Early school‐leavers' microtransitions: towards a competent self

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discuss conditions in support of a Competent Self in the broader process of the school‐work transition, particularly regarding early school‐leavers.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 233 early school‐leavers were followed in innovative and successful vocational training courses. Using a “quali‐quantitative” research model, longitudinal and multilevel, the comparison between contexts (previous/current school attended) and experiences (school failure/success) was adopted as the basic unit of analysis and considerable attention was given to the personal reflexivity stimulated by the transition undertaken.

Findings

The successful vocational training experience allowed the students to demonstrate commitment, competence and mastery motivation supported by the perception they were part of a project that was credible, shared and focused on a mutual investment in learning a job. The commitment and availability of the teachers and the testing of the “learning by doing” were the aspects that most strongly supported the construction of a Competent Self, in contrast with what the students perceived in the schools they had left.

Research implications

The findings support the relevance of studying school‐failure by valorising the perceived quality of the school experience especially in relation to the teaching‐learning models adopted.

Practical implications

Emphasis was placed on the conditions that could contribute to coping with the school failure phenomenon (especially regarding vocational school paths).

Originality/value

The theoretical‐methodological measures adopted contributed to overcoming some ambiguities that characterised the research on school failure, questioning the supposed weakness of the early school‐leavers and highlighting school factors that contributed to students' engagement/disengagement, making the “school” (not only the students) “protective” or “at risk”.

Citation

Bonica, L. and Sappa, V. (2010), "Early school‐leavers' microtransitions: towards a competent self", Education + Training, Vol. 52 No. 5, pp. 368-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911011058316