135 SUMMARY The general aim of this study is to identify problems faced in transition to the higher education from the system of student promotion on the basis of individual courses, which was put into application in secondary education in 1991-1992 school year, and to examine proposed solutions based on the view of secondary and higher education students, teacher and experts. With this aim in mind, four separate means of collecting data were devised for high school students, teachers, higher education students and experts taking part in this study. Within these means of collecting data, sections were developed including suggestion made concerning the follovving; the determination of circumstances governing students selections of school, field of study, lesson and field of higher education, determination of the adequacy of orientation services run by advisers and the counseling services, and the system of transition to higher education currently in effect and practices in transition to higher education. The study groups were asked to state their views on the sentences made. The means of collecting data were developed were carried out on a total of 593 people, including 239 high school students, 198 teachers, 143 higher education students and 13 experts. The data gathered were analyzed with the help of computer program Statistical Packets for Social Sciences. Because the sections in the data gathering devices, with the exception of a fourth used with high school students item, were same for ali groups, in order of data analysis: 1) Average values concerning views obtained by answers to the statements were evaluated with conversions between groups. 2) The group of experts excluded, the meaningfulness of the difference between average points obtained checked by variance analysis. 3) t- test was used to determine whether ör not there were meaningful differences between the views expressed within groups according to personal data variables, which comprised the first section the data gathering media. in the presentation findings and interpretations based on these fîndings, the order of research questions is that which appears the section `The Aim of This Study` was followed. The results obtained are given below in outline: 1. There are significant differences betvveen views expressed by the study groups concerning the reasons for the high concentration of high school graduates trying to go on to higher education. it can be seen that the four study groups gave priority to different136 factors as reasons for problem of this concentration. As the prime factor, high school students identified the inadequacy of the contingents of higher education institutions, teachers identified the absence of programs in high schools that prepare students for life and fields of work, higher education students identified the lack of orientation and direction during secondary education according to interest, ability and success, while experts identified the rapid and continuous population increase. 2. There were significant differences in the degree of agreement with five suggestions, except the suggestion `in general high school there should be included multi purpose lessons and programs that prepare students for life and fields of work` formulated for the prevention of high concentration of high school graduates trying to go on to higher education. As a solution to the problem, students gave priority to increasing the contingents of institutions of higher education, teachers to the early introduction of students' choosing their education programs within the system and of counseling services, higher education students to putting into effect guidance projects that will help students choose a direction within the education system, and experts to guiding students in secondary education more toward vocational and technical secondary education by increasing the capacity of vocational and technical high schools. 3. All groups in this study saw the fact that the `job opportunities of higher education graduates are higher` as the most important factor influencing high school students in their desire and decision to continue on to higher education. 4. While high school students, teachers and higher education students all agreed that higher education entrance exam system currently in effect is not compatible with the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses used in secondary education, while experts found it to be `partially` compatible. The groups expressed the view that the Student Selection and Placement Examination and Secondary Education Success Point system in use `partially` achieve the goals stated by Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM). 5. The groups in this study expressed the view that within the system of the student promotion on the basis of individual courses, the goals stated by the Ministry of Education Basic Law number 1739 had in general not been achieved, and that the goal that had been most nearly achieved was `to give the students a minimum general culture`. Significant differences were observed in comparisons made among the groups.137 6.Students' not being given guidance according to interest, ability and success was seen by ali groups in this study as the most important problem in transition to higher education while the system of the student promotion on the basis of individual courses in effect. 7.Along with the fact that there was a partial connection between the fields and programs that high school students were divided from the third semester and the programs they chose in higher education, higher education programs accepting students on the basis of point types unrelated to the fields that students had been channeled into. 8.The most popular areas within the system of the student promotion on the basis of individual courses in secondary education are Turkish-Mathematics, Science and Social Sciences. Foreign Language, General Culture, Fine Arts and Physical Education are not popular among students. 9.Students who continued on to higher education were those who had graduated from Science, Social Sciences, Turkish-Mathematics and General Culture, and from vocational and technical schools. it is not possible to demonstrate a öne to öne connection betvveen the students' area of study in high school and the programs follovved in higher education. 10.The desire to prepare better for the higher education programs they are planning to enter, and the higher chance of entering on to higher education programs were considered by three of the study groups to be the most important factors in students' choice of high school type. Teachers, however,expressed the view that parents were the most important factor. 11.While high school and higher education programs students intended to fallow and personal abilities were important in the areas of study chosen in the third semester, teachers expressed the view that the belief of easier success and the difficulty of the lessons in the other areas were the most mıportant factors influencing this choice. Experts tended to agree with the student groups. 12.According to students, the most important factor in students'choice of lessons in high school is the higher education programs mey intend to go on to. General high school students as compared to vocational and technical high school students, saw mis factor as more significant. Teachers stated the main factor to be the idea of completing credit requirements, while experts agreed with the student groups.138 13. When the circumstances influencing students' choice of a higher education program were examined, it was seen that high school and higher education students primarily considered personal interest and abilities in making this selection. Teachers and experts, however, saw the desire for a high income to be the main factor influencing this desicion of the students. Students indicated that advisers and counseling services had had `no` effect on this important decision. 14. Students, in obtaining information about professions and higher education programs, made the most use of the ÖSYM examination guide, test pamphlets and explanatory publications by dershanes, and the least of use advisers and counseling services. 15. Advisers indicated that in supplying students with information they made the most use of the ÖSYM examination guide, test pamphlets and the least use of counseling service. The source thought by experts to be least used was olso the counseling service. 16. High school and higher education students expressed the view that advisers carried out their duties `little` or `not at all` while teachers and experts expressed more positive views on this subject. Teachers who were themselves advisers tended have views more positive than those who were not. 17. While high school and higher education students and teachers believed that the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses used in secondary education only `partially` enabled students to proceed in their areas of interest, experts indicated that it did so `considerably`. 18. In order for the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses in use in secondary education to be made more effective in transition to higher education within the orientation and guidance system, the study groups agreed strongly with the following suggestions; the inclusion in the general high school program of elective lessons that will help students acquire skills that will be of use in their professions, putting into effect a guidance system in primary school, and the development of methods in guidance to a higher education program parallel to the type high school attended, the program followed in high school by the graduate. The suggestion that met with the most negative response was the continuation of the two stage higher education entrance examination system currently in use.139 19. In the answers given to an open-ended question in data gathering tools where subjects were asked to indicate their opinions on the issue investigated in this study, high school students stated that preparation to higher education should not be left to expensive dershanes but should be done at school, that they did not want to be guinea pigs, and that the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses in use in secondary education was not implemented as it should be, while vocational and technical high school students indicated that they were attending these schools by compulsions from their families. Teachers stated that because of insufficiencies in the structure of secondary education that this program is not applied completely, that there are students who do not know their advisers, and that education should not change with every new government but a state policy should formulated. Higher education students tended to state that the most important factor in their continuation in their current education programs was ordering errors and fear of being left out of any program, and that the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses in use in secondary education was not applied completely. Among Views expressed by the group of experts was mat as long as all students are guided toward higher education, university entrance examinations is inevitable, and that in a country where education standards vary greatly, fair results can not be obtained. In general, according to the findings obtained in this study it is considered that many factors have an influence on the high concentration of high school graduates trying to go on to higher education and that many faceted projects are necessary for a solution. The current higher education entrance examination system is not compatible with the use of the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses in use in secondary education, and the greatest problem with the use of this system is the transition to higher education is the failure to guide students to programs according to their interest, ability and successes. It is not possible to say that there is a one to one relationship between the areas students are channeled into in secondary education and the areas they choose in higher education. Guidance, which is the essence of the system of student promotion on the based of individual courses, and which carries great significance with respect to transition to higher education, is not in effect, and in order for mis system to be made more effective, the current higher education entrance examination should be replaced by a new model based on guidance.
