Students’ Awareness and Intention to Participate in a Gap Year Programme
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/mrj.vol7.11.2018Keywords:
gap year, awareness, intention, public university, MalaysiaAbstract
This study aims to understand students' awareness and intention to participate in a Gap Year programme at a public university in Malaysia. A survey questionnaire was distributed from a sample of 900 students representing all the nine faculties at the university. The results showed that more than half of the students were not aware of the programme. For those who were aware of the programme, the source of information was from friends, their seniors, university briefing and website. The result for the intention to participate showed that slightly more than half of the students did not have the intention to participate in the programme. The reasons given were the programme could defer their graduation, and some thought that it was unnecessary. The findings of the study are expected to add to the existing literatures regarding the Gap Year and provide empirical evidence about the Gap Year programme in Malaysia context. Besides, the findings are expected to provide useful insights for the university, and the Ministry of Education about the newly launched Gap Year programme. Thus, more effective strategies can be developed, and the ministry's aspiration to produce holistic, balanced and entrepreneurial graduates can be realized.
Downloads
References
Birch, E.R. & Miller, P.W. (2007). The characteristics of gap year students and their tertiary academics outcome, Economic Record, 83 (262), 329-344.
Cremin,C., 2007, Living and really living: The gap year and the commodification of the contigent, Ephemera, 7 (4), 526-542.
Garis Panduan Gap Year. (2017). Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi.
Grose, T.K., (2010). The lure of the gap year: Time of learning and maturing can mean refreshed batteries and prepared students, U.S News and World Report.
Heath, S. (2007). Widening the gap: pre-university gap years and the economy of experience, British
Journal of Sociology of Education, 28 (1), 89-103.
Haighler & Nelson. (2005). Gap year American Style, Journeys toward learning, serving and selfdiscovery.
Hulstrand, J. (2010). Time out: The gap year abroad, International Educator, Mar/Apr, 2010: 19(2), 50-53.
Jones, A. (2004). Review of gap Year Provision, London, UK Departmemt for Education and Skills.
http://www.tussenjaartwijfels.info/wpcontent/uploads/2015/07/AndrewJonesforDfES2003.pdf
King, A. (2011). Minding the gap? Young people's accounts of taking a Gap Year as a form of identity work in higher education, Journal of Youth Studies, 14 (3), 341-357.
Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education 2015-2025). (2015). Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia.
Nieman, M.M. (2013). South African students' perceptions of the role of a gap year in preparing them for higher education, African Education Review, 10 (1), 132-147.
O'Shea,J. (2011). Delaying academy; A gap year education, Teaching in Higher Education, 16(5), 565-577.
Stehlik,T. (2010). Mind the gap: school leaver aspirations and delayed pathways to further and higher education, Journal of Education and Work, 23 (4), 363-376.
Tucker, J. (2012). College students fill gap year with meaning, SF Gate, September.
Torpey, E.M. (2009). Gap year: Time off with plan, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Fall, 26-33.
US Fed New Service. (2016). Florida State University kicks off inaugural year of gap year fellowship program, Washington D.C.
Wu,MY, Pearce, P., Huang, K.,& Fang,T. (2015). Gap year in China: views from the participants and implications for the future, Current Issues in Tourism, 18 (2), 158-174.
