What leads students to choose design and technology as an optional subject in our state schools? : analysing the factors and influences towards this choice

Abstract

Now that Design and Technology has been introduced in our secondary state schools and is still in the process of developing, the aim of this study was to know why students choose Design and Technology as their optional subject. Apart from this, it was also explored how students are exposed to the subject prior to choosing it. Through the interviews conducted with Guidance Teachers, it resulted that meetings for the students and their parents are organized where information about the subjects is imparted. The results given by the teachers regarding the students' sitting for the SEC level exam differed from those given by the students. Indeed 74.2% of the students have agreed that they intend to sit for this exam while most of the Design and Technology teachers gave different views about this issue. From the students' questionnaire it also resulted that Form 1 students are more likely to choose Design and Technology than Form 3 students. Through the questionnaires it also resulted that parents and friends are the most influential figures in the decision making of the choice of optional subjects while this was also strengthened by Guidance Teachers during their interviews. Other factors and issues came out through both questionnaires and interviews which are found in further detail and thoroughly analysed in this dissertation.