collecting instrument and the numerical quantification process. This is how the expressed variables were represented.
This piece of research is descriptive and, in turn, not experimental. With this piece of research we try to know or discover certain characteristics of a group of people, specifically the reasons why currently the students of the Metropolitan University (Caracas-Venezuela) study Early education. There is no intention to establish cause and effect, the purpose is to describe the information obtained.
In this piece of research, there is no manipulation of variables and the phenomena to be studied in their natural environment are observed, at a certain time without imposing or constructing a specific situation.
3.2. Population and sample
In this piece of research, the population and sample consisted of 34 subjects, who are studying for the Early education degree at the Metropolitan University, of any age and gender during the year 2018.
3.3. Data collection techniques
There are different instruments and techniques for collecting data for research. De León y Rodríguez defines techniques as “means used to collect information, among which are observation, questionnaire, interviews, surveys”. (De León y Rodríguez, 2008).
In this piece of research, the survey was used as an instrument, which according to Sabino, the design of a survey is exclusive to the social sciences and starts from the premise that, if we want to know something about people’s behavior, the best, the most direct and simple, is to ask. It is therefore a question of requesting information from a socially significant group of people about the problems under study, and then, through a quantitative analysis, draw conclusions that correspond to the data collected (Sabino, 1992).
The instrument was designed based on the research variables. Arias points out that “a variable is a characteristic or quality, magnitude or quantity susceptible to changes and is subject to analysis, measurement, manipulation or control in research” (Arias, 2006).
In this piece of research, two variables were considered: reasons for doing the degree course and higher education students. Both variables are independent. Next its conceptualization:
Reasons: According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, reason is defined as “the argument or demonstration that is adduced in support of something” (Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, 2019). In this case it refers to the motives of each individual at the time of choosing the degree course.
Students: Students are individuals who study a specific subject. According to Ausubel’s Significant Learning Theory, “the student must have a high attitude, disposition and motivation to achieve learning”.
The operationalization of the variables was constructed through their own dimensions with their respective indicators, as shown in the following table:
3.4. Analysis processing
To analyze the data, data collection was first carried out, which according to Sabino, may have greater complexity and duration. In it, the instruments designed for this study were applied, which provided the necessary information. After this process, we proceeded to analyze the data, establish relationships between them, and then draw the results and conclusions of this study (Sabino, 1992).
Because the survey has 33 closed questions, data analysis is quantitative and so is research. According to Sarduy, quantitative research is dedicated to collecting, processing and analyzing quantitative or numerical data on previously determined variables. The data shown in the results are in total consonance with the variables that were declared from the beginning that informs about the specific reality to which they are subject (Sarduy, 2007 ).
On the other hand, Sarduy expresses that quantitative research studies the relationship between the variables that have been quantified, which is very useful in interpreting the results, and beyond the study of the association or relationship, inferences can also be made that explain why things happen or not in a certain way. In this sense is this study oriented (Sarduy, 2007).
4. DISCUSSION
Next, the results will be described in the applied instrument that allowed us to know the reasons why the subjects study for the Early education degree at the Metropolitan University (Caracas-Venezuela). First, the most relevant results of eleven (11) of the thirty-three (33) questions expressed in the instrument will be announced. Secondly, some possible relationships between the questions that gave rise to interesting analyses on this study will be announced.
Question number 7 refers to: who is financially paying for your studies? The results are shown in the following table:
Table 1. Who is financially paying for your studies?
Source: self made.
It can be seen that 50% of the subjects declared that their father paid for their studies. Additionally, 17.6% of them state that their mother pays for their studies. On the other hand, 11.8% express that they pay for the studies while 11.8% have a scholarship. 5.9% indicated that both parents paid for their studies and 2.9% indicated that other people.
Item 12 of the instrument raises the following question: Do you consider you have the competencies of a teacher ›s profile to study for the Early education degree? The results are shown in the following table :
Table 2. Do you think you have the competencies of a teacher’s profile to study for the Early education degree?
Source: self made.
The results of the survey show that 97.1% of the surveyed subjects consider they have the necessary competencies of the educational profile to study for the Early education degree. As stated in the theoretical framework, the Metropolitan University highlights certain skills that people must have to study Early education, these being critical and analytical thinking, creativity, interest in the development of the human being, responsibility, commitment, teaching vocation and social sensitivity.
Question 14 that is expressed: did you ever take a vocational guidance test? The answers were:
Table 3. Did you ever take a vocational guidance test?
Source: self made.
According to the results obtained, 91.2% of the subjects took a Vocational guidance test, while the remaining 8.8 did not take it. According to Gonzalez, vocational guidance is a continuous process of helping students to develop their cognitive and motivational potentials, which enable them to intelligently select a profession and commit to their academic training. (Gonzalez, 2003)
In the same vein, item number 15 addresses the following question: Was the result of the test taken into account when choosing a degree course? The results indicated:
Table 4. Was the result of the test taken into account when choosing a degree course?
Source: self made.
The results indicate that 55.9% of the surveyed subjects declare that the result of their Vocational Guidance test was not taken into account at the time of choosing the degree course, 41.2% affirm that the result of their test was taken into consideration and the remaining 2.9% did not take the Vocational Guidance test.
It can be observed that the majority of respondents did not take the results into account, assuming that the Vocational Guidance test did not reflect the exact tendencies and tastes of the people who took it. On the other hand, it can also be inferred that the students were not totally sincere at the time of answering the Vocational Guidance test and therefore the result is not exact.
Question number 16 refers to: Was the degree course you selected shown in the results of the Vocational Guidance test? The results indicate:
Table 5. Was the degree course you selected shown in the results of the Vocational Guidance test?
Source: self made.
The results of the survey showed that 50% of the subjects selected a degree course that was not shown in the results of their Vocational Guidance Test, while 47.1% selected a degree course that was shown in the results, on the other hand, 2.9% of the sample did not take the test.
Remember that the concept of Vocational Guidance refers to an individual assistance process of individualized assistance. Therefore, it can be inferred that, even though this test is of importance for professional selection, it does not determine and seems not to be sufficient for decision making because there are other factors in the context: economic situation, family influence, labor demand, among others .
Item 19 states: What was your high school average grade? The following table indicates the results:
Table 6. What was your high school average grade?
Source: self made.
The result demonstrates that the majority of the subjects in the sample were high school students with a medium-high average grade, that is, students who had satisfactory academic performance, with high personal expectations and mostly with certainty regarding their vocational choice.
Item 22 of the instrument refers to: On which list did you enter the University when taking the admission test? There are 5 alternatives to entering the institution: list 1 is composed of the students with the highest academic achievement until list 5 that includes the students with low performance. The results are shown in the following table:
Table 7. On which list did you enter the University when taking the admission test?
Source: self made.
According to the results, it can be seen that 32% of the subjects entered the metropolitan university on list 2; 29.4% on list 1 and 26.5% on list 4. On the other hand, 5.9% entered on list 3; 2.9% on list 1 and another 2.9% via the propedeutic course.
Question 28 refers to: Why do you study for the Early education degree? The answers indicate:
Table 8. Why do you study for the Early education degree?
Sour Source: self made.
The results indicate that 44.1% of the sample is in the Early education degree course because they consider that education is the basis of a society, while 38.2% express that they study out of vocation. 14.7% indicate that they have the necessary skills to work with children.
Regarding item 31: Do you consider education to be important for society and its development? The results were :
Table 9. Do you consider education to be important for society and its development?
Source: self made.
100% of the subjects consider that education is important for society and its development.
Regarding item 32: Would you like to practice your profession in Venezuela or another country? The answers were very similar:
Table 10. Would you like to practice your profession in Venezuela or another country?
Source: self made.
The results of the survey indicate that half of the sample would like to practice their profession in Venezuela while the other half in another country.
Finally, question 33 refers to: Do you consider that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela? The results indicated:
Table 11. Do you consider that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela?
Source: self made.
The results of the survey show that 73.5% of the surveyed subjects do believe that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the crisis, while a remaining 26.5% consider that there are no possibilities for professional development in this area.
From the results indicated above, some possible relationships between some indicators / questions of the instrument we applied were observed. Each of them is specified below.
1. It was observed that there is a contradiction between question number 32 “Would you like to practice your profession in Venezuela or another country?” and question number 33 “Do you consider that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela?”. This is because 50% of the sample declares that they would like to practice their profession in Venezuela and the other 50% in another country. On the other hand, 73.5% of the subjects express that they do consider that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela, while 26.5% do not believe that such possibilities exist. It was decided to analyze each survey separately, dividing the possibilities of answers into:
He would like to practice his profession in Venezuela and considers that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela. (12 people = 35.29%)
a) He would like to practice his profession in another country and considers that there are no possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela. (4 people = 11.76%)
b) He would like to practice his profession in Venezuela and considers that there are no possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela. (5 people = 14.70%)
c) He would like to practice his profession in another country and considers that there are possibilities for professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela. (13 people = 38.23%)
2. On the other hand, the analysis of the survey shows a contradiction regarding taking the Vocational Guidance test, because in question number 14 “Did you ever take a Vocational Guidance test?” 3 students declared not having taken the test, that is, 8.8%. However, in question number 15 “Was the result of the test taken into account when choosing a degree course?” 1 student, standing for 2.9%, answered not having taken the test, and finally, in question number 16 “Was the degree course you selected shown in the results of the Vocational Guidance test?” Only 1 student expressed not having taken the test, that is, 2.9%. Therefore, how many people took the Vocational Guidance test is not known exactly.
3. The results of the survey show a relationship between question number 7 “Who is paying for your studies?” and question number 19 “Your high school average grade ranged from:”, because 11.8% of the sample has a scholarship, it was decided to analyze each survey separately to see if these subjects graduated from high school with a high academic average grade. The analysis showed that 75% of individuals who have a scholarship at the Metropolitan University, that is 3 people, graduated with an average grade ranging between 18 and 20 points, while 25% of the sample, 1 person, graduated with an average grade ranging between 14 and 17 points, therefore it can be inferred that most of the Early education students who have a scholarship at the Metropolitan University graduated with a high average grade.
4. In the same way, it is observed that there is a relationship between question number 12 “Do you consider that you have the competencies of a teacher’s profile to study for the Early education degree?” and question number 28 “You study for the degree in Early education because:”, because the results of question 12 show that 97.1% of the selected sample considers that they do have the competencies of a teacher’s profile to study for the Early education degree. On the other hand, 38.2% indicate that they study Early education because they have a vocation, and 14.7% because they have the skills to work with children, and both options are considered competencies of the teacher’s profile. Taking into account these two percentages, which are 52.9% of the students in total, it is inferred that one of the main reasons why these subjects study Early education is because they have the competencies of the educators’ profile.
5. On the other hand, when analyzing the survey, there is a correlation between question number 22 “On which list did you enter the University when taking the admission test?” and question number 17 “How would you rate the educational quality of the institution where you obtained your high school degree?”. It was observed that 44.1% of the sample declares having had a satisfactory education in high school, that is 15 people, and of that group of people seven entered on list 1, four on list 4, three on list 2 and one on list 3, leaving as inference that educational quality is not the only factor that influences when entering the University, in addition to that, psychological aspects such as nerves or stress, lack of concentration, the length of the exam and the time can also influence.
6. Also, when reviewing the survey, there is a link between question number 28 “You study the Early education degree course because:” with question number 31 “Do you consider that Education is important for society and its development?”, because 100% of the selected sample believes that Education is important for society and its development, and 44.1% of the subjects expressed having studied Early education because they consider that Education is the basis of a society. Due to this, it is inferred that one of the main reasons why people decide to study Early education is because of its importance for society.
5. CONCLUSIONS-RESULTS
The conclusions that were established from the interpretation of the results obtained in this research work are mentioned below. With regard to the first specific objective “to identify the personal profile of the students of Early education at the Metropolitan University”, we wanted to inquire about personal information such as age, gender, the influence of parents and other close relatives, at the time of choosing the degree course. Likewise, we wanted to explore the influence of the values and emotions of the individuals in this process, their vocational maturity and their competences related to the profile of the teachers.
This piece of research showed that the complete sample considers that the degree course meets their values, this statement being very important, because the values ??are of the utmost importance, because they could influence the quality of the selection made. Referring to this theory, 49.46% of the subjects are in the realistic period stated in it.
At the same time, the result of the educational profile stands out, since 97.1% claim to consider that they have the competencies of the teaching profile necessary to do the Early education degree course, however the remaining percentage said they were not sure of having it.
Regarding the second specific objective “to know the academic profile of the Early education students at the Metropolitan University”, we wanted to explore the educational history of the people who study Early education at the Metropolitan University, taking into account the realization of the vocational guidance test, the average grade, mention of the high school degree, the educational quality received at high school, the subjects of preference of each individual year and list of entry into the University.
On the other hand, 85.3% of the students doing said degree course consider that the educational quality they received at the institution where they obtained their high school degree is satisfactory or good. In turn, the results show that the Early education students tend to favor subjects such as Language and Literature, Art and Natural Sciences.
In contrast, 47.1% of the subjects entered the Metropolitan University between 2014 and 2015; 32.4% of the group entered on list 2, 29.4% on list 1, 26.5% on list 4, 5.9% on list 3, 2.9% on list 5 and finally, another 2.9% via the propedeutic course.
Finally, according to the third specific objective “to detect the reasons related to the country context for which the students of the Metropolitan University chose the Early education degree course”, we wanted to explore the opinion of the sample about Education as an important factor for society and its development, as well as their appreciation regarding the possible professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis that exists in Venezuela, of course, taking into account whether they wish to practice in this country or another, either teaching or in another area.
The results show that 88.2% of the selected sample considers that the current crisis in Venezuela is due to the existing educational quality, as well as 100% of the subjects affirm that Education is an extremely important factor for society and its development. On the other hand, a large part of the respondent students state that they consider that there are possibilities of professional development in the educational area despite the current crisis in Venezuela, however, 50% of respondents choose to pursue their career in another country despite the fact that 58.8% prefer to practice in an area other than teaching.
The objectives mentioned above served as a guide during the conduct of all the research to describe the reasons that motivate the students of the Metropolitan University to do the Early education degree course.
It is concluded that there are two main reasons why the students of said University are motivated to do the Early education degree course, demonstrating that the general objective of this piece of research set forth above was achieved. 47.1% of the surveyed subjects declare that their selection of the Early education degree course as a vocational choice is because they consider that Education is important for society and its development, therefore they believe that it is the basis of society.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS
For future research it is recommended to:
• Include in the studies of job expectations to students in the modality of Professionalization in Service, in the three current mentions, because having previously worked may have different expectations. Additionally, there is a larger number of male students, so you can see if there are any differences between gender trends.
For the Metropolitan University:
• Expand studies of job expectations to all the degree courses they offer, because they provide updated viewpoints of the true professional, academic and personal interests of the population they own.
• Evaluate the need and benefit of an internal entity responsible for conducting such studies, so that labor expectations are consistent with the job opportunities offered by UNIMET.
• Promote degree courses, implementing the results of these studies, where continuous updating of the academic syllabus is an activity that responds to the strengthening of the “university-market binomial”.
• Assess the expectations of early education students, in order to carry out evaluations of the subjects taught, seeking to encourage interest in fields beyond teaching at their different levels, meeting the job opportunities established by UNIMET.
The limitations experienced throughout this piece of research are detailed below:
• Since it was a study on a Venezuelan University, the country context chapter was challenging, since updated information on economic and social figures or general data on the Venezuelan territory were not found in the literature. Government pages do not provide common information, which the Government should provide to any inhabitant of its nation.
• The sample of students in the early education degree course is significantly small, it did not allow great diversity in the results we obtained, so it was not possible to make assertions, only possible trends or relationships. In addition to this, the little participation they provided in answering the survey.
REFERENCES
AUTHORS:
Natalia Castañón: He is a full-time professor / researcher at the Universidad Metropolitana (1993-). Founder of tuterapiaenlinea.com (2014-). Degree in Education (Universidad Metropolitana, 1991), Master in School Psychology (Complutense University of Madrid, 1993), Doctorate in Philosophy and Educational Sciences (Complutense University of Madrid, 1999). He has completed a teaching, managerial and research career: head of the didactics department (2002-), head of the humanities department (2014-), general manager of the online learning center (2014) and research professor. She has tutored thirty (37) undergraduate, master’s and doctoral theses. Publications in twenty-two (22) magazines or books refereed nationally and internationally. Participation in forty (40) National and International congresses with arbitrated papers
ncastanon@unimet.edu.ve
Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7532-6924
Emily Abouhamad: She is a graduate in Initial Education (Universidad Metropolitana, 2019). She has pursued her teaching career as an English teacher (Pop N` Learn, 2015), permanent substitute teacher (Jefferson College, 2017) and permanent substitute teacher (Puki Puki Preschool Center, 2017).
emilyabouhamad@correo.unimet.edu.ve
Orcid ID: 7.218,074
Veronica Borges: She has a degree in Education from the Metropolitan University. He is currently doing a master’s degree in Learning Difficulties Intervention and another in Early Care at the Higher Institute of Psychological Studies (ISEP - Madrid).
veronicaborges@correo.unimet.edu.ve
Orcid ID: 7,218,074