Ensino profissional

: razões para a sua escolha : um estudo de caso

Abstract

The present study is related to the problem of vocational education, which has as the main objective to unveil the motivations and interests of students opting for vocational education at the detriment of regular secondary education that can help schools and teachers of professionals’ schools to build better answers to all students. To achieve the goal announced previously it was used a quantitative and qualitative investigation, focusing on a study case accomplished at Escola Profissional Amar Terra Verde, located in Vila Verde, district of Braga, involving 167 students attending the school year 2011/2012 in the 1st year (10th grade) of the nine professional courses at the headquarters of the school, as well as the pedagogical direction, two technicians and the Psychology Service Orientation (PSO). In terms of techniques and tools for information assemble there were used questionnaire surveys to the students and semi-structured and thoroughness interviews to the school pedagogical direction and the technicians of the Psychology Service Orientation. The research questionnaire, which are intended to answer are: (1) Vocational education is an option of study, or a resource for students with learning difficulties? (2) What are the motives and interests that lead students to choose for vocational education? (3) The vocational course attended is the first choice for students? (4) The professional courses reply to students with learning difficulties? (5) Do the courses allow quality and differentiated responses for all students, mainly for the successful ones and what about the students who still have difficulties? The techniques of analysis and interpretation of privileged data were quantitative statistical analysis in SPSS responses to questionnaire surveys and qualitative analysis of the interview content. The results allow to conclude that vocational courses are the first choice of study for most students who entered the EPATV and vocational courses are not only a response to pupils who have learning difficulties, school failure or dropout, but also to successful students. The main reasons that lead students to opt for a professional course are: get a job and learn a profession, which facilitate their entry into the labor market.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Luísa Orvalho (Supervisor)