A Study on Career Choices and Meritocracy among Students in Local Correspondence High Schools

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K02560
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09020:Sociology of education-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Hayashi Hiroko (沖田寛子) 山口大学, 教育・学生支援機構, 准教授 (20294613)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 通信制高校 / 進路選択 / 進路指導 / メリトクラシー / 大学入試 / 高大接続

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we positioned the distance learning program as an alternative education distinct from traditional full-time programs and attempted to analyze it. Many high school students in the wide-area distance learning program were found to remain within the competitive structure of school-based meritocracy despite receiving alternative education, and they showed a tendency to aspire for higher education institutions. Moreover, even if they found school uninteresting, they strongly maintained a sense of meritocracy while accepting the current situation, and re-entered the realm of school-based meritocracy. The study revealed that the meritocratic consciousness among high school students in the wide-area distance learning program functions as a cooling mechanism caused by the perceived dullness of the current situation, rather than as an intensifier of aspirations.

Free Research Field

教育社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究における通信制高校の高校生調査は、通信制課程の広域制と狭域制に注目して量的調査を行ったデータで有り、調査データ自体が貴重である。また、通信制高校の生徒の進路選択の実態を、広域制と狭域制だけでなく、全日制課程と比較検討している点で新規性がある。
本研究で注目した通信制課程の課題は、日本のメリトクラシーを是とする構造や認識を有する全日制課程とオルタナティブな教育を主とする通信制課程の差異が、高大接続や大学入試改革に大きな障壁となっていることであり、その端緒となる本研究で明らかになった通信制課程の高校生の進路選択や努力・学歴に関する意識は、この課題への対応のための重要な知見である。