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      Enhancing Year Twelve students' academic engagement in boys' schools: Students provide their perspective.

      Woofe, Jocelyn Ann
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      Woofe, J. A. (2009). Enhancing Year Twelve students’ academic engagement in boys’ schools: Students provide their perspective. (Thesis, Master of Educational Leadership (MEdLeadership)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/4346
      Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/4346
      Abstract
      This study draws on the perspectives of Year Twelve students in boys' schools to

      examine school-wide factors that both enhance and hinder student academic

      engagement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 boys from three

      state boys' schools in the North Island of New Zealand. During these interviews,

      boys talked about the things that determine and impact upon their engagement,

      and they identified school wide changes that they believe would assist them to

      focus on their academic studies. The qualitative data provided shows that these

      boys are observing and thinking about the manner in which school structures and

      systems impact on their engagement in their learning. The findings clearly show

      that Year Twelve is challenging for many boys. They report a marked increase in

      the level of difficulty of the work from NCEA Level One to Level Two, and a

      corresponding increase in workload.

      Their engagement in their studies, which they maintain varies significantly across

      subjects, is influenced by their enjoyment of the subject and its perceived

      relevance and usefulness to their future goals. The school-wide factors which the

      boys suggest impact most significantly on their academic engagement are:

      whether or not they are given the subjects of their choice, the career education

      programmes they have access to, the number of students in their classes, their

      access to computers in their regular classes and after school for study purposes,

      the manner in which the school sets and articulates its expectations, the structure

      of the school day and timetable, and how the school responds to disruptive

      students in class. The majority of the boys report that NCEA enhances their

      academic engagement, however, some of the strategies the boys report using to

      manage NCEA workload can hinder their focus in the classroom. These include

      skipping internal standards and not attempting standards in external

      examinations, a decision that is sometimes made well before the event itself.

      The students in this study offer educators fresh insight into the factors that affect

      their academic engagement and suggest school wide strategies that will

      potentially enhance this. This study recommends that quality career education be

      made accessible to all students; that schools consider employing a full-time

      specialist careers advisor; that class size, course selection processes and school

      wide computer access be addressed; and that schools clearly articulate academic

      expectations in ways that include and inspire all students.
      Date
      2009
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Name
      Master of Educational Leadership (MEdLeadership)
      Supervisors
      Morrison, Michele
      Publisher
      The University of Waikato
      Rights
      All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
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      • Masters Degree Theses [2381]
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