Studying and being a student: how are these valued by today's youth? The perspective of French language sociology on the issue

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine students' values in ‘relationship to their studies.’ After defining the concept within this rubric, we attempt to define the values at work from the perspectives of (1) the motivation for pursuing post-secondary studies; (2) the pace of studies; (3) the time devoted to study; (4) the time spent in the institutions; and (5) student culture. The study focuses on students enrolled in the medicine and sociology programs. Our paper draws primarily from the results of an online survey and interviews of a sampling of the target student population, with the analysis in both cases developed in light of the distinction between ‘instrumental’ values and ‘expressive’ values.

The analysis presented here is based on theories recently developed in France and Quebec regarding values, students and student attitudes toward their program of study.

Keywords:

• values
• students
• relationship to studies
• Quebec

Notes

1. The decision to target medical and sociology students is based on wishing to give this study, carried out in Quebec, a comparative vision by relying on the investigative work led by Millet in France.

2. The current study encompasses students registered in these programs at college (CEGEP) and university, but this article is limited to universities.

3. This period was set by the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec responsible for giving out nominative and personal information to the researchers. The Commission decided that the time period was sufficient for the purposes of this study. Moreover, it became evident that certain colleges and universities neglect to keep useful information up to date on how to reach their graduates, thus making it difficult to reach them at their current addresses.

4. We understand adult life to mean that the four milestones defined by Galland (2006) have been crossed: (1) completion of studies; (2) attainment of a career; (3) stable life as a couple; and (4) leaving the family home.

5. Without it being the aim of this article, secondary analyses reveal that in this regard, against all expectations, women are inclined to embrace instrumental values based on the spirit of success, respect for rules, and lastly on applying an activity, in that order. This tendency could hypothetically explain the rise of women in medicine by the fact that they are becoming the majority in Quebec institutions.

6. For this author, capital is primarily understood in relationship to economic, political, interpersonal, cultural, educational, linguistic, etc.