Destiny and School Destinations. Educational Inequalities in School Institutions from Oradea Cover Image

Destin şi destinaţii şcolare. Inegalităţi educaţionale în unităţile şcolare din Oradea
Destiny and School Destinations. Educational Inequalities in School Institutions from Oradea

Author(s): Sorana Săveanu
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Editura Eikon
Keywords: educational transitions; educational opportunities; school performance; educational aspirations; social reproduction

Summary/Abstract: This paper investigates the mechanisms through which pupils reach educational success from the perspective of the chances they face along school trajectories. Recent research conducted on Romania as well as personal analyses confirm the fact that the transition between 8th and 9 th grade, produce homogenization of pupils populations across schools. We can identify differences regarding school achievements of pupils grouped in different types of schools. Data suggest the presence of social reproduction process through the effects of the measures of educational and material capitals of parents, but especially manifested on the levels of status aspirations seen as the influence of school aspirations for accessing higher education as well as the levels of school engagement. In the present paper we propose an explorative analysis regarding the modeling of aspirations towards accessing school trajectories. We identified the factors that explain the orientation of pupils towards theoretical high-schools and national colleges on the one hand, or technical colleges and other technical profile schools. Data suggest the presence of a mechanism of inter generational reproduction of status aspirations. The major factors that influence the accession of certain educational paths are the pupils’ aspirations towards a higher education career, and the material capitals of the family. The social reproduction process is highlighted by the persistence of the influence of inherited capitals. Nevertheless we need to emphasize the fact that accessing school trajectories is made depending on material capitals, along with the educational results on the official exams and this is influenced by the families’ educational capitals.

  • Issue Year: 10/2012
  • Issue No: 03
  • Page Range: 93-108
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Romanian