An investigation of the commitment on entry of students withdrawing from a teacher training course, with consideration of some of the consequences

Abstract

This thesis attempts to probe some aspects of student wastage from Colleges of Education. Some of the extensive restructuring of teacher training, since the general course was lengthened to 3 years, is outlined. Developments in entry qualifications, attitudes to mathematics and science. Governmental decisions and the reactions of the Colleges are considered. In the light of these changes, college based studies of the problem of "drop-out" are reviewed and the relevance to the Colleges of some of the University studies is sought as the diversification of courses is currently being implemented. Influences on wastage, including selection procedures and some philosophical, psychological and social effects are discussed prior to a consideration of student motivation, reasons for withdrawal and the assessment of teacher trainees. Two questionnaires used are described against a background of some relevant points of survey theory. One given to first and second year students within two voluntary colleges in the year before and the first year of their amalgamation looks at some aspects of strength of commitment to teaching. The other, mailed to all the students known to have withdrawn from the 1970 entry to colleges of two Northern Universities' Institutes of Education, enquires what students who withdrew remember of their courses and what they are doing subsequently, with particular reference to their mathematical experiences. The responses are discussed question by question and comparisons made where possible. The results are reported with some suggestions made for possible future work.