TVET Educational Choice of Malaysian Polytechnic Students (Pilihan Pendidikan TVET Pelajar Politeknik di Malaysia)

Abstract

Students face the burden of collecting and analysing information, clarifying their own preferences, and categorizing their prioritization before making their educational choice as it is a complex and multistage process in which an individual develops aspirations to continue formal tertiary education. This paper discussed the TVET educational choice among Malaysian Polytechnics students. This study employed the QUAN-QUAL explanatory sequential design under the mixed methods model. 40 participants were purposively-selected based on their decision-making behaviour through a questionnaire (QUAN). The selected participants were divided into 10 focus groups and they were interviewed to get insights on how their educational choice was made based on their characteristics, academic credentials and decision-making behaviour (QUAL). Their responds were analysed using thematic method. Findings revealed that the main factors in the Malaysian polytechnics students’ educational choice are: i) students’ characteristics – Academic performance in secondary school, elective subjects taken in secondary school, and field of interest ii) institutional characteristics – Courses offered by the institution, employment opportunities, financial matters, location of institution, and learning environment, iii) decision-making behaviour – Making comparison and satisficing, and iv) other related factors – Influence of others and lack of information. Understanding the students’ factors of educational choice would assist institutions in their recruitment and enrolment of students, as well as develop and implement an effective institution development plan, particularly in student recruitment management.

Keywords: Educational choice, Malaysian Polytechnics, decision-making behaviour, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

Pelajar menghadapi beban mengumpul dan menganalisis maklumat, menjelaskan pilihan mereka sendiri, dan mengkategorikan keutamaan mereka sebelum membuat pilihan pendidikan mereka kerana ia adalah proses yang kompleks dan pelbagai di mana seorang individu mengembangkan aspirasi untuk meneruskan pendidikan formal di peringkat pengajian tinggi. Artikel ini membincangkan pilihan pendidikan TVET dalam kalangan pelajar Politeknik Malaysia. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk eksplanatori berurutan QUAN-QUAL di bawah model kaedah campuran. 40 orang peserta dipilih secara bertujuan berdasarkan tingkah laku mereka melalui soal selidik (QUAN). Peserta yang dipilih dibahagikan kepada 10 kumpulan fokus dan mereka ditemuramah untuk mendapatkan gambaran tentang bagaimana pilihan pendidikan mereka dibuat berdasarkan ciri-ciri peribadi mereka, kelayakan akademik dan kelakuan membuat keputusan (QUAL). Respon mereka dianalisis menggunakan kaedah tematik. Penemuan mendedahkan bahawa faktor utama dalam pilihan pendidikan pelajar Politeknik Malaysia adalah: i) ciri pelajar - prestasi akademik di sekolah menengah, mata pelajaran elektif diambil di sekolah menengah, dan bidang diminati ii) ciri institusi - kursus yang ditawarkan oleh institusi, peluang pekerjaan, perihal kewangan, lokasi institusi dan persekitaran pembelajaran, iii) Tingkah laku membuat keputusan - Membuat perbandingan dan pemuasan, dan iv) faktor lain yang berkaitan - Pengaruh orang lain dan kekurangan maklumat. Memahami faktor pilihan pendidikan pelajar akan membantu institusi dalam pengambilan dan pendaftaran pelajar mereka, serta untuk membangunkan dan melaksanakan pelan pembangunan institusi yang berkesan, terutamanya dalam pengurusan pengambilan pelajar.

Kata kunci: Pilihan pendidikan, Politeknik Malaysia, Tingkah laku dalam membuat keputusan, Pendidikan dan Latihan Teknikal dan Vokasional (TVET)