FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SELECTION OF VOCATIONAL PROGRAM OF VOCATIONAL STUDENTS IN CHIANGRAI PROVINCE

Abstract

The purposes of the study are to examine factors influencing the selection of vocational education programs of vocational students in Chiangrai Province and to analyze the importance of those factors including attractive, driving and supporting factors. Attractive factors involves goals belief, value, tradition and familiarity. Driving factors deal with expectation, promise, reinforcement whereas supporting factors comprise the opportunity ability and supports.  The researcher conducted the survey study by using a questionnaire as a tool to collect the data 351 quality questionnaires were collected from the first-year vocational students in Chiangrai. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were utilized to analyze the data. It was found that the male respondents were greater than the female respondents. Mostly the respondents were 16 years old and got grade point average from 2.01-3.00. They had two siblings.  The first child tended to join vocational programs. Parents were living together in Chiangrai. Guardians got the Diploma in Vocational Education which could be one of the influential factors. They mostly were employees earning approximately 200,000 baht a year. Considering the influential factors of vocational program selection, it was found that the attracting factors had an average of 4.82 with 0.44 standard deviation. The mean of driving factors was at 4.86 with 0.39 standard deviation.  The supporting factor had an average of 4.84 with 0.38 standard deviation. This can be concluded that those three factors are highly relevant. Students mostly pay more attraction to driving factors. This is become they can graduate with in the period specified in the curriculum. Educational loan as well as scholarship are provided. More importantly, higher education and job opportunities are available.