Search
Search Results
-
Resource or risk? The role of higher education parental involvement in students’ future-aware work ethic
99-110Views:127One of the key determinants of higher education students’ academic progress is future-oriented work ethic, which can be reflected in persistence in pursuing long-term goals, goal-directed effort, and disciplined work practices. The aim of this study is to examine how different patterns of parental involvement in higher education are associated with students’ future-aware work ethic and how these forms of involvement function as either resources or risk factors in its development. The analysis is based on a secondary examination of data from the 2023–2024 survey of the MTA–DE Public Education Development Research Program (N = 1,336), conducted among higher education students in Hungary and Hungarian minority regions of the Carpathian Basin. To identify patterns of parental involvement, cluster analysis was applied, followed by an examination of the relationship between the identified clusters and the studied attitude using analysis of variance and two-step linear regression models. The findings indicate that parental involvement does not exert a uniform effect on students’ future-oriented work ethic. Students with highly involved parental backgrounds are characterized by significantly higher levels of future-oriented work ethic, and this association remains robust even after controlling for socio-demographic background variables. In contrast, ambivalent parental involvement shows a consistently negative relationship with the examined attitude. The effect of low parental involvement weakens when background factors are taken into account, suggesting a mediating role of social background. Overall, the results highlight that the quality and patterns of parental involvement play a decisive role in shaping this form of work ethic: supportive and consistent parental engagement can be interpreted as a resource, whereas ambivalent involvement constitutes a risk factor.
-
The Influencing Factors of Dropout and Persistence of Central European Hungarian Minorities in Higher Educational Institutions
90-98Views:342The statistics show that minority Hungarians’ education and participation in higher education, lags far behind the majority of society in Central Europe. Furthermore, we also know that the smaller the community, the more educated they are. The explanation for this could be, those who are less educated are more prone to assimilate. As a result, the existential question from these minority groups comes down to the growth of their level of education, a condition of which is university students’ acquisition of diplomas. Those factors deserve more scrutiny, in their identification, that increase the chances of getting a diploma. The goal of our study is (1) to identify the students who are persistent and at risk of dropping out, (2) to define the risk factors, and (3) at the same time to uncover the protective/ supporting factors as well. The theoretical background for our research was constituted by the institutional integrational model. The database used for this study contains data collected during a survey of Hungarian students from four different countries in Central Europe (IESA 2015, N= 2017). We found from our research that though the effect of intergenerational connections among students at Central European minority schools proved significant, the effect of place of residence, of settlement type, and of relationships within the family was even stronger.
-
State language and foreign language competence in minority schools: Social and institutional determinants of Ukrainian and English proficiency in Transcarpathia
17–27Views:115This study examines Ukrainian (state language) and English language performance among students attending Hungarian-medium schools in Transcarpathia within the context of post-2017 language-use restrictions. The empirical assessment conducted in spring 2024 involved 1,082 students in Grades 6 and 8 from 39 Hungarian-medium schools. English language competence was measured using standardized tests, while Ukrainian language proficiency was assessed through locally developed instruments. A background questionnaire collected data on students’ family background, socio-economic conditions, and linguistic environment. Regression analyses indicate that Ukrainian language performance is most strongly predicted by socio-economic status and type of settlement, highlighting the role of structural and environmental factors. In contrast, English language achievement is primarily shaped by individual academic indicators and institutional characteristics, with students attending church-maintained schools demonstrating significantly higher performance. In both languages, a strong association was found between subject grades and test results. The findings underscore that Ukrainian language competence is substantially influenced by structural disadvantages, whereas foreign language learning outcomes are more strongly supported by institutional culture and pedagogical coherence. The research highlights that Ukrainian language competence is influenced by structural disadvantages, while the effectiveness of foreign language learning can be strengthened by institutional culture and pedagogical coherence.
-
Staying aspirations among Hungarian minority students in Central and Eastern Europe
61–70Views:56Research on youth mobility in Central and Eastern Europe has primarily focused on migration intentions and the drivers of out-migration. Much less attention has been paid to the motivations behind staying, particularly among national minority youth living in peripheral regions. This study examines the staying aspirations of Hungarian minority university students in Central and Eastern Europe and explores the demographic, human, economic, and sociocultural factors that shape their intentions to remain in their home regions. Drawing on the aspiration–capability framework developed by Carling and Schewel, the study analyses survey data from 1,107 hungarian minority students enrolled in higher education institutions across several Central and Eastern European countries. Using multivariate statistical models, the analysis investigates how different forms of capital and regional embeddedness influence students’ aspirations to stay rather than migrate. The findings suggest that staying aspirations are not merely the result of limited mobility opportunities. Instead, they are strongly associated with sociocultural embeddedness, minority community ties, and forms of social capital that connect students to their local environments. These results challenge the dominant migration-centred perspective in mobility research and highlight the importance of immobility as an active and meaningful life strategy. The study contributes to the growing literature on youth immobility by demonstrating how minority status and regional attachment shape mobility aspirations in Central and Eastern Europe.
-
The impact of preparatory classes on future student performance: Competency assessment experiences of Hungarian students in Covasna County
37–47Views:76This study examines the impact of the introduction of the preparatory class (reception class) in Romania as an early educational intervention within the framework of school readiness and educational inequality theories. The analysis focuses on Hungarian-speaking students in Covasna County, specifically on the first cohort of fourth-grade students who had previously attended this educational stage. The research is based on a quantitative, full-sample design, including all 1,054 fourth-grade students enrolled in Hungarian-language education. The dataset combines questionnaire data with results from the 2016–2017 national competence assessments, providing a comprehensive overview of academic performance in reading, mathematics, and natural sciences. The study investigates the relationship between participation in the preparatory year, socio-economic background, and academic achievement. The findings reveal a statistically significant association between parental educational attainment, labour market status and student performance. The results indicate that students from families with higher levels of education and more stable employment are significantly more likely to achieve above-average results. This suggests that while the institutional framework is inclusive, family background remains a decisive factor in how effectively children can capitalize on this preparatory period. Furthermore, participation is clearly associated with higher academic outcomes: students who completed the preparatory year are significantly more likely to achieve better results across all three assessed competence domains compared to those who did not. Overall, the preparatory class contributes to reducing the risk of school failure, supporting a smoother transition from preschool to primary education, and lowering early school leaving risks. It provides an extended preparatory period that helps children adapt more effectively to a performance-oriented learning environment. The study highlights the effectiveness of this universal reform while noting that, despite its mandatory nature, it cannot entirely neutralize the reproduction of social inequalities. In conclusion, the preparatory class represents a significant educational policy reform that improves student outcomes and promotes equity, particularly in minority-language and socio-economically disadvantaged contexts.
-
Criteria determining school choice among the ethnic minority high school students
17-25Views:311In our paper we sought for the answer to the question: based on which motives do students from various types of high schools (in our case, denominational or non- denominational school) make their choice of educational institution? The target group of our research consists of the 9th and 11th grade students of Harghita County’s denominational (Roman Catholic, Reformed, Unitarian) schools and the non-denominational ones added to them. All in all, eight high schools got into our sample. We conducted a survey by questionnaire, the sample including 1,064 people. We analyzed the decision criteria formed based on motives behind the decision (primary and secondary effects) on the one hand, and followed the decision making process on the other. The non-denominational sector is often chosen by the elite- and institution-oriented student group, who has great expectations of the institution, e.g. - top of the line standards of education, outstanding achievement indicators, prestige of the institution, local reputation. According to the clusters created from the motives, the value- and community-oriented student group, as well as the one following the orientation of the peer group, can be found in significantly higher proportion in denominational schools.