The Influence of Parents’ Education on Children’s Educational Strategies

Abstract

The authors develop the idea of a family’s role in shaping the attitudes of young people. In this study the authors present the study based on the survey of high school graduates in Novosibirsk and Novosibirsk region. The study revealed a relationship between high levels of parents’ education and the formation of similar educational orientations in their children. It also revealed an inverse relationship between low levels of parental education and less ambition in their children for higher education. The level of parents’ education affects the formation of attitudes towards the significance of different forms of learning (full-time, part-time). Youth, whose parents have a high level of education, are more focused on getting a full-time education. Gender also affects the selection of educational strategies, particularly the number of years of schooling and the type of educational program. All graduates see education as an opportunity for further professional development. Education is more important as the ability to expand social contacts for children from families with high levels of parents’ education. They consider future profession in terms of its prestige, the demand in Russia and abroad, the opportunity to become independent and gain power. Young people whose parents have lower levels of education, emphasize education rather as a guarantee of employment and income opportunities. The authors conclude that the perception of the value of education is associated with different attitudes of young people formed by parents with different levels of education. So for children whose parents are more educated the quality of education and interesting work as a result are more significant. In contrast, when choosing educational strategy the children of less educated parents put higher value on financial stability.