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UBC Theses and Dissertations

Vancouver Community College ABE student profile and use of support services Nobel, Elizabeth Violet

Abstract

The study described in the following pages was conducted in the summer of 19 9 3 at the King Edward Campus, (KEC) of Vancouver Community College. The subjects of the study were students attending classes at the Provincial Level of the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program at the college. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the characteristics of the students as compared with the literature, and to discover whether students used the support services designed to assist them. A student survey was developed and administered to students by instructors during class time. The sample was selected by targeting all Provincial Level classes in session at the time the survey was conducted, and thirty questionnaires were given to instructors in the self-paced program to be handed out to students when they were scheduled to come in. The information from the questionnaires was then entered into the computer and a statistical analysis was done. When the results of the study were compared with the information gathered from the literature review, it was learned that at KEC, the Provincial Level ABE student is more traditional than nontraditional, that is, the students were younger than anticipated, and the number of female students was only 3.8% higher than the ABE STUDENT PROFILE AND USE OF SUPPORT SERVICES III number of male students. It was also learned that the majority of the students had already completed secondary school before coming to study at KEC, but were stil l taking grade twelve level courses in order to have the prerequisite knowledge to enter the programs of their choice at Vancouver Community College or other institutions. Although students used the support services available to them, there were some differences in how the high proportion of second language speakers used them. However counselling, in particular, although used somewhat differently by second language speakers, was used by students at the Provincial Level for advising before registration, rather than for personal counselling or career planning. As colleges plan for the future, it has become even more important to obtain student feedback regarding services designed to assist them. The development of a student profile enables administrators and practitioners alike to gain insight into their student population and what the students perceive to be their needs. It is hoped that this study will be the first of many which will help to identify the needs and gaps in ABE programs and the services that are provided to support the students.

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