Exploring Low Birth Rate Associated School Operating Difficulties and Corresponding Strategies

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1 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 127 Exploring Low Birth Rate Associated School Operating Difficulties and Corresponding Strategies Ting-Hung Chen, Hui -Yi Pai, Tsai-Ku Liao and Chin-Wen Liao* Department of Industrial Education and Technology,National Changhua University of Education, No.2, Shi-Da Road, Changhua Campus, 500,Taiwan(R.O.C.) *Corresponding author: ABSTRACT The objective of the study is to explore low birth rates associated school operating difficulties and the corresponding strategies. Using the questionnaire survey method, the investigators distributed the questionnaire among teachers of continuing education programs of general and vocational high schools (N = 554), and 501 of the respondents returned answered and valid questionnaires. According to results from the survey, the investigators made the following conclusions. First, the respondents showed a greater level of sensitivity toward the aspects of pressure on teachers and student recruitment issues of operating difficulties. Secondly, the most approved strategy by the respondents was enhancing the school marketing and student recruiting strategies. Third, respondents who are 41 years old or older, with years of experience, and serving at a public school of a scale of less than 15 classes in central Taiwan expressed a the highest level of sensitivity toward school operating difficulties. Fourth, the respondents assuming the role of a teacher as well as a director, of 31 years old or above, and with a post-graduate degree as well as 6-10 or years of service showed the greatest level of motivation for taking relevant strategies. Lastly, those respondents with a greater level of sensitivity toward school operating difficulties also expressed a greater level of motivation in taking corresponding strategies. Keywords: Low birth rates, Operating difficulties, Corresponding strategies 1. INTRODUCTION People are one of the four basic elements constituting a nation, and the size as well as the quality of the population can affect the sustainability of a nation. Globally, low birth rates have become the trend. According to Department of Household

2 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 128 Registration of Ministry of Interior (2011), the birth rate of Taiwan has dropped from 2.297% in 1981 to 1.165% in 2001 and to 0.721% in The newborn population of 2010 in Taiwan was 166,886 people, while the average fertility rate was births per woman. The dramatic decline of fertility rates has affected the demographic structure of Taiwan, making the society with fewer children. The Department of Statistics of Ministry of Education estimated the number of students entering junior high school in Taiwan between 2012 and 2021 based on the newborn population published by the Department of Household Registration of Ministry of Interior. In 2012, the number of grade 7 students should be 284,724 and 173,069 in In other words, in the next ten years, the number of grade 7 students for junior high school will be sharply reduced by more than 0.1 million. Accordingly, the number of students entering general and vocational high school in 2020 will be less than 0.2 million people (Department of Statistics of Ministry of Education, 2011). Considering the small population of possible high school full-time students, it will get harder and harder for the continuing education program of general and vocational high schools to recruit students. If the number of students drops continuously, then eventually, the number of classes of certain subjects will be reduced or even removed. Some schools may end up with too many teachers and too much unused space and equipment, and in that case, they may have to undergo transformation or to be allied with other schools. The conventional belief that studying is the most important thing in life has misled parents and students; they view continuing education of general and vocational high schools as nothing but a suboptimal choice. As a result, continuing education of general and vocational high schools are restricted to admitting students of the so-called three-lows : low in learning and achievement motivation, low in socio-economic conditions, and low in family functions (Ministry of Education, 2011a). The main focus of the Ministry of Education is on students, but it is getting harder and harder for the continuing education programs of general as well as vocational high schools to recruit students, due to not only a shrunk population of perspective students but also the various newly launched educational policies, including adopting exam-free school entrance for pluralistic learning, having the same tuition fee for private as well as public general and vocational high schools, and implementing the 12-year basic compulsory education. In the meeting among school

3 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 129 affair directors of continuing education of senior high schools held by the Ministry of Education in 2011, the participants discussed numerous aspects related to creating new values for school continuing education, such as the lack of students and the possibilities of continuing education schools to reform or to transform (Ministry of Education, 2011b). As a result, the trend of low birth rates has brought significant impacts on schools continuing education. For frontline educators, it is important to recognize school operating difficulties caused by low birth rates, including student shortage, in order to implement relevant measures as early as possible for attaining a sustainable school operation. Relevant domestic as well as international studies put the emphasis on young children or students of elementary schools or junior high schools; few studies explored strategies for general and vocational high schools for coping with impacts from lower birth rates. As a result, the investigators chose to use the random survey method to analyze school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates of the continuing education program of general and vocational high schools and corresponding strategies in hope to provide relevant authorities and personnel useful and meaningful information. 2. RESEARCH DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION (1). Research Framework According to the research background and motivation, research objectives, and results from the literature review, the investigators developed the research framework organizing possible relationships among the research variables. The teachers background variables and the school background variables were the independent variables, while school operating difficulties for continuing education of high school caused by low birth rates and corresponding strategies were the independent variables. The research framework is shown in Figure 1. Relevant research variables of the study are shown below. A. Background variables: 1 Teachers background variables: Gender, age, position, education, and years of service; 2 School background variables: Type, location, and scale of the school. B. Dependent variables: 1 Continuing education school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates: Student recruiting difficulties, pressure on

4 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 130 teachers, unused resources, unclear school positioning; 2 Corresponding strategies for the continuing education program of high schools to cope with impacts from low birth rates: Enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies, developing new markets, Programs adjustment and betterness education, unused school resources planning, school transformation and strategic alliance. (2). Research Subjects The study subjects were full-time continuing education teachers of public as well as private high schools in 2011 in Taiwan. (3). Research Tool Questionnaire survey was adopted in this study. The investigators first collected relevant information from the literature review, and then according to the research framework, the School Operating Difficulties Associated with Low Birth Rates and Corresponding Strategies Questionnaire was formulated and used in the study as the research tool. Independent variables Dependent variables Operating difficulties Teachers background variables 1. Gender 2. Age 3. Position 4. Education 5. Years of service School background variables 1. School types 2. School location 3. School scale 1. Student recruiting difficulties 2. Pressure on teachers 3. Unused resources 4. Unclear school positioning Corresponding strategies 1. Enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies 2. Developing new markets 3. School program adjustment and betterness education 4. School unused resource planning 5. School transformation and strategic alliance Figure 1 Research Framework

5 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) RESULTS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION The study population was full-time public and private high school continuing education teachers in Taiwan. The questionnaire survey was conducted using the stratified random sampling method and the number of respondents picked from each region (northern, central, and southern/eastern Taiwan) was determined by the proportion between the number of high school continuing education classes at that region and the total number of high school continuing education classes. In that case, 253 teachers were randomly picked from northern Taiwan (45.73%), 157 from central Taiwan (28.41%), 144 from southern/eastern Taiwan (25.86%). Between May 21 and June 8 of 2012, teacher respondents were randomly picked form 63 schools. A total of 554 questionnaires were distributed among the respondents and 504 respondents returned the questionnaire, of which 501 were valid and 3 invalid. (1). Teachers Background Variables and School Background Variables Analysis A. Gender: Male teacher accounted for 50.3% while females 49.7%. B. Age: Respondents who are 30 y.o. or under accounted for 17.2% of the valid sample, y.o. for 38.9%, y.o. for 25.5%, and 51 y.o. or above 18.4%. C. Position: Respondents assuming the role of a teacher and a director accounted for 11.6% of the sample, the role of a teacher and a group leader 25.1%, the role of a teacher and a homeroom teacher 50.5%, and a full-time teacher only 12.8%. D. Education: Respondents who have a normal college/university degree accounted for 15.4%, a general university degree 39.3%, and a post-graduate degree (including the 40-credit program) 45.3%. E. Years of service: Respondents with than a less than 5 years of service experience accounted for 42.9%, 6-10 years 26.1%, years 11.8%, years 8%, and more than 21 years 11.2%. F. School types: Among all respondents, 197 of them are from public schools (39.3%) and 304 from private school (60.7%). G. School location: Among all respondents, 258 are from northern Taiwan (45.5%), 146 from central Taiwan (29.2%), and 127 from southern/eastern Taiwan (25.3%).

6 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 132 H. School scale: Among all respondents, 66 of them are from schools with less than 6 classes (13.2%), 172 from between 7-15 classes (34.3%), 107 from between classes (21.4%), and 156 from more than 25 classes (31.1%). (2). Analysis of High School Continuing Education Operating Difficulties Caused by Low Birth Rates and Corresponding Strategies A. Analysis of high school continuing education operating difficulties caused by low birth rates: Respondents expressed a greater level of sensitivity to pressure on teachers, student recruitment and unclear school positioning than to unused resources. See Table 1. B. Analysis of strategies for high school continuing education teachers to cope with impacts from low birth rates on school operation: Each of the following five aspects, enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies, School programs adjustment and betterness education, developing new markets, school transformation and strategic alliance, and school unused resource planning had an average score between 3.82 and 4.26 (rated by the teacher respondents). The overall average was 4.02, indicating that the respondents high agreed with the strategies for coping with impacts from low birth rates on school operation. Table 1 Descriptive Statistics on Low Birth Rates Associated School Operating Difficulties and Corresponding Strategies Rated by Teachers Factor Aspect No.of Questions M SD Ranking Operating Difficulties Corresponding Strategies N=501 Unclear school positioning Student recruiting difficulties Unused resources Pressure on teachers Overall operating difficulties Transformation and strategic alliance Enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies School program adjustment and betterness education Developing new markets School unused resource planning Overall corresponding strategies

7 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 133 (3). Relationships between Teachers Background Variables and School Operating Difficulties Due to Low Birth Rates The research results are summarized in Table 2. A. Statistical analysis on the gender of teachers and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates: No significant differences were found between the gender of the respondents and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates. B. Statistical analysis on the age of teachers and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates: For student recruiting difficulties and unused resources, respondents of y.o. or above 51 y.o. expressed a greater level of sensitivity than those under 30 y.o. did. C. Statistical analysis on the position of teachers and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates: No significant differences were found between the position of respondents and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates. D. Statistical analysis on the education of teachers and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates: No significant differences were found between the education of respondents and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates. E. Statistical analysis on the years of service of teachers and school operating difficulties due to low birth rates: Respondents with different years of service showed significant differences in the following four aspects of operating difficulties: unclear school positioning, student recruiting difficulties, unused resources and pressure on teacher. For overall operating difficulties, results from the variance analysis were significant too. More specifically, respondents with years of service showed a greater level of sensitivity on school operating difficulties caused by low birth rates than those with less than 5 years or more than 21 years of service did.

8 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 134 Table 2 General Variance Analysis of Teachers Background Variables on Low Birth Rate Associated School Operating Difficulties Factor Gender Age Position Education Unclear school positioning Years of service (3)>(4),(5) Student recruiting difficulties (3),(4)>(1) (3)>(1),(5) Unused resources (3)>(1) (4)>(1),(2) (3),(5)>(1) Pressure on teachers (2)>(1),(5) Overall operating difficulties (3)>(1) (3)>(1),(5) Note: N=501; Age: (1) 30 y.o. or below; (2) y.o.; (3) y.o.; (4) 51 y.o. or above Years of service:(1) 5 years or less; (2) 6-10 years; (3) years; (4) years; (5) 21 years or above (4). Relationships between Teachers Background Variables and Corresponding Strategies for Low Birth Rate Impacts on Schools Results from statistically analyzing the effects of high school continuing education teachers background variables on corresponding school strategies for coping with low birth rates are presented in Table 3. A. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the gender of teachers on school strategies for low-birth rates: No significant differences were found between the gender of teachers and school strategies for low-birth rates. This result is consistent with results from Tseng (2006) and Hsu (2008). B. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the age of teachers on school strategies for low-birth rates: For enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies, school program adjustment and betterness education, developing new markets, and unused school resources planning, respondents of y.o., y.o. or above 51 y.o. expressed a greater level of approval for these strategies than those under 30 y.o. did. This result is consistent with the result of Wu (2008). C. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the positions of teachers on school strategies for low-birth rates: For school transformation and strategic alliance, enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies and school program adjustment and betterness education, respondents assuming the role of a teacher as well as a director or a teacher as well as a

9 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 135 group leader expressed a greater level of approval for these strategies than those assuming the role of a homeroom teacher as well as a teacher did. D. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the educations of teachers on school strategies for low-birth rates: For school transformation and strategic alliance, enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies, school program adjustment and betterness education, and school unused resources planning, the education of the respondents showed a significant effect. For the overall corresponding strategies, results from the variance analysis also reached statistical significance. More specifically, respondents with a post-graduate degree showed a greater level of approval for these corresponding strategies than those with a degree from general universities did. E. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the years of service of teachers on school strategies for low-birth rates: For school transformation and strategic alliance, enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies, school programs adjustment and betterness education, and school unused resource planning, respondents with 6-10 or years of service expressed a greater level of approval for these strategies than those with less than 5 years of service. Furthermore, respondents with years of service expressed a greater level of approval for these strategies than those with more than 21 years of service did. This result is consistent with the result of Wu (2008). Table 3 General Variance Analysis of Teachers Background Variables on School Strategies for Coping with Low Birth Rates Factor Age Position Education Years of service School transformation and strategic alliance (2),(3)>(1) (2)>(3) (3)>(2) (2),(4)>(1) Enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies (2), (3),(4)>(1) (1)>(2) (3)>(2) (2),(4)>(1) School programs adjustment and betterness education (2), (3),(4)>(1) (1)>(3) (1), (3)>(2) (2), (3),(4)>(1) Developing new markets (2), (3),(4)>(1) * * School unused resource planning (2), (3),(4)>(1) * (3)>(2) (4)>(1),(5) Overall corresponding strategies (2), (3),(4)>(1) (1), (2)>(3) (3)>(2) Note:N=501; * for statistical significance (2),(4)>(1) (4)>(5)

10 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 136 Age:(1)30 y.o. or below; (2)31-40 y.o.; (3)41-50 y.o.; (4)51 y.o. or above Position:(1) Teacher/director; (2) Teacher/group leader; (3) Teacher/homeroom teacher; (4) Full-time teacher only Education : (1) Normal colleges/universities; (2) General universities; (3) Post-graduate schools(including the 40-credit program) Years of service:(1)5 years or less; (2)6-10 years; (3)11-15 years; (4)16-20 years; (5)21 years or above (5). Relationships between School Background Variables and Low Birth Rate Associated School Operating Difficulties The study summarized the relationship between school background variables and school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates. See Table 4. A. Statistical analysis on the type of schools of teachers and school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates: Depending on the type of schools, respondents showed significant differences in unclear school positioning and pressure on teachers these two aspects of operating difficulties. For overall operating difficulties, results from the variance analysis were significant. Moreover specifically, public high school continuing education teachers showed a greater level of sensitivity to school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates than those private high school continuing education teachers did. B. Statistical analysis on the location of schools of teachers and school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates: Depending on the location of schools, respondents showed significant differences in unused resources and pressure on teachers these two aspects of operating difficulties. For overall operating difficulties, results from the variance analysis were significant. Moreover specifically, continuing education teachers from high schools located at central Taiwan showed a greater level of sensitivity to school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates than those from schools at southern and eastern Taiwan did. This result is consistent with the result of Hsu (2008). C. Statistical analysis on the scale of schools of teachers and school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates: Depending on the location of schools, respondents showed significant differences in unclear school positioning, unused resources and pressure on teachers these three

11 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 137 aspects of operating difficulties. For overall operating difficulties, results from the variance analysis were significant. Moreover specifically, continuing education teachers from high schools with less than 6 classes or between 7-15 classes showed a greater level of sensitivity to school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates than those from schools with more than 25 classes did. This result is consistent with the result of Hsu (2008). Table 4 General Variance Analysis of School Background Variables on Low Birth Rate Associated School Operating Difficulties Factor School type School location School scale Unclear school positioning (1)>(2) (1),(2)>(4) Student recruiting difficulties * Unused resources (2)>(1),(3) (1)>(4) Pressure on teachers (1)>(2) (2)>(1),(3) (1)>(3),(4) Overall operating difficulties (1)>(2) (2)>(1) (1),(2)>(4) Note:N=501; * for statistical significance School type:(1) Public; (2) Private School location:(1)northern Taiwan; (2) Central Taiwan; (3) Southern/eastern Taiwan School scale:(1) 6 classes or less; (2)7-15 classes; (3)16-24 classes; (4) 25 classes or more (6). Relationships between School Background Variables and Corresponding Strategies for Low Birth Rate Impacts on Schools The study summarized the relationships between school background variables and corresponding school strategies for coping with impacts from low birth rates. See Table 5. A. Statistical analysis on teachers school type and school strategies for coping with impacts from low birth rates: Depending on the type of the school, respondents showed significant differences in enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies. More specifically, private school teachers showed a greater level of approval for enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies than those from public high schools did. This

12 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 138 result is consistent with the result of Hsu (2008). B. Statistical analysis on teachers school location and school strategies for coping with impacts from low birth rates: Depending on the type of schools, respondents showed significant differences in enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies and developing new markets. Moreover specifically, continuing education teachers from high schools located at south/eastern Taiwan showed a greater level of approval for enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies and developing new markets than those from schools at northern Taiwan did. C. Statistical analysis on teachers school scale and school strategies for coping with impacts from low birth rates: Depending on the type of the school, respondents showed significant differences in school transformation and strategic alliance. Moreover specifically, continuing education teachers from high schools with less than 6 classes or 7-15 classes showed a greater level of approval for school transformation and strategic alliance than those from schools with 7-15 or classes did. This result is consistent with the result of Hsu (2008). Table 5 General Variance Analysis of School Background Variables on School Strategies for Coping with Low Birth Rates Factor School type School location School scale School transformation and strategic alliance (1)>(2),(3) Enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies School Programs adjustment and betterness education Developing new markets (2)>(1) (3)>(1) (3)>(1),(2) School unused resource planning Overall corresponding strategies Note:N=501; * for statistical significance School type:(1) Public; (2) Private School location:(1)northern Taiwan; (2) Central Taiwan; (3) Southern/eastern Taiwan School scale:(1) 6 classes or less; (2)7-15 classes; (3)16-24 classes; (4) 25 classes or more

13 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 139 (7). Teachers Responses toward School Operating Difficulties associated with Low Birth Rates and Corresponding Strategies Statistical results of high school continuing education teachers responses toward school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates and corresponding strategies are summarized below. A. Student recruiting difficulties and school transformation and strategic alliance were found to be significantly correlated, while student recruiting difficulties and overall corresponding strategies were the second most strongly correlated pair. As for between unclear school positioning and enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies as well as between pressure on teachers and school unused resource planning, statistical results suggested that these two pairs were negatively correlated. B. There was a weak correlation between overall operating difficulties and overall corresponding strategies. 4. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS The investigators summarized the empirical findings and drew the conclusions accordingly. The investigators also provided suggestions based on the conclusions for education administrative agencies, schools and teachers. (1). Conclusions A. For school operating difficulties experienced by high school continuing education programs, respondents showed a greater level of sensitivity to pressure on teachers and student recruiting difficulties. B. Among various strategies for high school continuing education programs, respondents showed a greater level of motivation for enhancing school marketing and student recruiting strategies. C. For respondents 41 y.o. or above and with years of experience, they showed a greater level of sensitivity to school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates. D. For respondents 31 y.o. or above, assuming the role of a teacher as well as a director, with a post-graduate school degree, and with 6-10 years or years of service, they showed a greater level of motivation for taking

14 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 140 strategies to cope with low birth rates. E. For respondents from public schools located in central Taiwan and of a size of less than 15 classes, they showed a greater level of sensitivity to school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates. F. For respondents from private schools located in southern/eastern Taiwan and of a scale of less than 6 classes, they showed a greater level of motivation for taking strategies to cope with low birth rates. G. Respondents with a greater level of sensitivity to school operating difficulties associated with low birth rates also showed a greater level of motivation for taking strategies to cope with low birth rates. (2). Suggestions The investigators analyzed the results collected from the questionnaire survey and provided the following suggestions for education administrative agencies, schools, teachers, and other researchers. A. For Education Administrative Authorities (A). A plan should be made to gradually reduce the number of students in each high school continuing education class over the years. Reducing the number of students per class will enable teachers to take a better care of students and to provide teaching tailored for each student. Because students can receive more attention from their teachers, they can learn more effectively, and teachers can experience less pressure. (B). Strategic alliance between technology colleges and high school continuing education programs should be expanded. By expanding strategic alliance between technology colleges and high school continuing education programs, students can undergo more in-depth, vertical learning connected to the college/university education later while the schools can also use the alliance as an advantage for student recruitment. (C). Budgets for high school continuing education programs at remote areas should be increased and a withdraw system for high school continuing education programs should be formulated in advance. Education authorities can increase the budget for schools offering continuing education programs at remote areas. In addition, the government should formulate a reasonable withdraw system in advance in case there are any

15 Storage Management Solutions, Issue2, March (2014) 141 high school continuing education programs that are incapable of recruiting students. Helping these schools withdraw from the education market can reduce education costs. B. For Schools and Teachers (A). Schools should work on increasing the cohesiveness among teachers and developing innovative school operation strategies. The school should help teachers and staff to reach consensus and increase their cohesiveness by encouraging affective interaction among them and making teachers and staff to be proud of the schools. The school should also ask senior teachers to pass down their experience and school loyalty to junior teachers of all age, to exchange their experiences, including academically, with others, and to provide strategies for better school operation. (B). The school should encourage teachers to advance their learning and enhance their professional capabilities. Schools should encourage teachers to pursue advanced learning in order to obtain innovative and marketing related new knowledge. When a teacher is equipped with better professional competence, the schools can better implement strategies for coping with impacts from low birth rates and attain sustainable school management. REFERENCES [1]. Central Office of Ministry of Education. (2011). List of public and private senior high schools offering continuing education programs in Taipei City. [2]. Chan, PH. (2007). Analysis and planning for school operation strategies. School Administration Bimonthly, 52, [3]. Chen, PW. (2011). A Case Research on Private Schools Management When Confronting the Low -birth Rate. Unpublished master s thesis. National Changhua University of Education. Changhua City. [4]. Chien, YC. (2008). A study on private vocational high school operation strategies under the trend of low birth rates. Unpublished master s thesis. National Taiwan Normal University. Taipei City.

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