Research on the impact mechanism and optimization strategies of vocational education on the school performance of students from families of origin

Abstract

As an important part of the modern national education system, vocational education plays an irreplaceable role in the growth and development of students. It not only provides students with diversified educational choices, but also significantly improves their comprehensive quality through vocational skills training and practices. However, the educational background of the students’ families of origin has a far-reaching impact on the development of students, which may lead to many challenges in their academic performance. Good vocational education may effectively compensate for the unfavorable impact of their families of origin on students. Through skills training, career planning guidance and psychological support, vocational education can help students master the necessary vocational qualities and skills, thus comprehensively improving their overall ability and career competitiveness. Therefore, an in-depth study of vocational education on the performance of students from families of origin and related influential mechanisms is of great theoretical value and practical significance to improve vocational education. In order to systematically study the impact of vocational education on the school performance of students from family-of-origin backgrounds, this study adopts a combination of theoretical analysis, survey research, econometric analysis and experimental design to explore the impact of vocational education on the school performance of students from families of origin backgrounds and its mechanisms, and to propose strategies to improve vocational education. Specifically, we firstly base the study on the analytical frameworks of human capital theory and "Trinity" education cooperation theory, and then we discuss the responsibilities and obligations of schools, families and the community in the cultivation of students and the accumulation of human capital, so as to clarify the logical relationship between vocational education, families of origin and students' performance at school through theoretical deduction. Secondly, using two rounds of survey data from two schools respectively in Shandong Province and Guizhou Province, ranging from families of origin characteristics and students' performance at school to the development of vocational education, we analyze the multidimensional effects of families of origin characteristics on students' performance at school and related mechanisms and further explore the role played by the characteristics of vocational education, controlling for the characteristics of the region, by applying the method of econometrics and controlling the factors of the school, the region and the students' individual characteristics. In addition, through two experimental designs, we compare the effects of vocational education interventions on students' performance at school and verify the actual effects of vocational education on improving students' performance at school; finally, combining the results of theoretical analyses and practical tests, we put forward optimization strategies and recommendations based on schools and students with families of origin backgrounds, with the aim of improving the quality of vocational education and promoting the comprehensive development of students. The results of the study are as follows: (1) The theoretical analysis shows that schools, families and the community are important factors influencing students' performance at school, among which the role of schools and families is more prominent during the students' school stage, and the cooperation of multiple subjects in education will have the most significant effect on the accumulation of students' human capital. (2) The empirical results of the influence of families of origin on students' school performance and related mechanisms show that positive family characteristics have a positive effect on students' school performance, while negative family characteristics have a negative effect, which is mainly realized through the health mechanism and the peer effect, and varies according to the different characteristics of the school and the individual students. (3) The empirical results of the impact of vocational education on the school performance of students from families of origin show that relatively high levels of vocational education can positively affect students' school performance and, to some extent, promote the positive effects of family-of-origin characteristics on students. It is worth noting that although the continuous variable of vocational education index has a negative effect on students' performance, its interaction with the index of intimacy to family characteristics of origin has a positive effect, and the positive effect is much higher than the negative effect. (4) The effects of vocational education characteristics on students' performance at school are complex, and generally speaking, the effects are mixed. The positive effects on average performance are industry-education integration, international cooperation and development ability, and the negative effects are teachers' team and social service; while no uniform conclusion has been reached on students' social roles. (5) The empirical results of vocational education to change the negative impact of family of origin's school performance show that higher vocational education characteristics can only reduce the negative impact of students' performance under the denial family upbringing mode, which indicates that vocational education has limited effect on the negative impact of family of origin. (6) The results of the experimental design of vocational education interventions showed that changes in vocational education characteristics, such as adjusting the curriculum design and introducing external teachers, have a positive effect on students' performance at school. Finally, based on the conclusions of the study, the present study proposes specific measures from both the school and the family dimensions, aiming to promote students' performance at school and to help them in their future development.