Page 118 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 118
edge is relatively unimportant to them and acquiring knowledge through
learning does not motivate them. A positive value is assigned to education
by slightly more than a quarter of students only, more specifically by those
with a motivated attitude to knowledge (28%). More than one half of students
remained undecided in relation to the value of education, specifically in the
groups of pragmatists and non-formalists (56%). For unmotivated students
(16%), education has a negative value, i.e. it is unimportant for them. Almost
three-quarters of students do not value education, which is mainly reflected
in the insignificance of the general aims of education and lifelong learning, as
well as the attainment of high levels of education. Relatively large percentag-
es of students who are either indifferent to knowledge and education or do
not value it, may be an indication of changes in the position and importance
of knowledge and education within the knowledge society. Competency-ori-
ented education (which serves the economy and adjusts to it) leads to their
individualisation (competencies encompass knowledge, skills and personal
views and are thus no longer objectively measurable, but are subjectively ver-
ifiable) and flexibilisation (e.g. equivalence of various means of education, for-
118 mal and non-formal during the course of lifelong learning) (Autor, 2013). With
this, both knowledge and education are losing their social value. A similar con-
clusion can be drawn on the basis of media-presented messages about what is
happening in national politics and the economy, i.e. that social norms of what
is success, a good reputation and power are not necessarily based on knowl-
edge and education (Gril et al., 2012). Simultaneously we are witnessing a weak
media portrayal of knowledge, education and successes achieved by means
of knowledge. This gives students an indication that knowledge and educa-
tion do not guarantee employment, neither do they open up opportunities for
changing one’s social position. What is more, the all-embracing economic cri-
sis in Slovenia and the EU is increasingly limiting accessibility of jobs for young
people (and adults) and puts them in a seemingly hopeless position. This can
lead young people to believe there is no point in learning and education.
In relation to the type of attitude to knowledge, students are also distin-
guished in terms of their academic achievement. On average, unmotivated
students are the lowest-performing students in this and previous school years,
slightly better-performing students are pragmatists, the second best-perform-
ing are motivated students and top-performing students are non-formalists.
In the current school year, students with a non-formal attitude to knowledge
have had a significantly higher learning achievement than students with prag-
matic and unmotivated attitudes to knowledge, and students with a motivat-
ed attitude to knowledge a significantly higher achievement than unmoti-
vated students. In the previous school year, the groups of non-formalists and
motivated students reached a significantly higher learning achievement than
students with unmotivated and pragmatic attitudes to knowledge.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
learning does not motivate them. A positive value is assigned to education
by slightly more than a quarter of students only, more specifically by those
with a motivated attitude to knowledge (28%). More than one half of students
remained undecided in relation to the value of education, specifically in the
groups of pragmatists and non-formalists (56%). For unmotivated students
(16%), education has a negative value, i.e. it is unimportant for them. Almost
three-quarters of students do not value education, which is mainly reflected
in the insignificance of the general aims of education and lifelong learning, as
well as the attainment of high levels of education. Relatively large percentag-
es of students who are either indifferent to knowledge and education or do
not value it, may be an indication of changes in the position and importance
of knowledge and education within the knowledge society. Competency-ori-
ented education (which serves the economy and adjusts to it) leads to their
individualisation (competencies encompass knowledge, skills and personal
views and are thus no longer objectively measurable, but are subjectively ver-
ifiable) and flexibilisation (e.g. equivalence of various means of education, for-
118 mal and non-formal during the course of lifelong learning) (Autor, 2013). With
this, both knowledge and education are losing their social value. A similar con-
clusion can be drawn on the basis of media-presented messages about what is
happening in national politics and the economy, i.e. that social norms of what
is success, a good reputation and power are not necessarily based on knowl-
edge and education (Gril et al., 2012). Simultaneously we are witnessing a weak
media portrayal of knowledge, education and successes achieved by means
of knowledge. This gives students an indication that knowledge and educa-
tion do not guarantee employment, neither do they open up opportunities for
changing one’s social position. What is more, the all-embracing economic cri-
sis in Slovenia and the EU is increasingly limiting accessibility of jobs for young
people (and adults) and puts them in a seemingly hopeless position. This can
lead young people to believe there is no point in learning and education.
In relation to the type of attitude to knowledge, students are also distin-
guished in terms of their academic achievement. On average, unmotivated
students are the lowest-performing students in this and previous school years,
slightly better-performing students are pragmatists, the second best-perform-
ing are motivated students and top-performing students are non-formalists.
In the current school year, students with a non-formal attitude to knowledge
have had a significantly higher learning achievement than students with prag-
matic and unmotivated attitudes to knowledge, and students with a motivat-
ed attitude to knowledge a significantly higher achievement than unmoti-
vated students. In the previous school year, the groups of non-formalists and
motivated students reached a significantly higher learning achievement than
students with unmotivated and pragmatic attitudes to knowledge.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
