Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
individual
Authors' Class Standing
Austin Seepersad, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Austin Seepersad
Faculty Mentor Name
Wes Lewis & Dr. Kelly George
Abstract
The purpose of this investigation is to examine different facets of Iceland’s culture to determine why its secondary school dropout rates are so high, in hopes of deconstructing what factors in a society effect academic performance. Reviewing literature on the subject yielded potential factors such as childhood health and parental behaviors, Iceland’s abundance of accessible jobs, and the low accessibility for higher education in rural parts of Iceland. The methods for obtaining more information on this were limited to the review of more literature, a handful of interviews obtained in Iceland, and a couple firsthand observations. From the gathered information, it was concluded that family support is crucial in nurturing good scholastic performance and retention, that males were the most likely to drop out in Iceland due to the type of unskilled labor available, and Icelanders aren’t incentivized to stay in school in their current society.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
Yes, Spark Grant
Why won't they stay in school? Investigation in to the reasons for secondary school dropouts in Iceland
The purpose of this investigation is to examine different facets of Iceland’s culture to determine why its secondary school dropout rates are so high, in hopes of deconstructing what factors in a society effect academic performance. Reviewing literature on the subject yielded potential factors such as childhood health and parental behaviors, Iceland’s abundance of accessible jobs, and the low accessibility for higher education in rural parts of Iceland. The methods for obtaining more information on this were limited to the review of more literature, a handful of interviews obtained in Iceland, and a couple firsthand observations. From the gathered information, it was concluded that family support is crucial in nurturing good scholastic performance and retention, that males were the most likely to drop out in Iceland due to the type of unskilled labor available, and Icelanders aren’t incentivized to stay in school in their current society.