The Level of Vocational Awareness among 10th Primary Grade Students in the Selection of Vocational Education Streams atvBani Obaid District from the Point of View of Teachers

Introduction

In our community, we encounter many challengesthatentail the need for every individual to possess the skills and knowledge one requiresfor self-developmentandfor playing one’s role in community. Thus, there is an increasing need in our society for better learned individuals. The most important steps to approach a better learner are to place high learning expectations on students to determine what learners should know and what they can do(Baker,2005).

Currently, education encounters inevitable challenges at a global level. Educational institutions are exposed to deep and fast transformations due to contemporary accelerating scientific and technological variables, accompanied with developmental, economic, social, political, local, regional and international variables. These challenges had led to a revision of the educational reality all over the countries of the advanced world to develop and update education as the key of community advancement and development.

Life today, with its problematic situations requires an individual with a strong will who can deal with such situations. Hence, our children should learnhow to look upon life's situations with optimism and positively accept reality. In light of that, we can say that:“Facingproblemsmakes us think without just feeling worried. Such thinking makes us learn which in its turn leads us to easily solve similar problems and even other problems. This enables us to adapt with trouble laden tasks of life. Such adaptation is the core of man’s survival on earth- as ordained by Allah-as well as its being the basis of civilization. Thus, we can saythat:“Man's relentless quest to solve the problems he is facing is the foundation upon which man’s civilization has been built” (Ibrahim,2010).

The importance of vocational education stems from its public and private outcomes which in general seek to build good citizens. This has been achieved through its significant role embodied in bridging the gap between theory and practice, rreducing the inferior view towards professions, eliminate the culture of shame related to some professions, which fosters good behaviors and makes carrying out vocational activities an appropriate access to address some of the students’ behavioral or psychological aspects such as: encourage cooperation and promote self-confidence and self-reliance in the implementation of life tasks and skills.

Vocational education curriculum is a multi-dimensional curriculum that includes life dimension, technical dimension and personal dimension. For each of these dimensions, there are cognitive, skill and emotional aspects that achievethesufficiency content. Such dimensions are integrated among themselves to achieve a more comprehensive system of the vocational education concept, which is seen as a combination of multiple knowledge and skills related to each other(Sa’adeh& Ibrahim,2010).

The vocational education curriculum is taught at the primary stage through two courses, the first course is dedicated for the primaryintermed ateclasses (4^th ,5^th ,6^th and 7^th grades),with their syllabus divided into five domains: agricultural, commercial, domestic science, safety and health.This course focuses on providing students with a broad base of educational and professional tasks with social, economic and health dimensions. The second course is dedicated for the upper primary grades (8^th ,9^th and 10^thgrades)with the syllabus content divided into five domains: agricultural, industrial, commercial, domestic science, safety and health (Ministry of Education,2006).

In 2010, the Ministry of Education developed the vocational education curriculum to include six domains:(Engineering and light maintenance skills, agriculture and environment,household affairs and public life, public health and safety, economy and technology, hotel management and tourism.The vocational education curriculum derived its objectives from the general objectives of the primary education stage including educational tasks such as: to help learners develop physically, mentally, socially , emotionally and spiritually in a normal way; to provide students with the opportunity to discover their interests and abilities; to let them acquire practical and applied skills with useful social and economic dimensions and occupational skills that enable them to use time in useful works; to help them understand healthy nutrition rules; to encourage the spirit of cooperation and team work ; to identify them to the economic resources available in Jordan and to raise positive habits and attitudes such as fortitude,precision, orderliness and accuracy(Ayesh,2009).

Al-Masri,1993 argues that including the technical and vocational educational principles within the vocational education curriculum in the framework of the general education presented to students must fit all areas of interest and capacity, and so the curriculum leads to major functions including eexpanding education horizons and making it an introduction to the world of work and technology and its products, ddirecting learners interested in technical and vocational education towards this type of education as a kind of preparation for practicing the profession or training outside the school education system and also helping students to practice their life tasks and take appropriate professional decisions for their future.

The concept of vocational education refers to the exposure of extensive experience of a large number of professions or the identification of concentrated experiences to practice the basics of one profession.Thus, vocational education includes a vocational education program that revolves around a central axis, which is the provision of professional information regarding the personal requirements and all kinds of professional requirements so that individuals can take a sound professional decision in light of that(Al-Tweisi,2011).

Vocational education is an educational type that guides and supports any educational process at all levels of education,so that students can acquire life skills that help them discover their interests and desires as well as develop their diverse abilities and professional skills(Sa’adah& Ibrahim,2010).

Farmer,2012 stated that the stage of professional discovery (Upper primary education stage)is greatly influenced by the vocational functions of genderthat is shaped by the social life of individuals, and that males and females learn early what professional tasks are appropriate and inappropriate for both males and females.

Al-Mahasneh,2011 stressed that the functional task of vocational education is providing students with life skills that affect their daily lives and instill the love of manual and vocational work towards different professions, instill positive attitudes in them and reveal their readiness, abilities and tendencies. It also contributes to the achievement of a balanced development that is integrated in all physical, mental and emotional aspects and moral values of learners.

Career awareness is one of the most modern concepts that is represented in individuals’ awareness of their career self, with the abilities, readiness, interests and inclinations it indicates. On the other hand, it reflects their understanding of the labourmarketdata and the availability of different jobs and their requirements, whether academic or training requirements. Such awareness helps one in the objective and realistic selection of one’s career which raises the chance of one’s success and giving.The objective and realistic choice of one’s profession, which increases the chance of success and giving.Every job requires personal attributes that you can behold in all the employees who enjoy job satisfaction along with a clear vision of the skills that work on drawing the occupational and vocational path(Al-Elyyan,2018).

In order to achieve career awareness, one must recognize one’s strengths and weaknesses,must work on their development and improvement, and must raise the level of one’s perception of the vocational path. There are many training courses through which workers can achieve their own trainingawareness until they become creative people who gain the skills that help them to raise their performance level in various practical aspects. Vocational awareness is influenced by a number of factors that are divided into internal and external factors.Internal factors can include intelligence, love of knowledge, and the desire to query and explore.There are numerous external factors that exist in the person's environment, including socialization and education. These include environment identification so that one becomes active in many aspects of life where one can work on the development of economic aspects. Educational institutions play a major role in raising awareness among students in different age groups (Al-Anezi,2017).

There are various classifications of vocational education that vary according to the field of each researcher and the goal of each institution. This variation stems from the universality of the term and its integration into all the concepts of science and disciplines, without being able to restrict or control it.

1. 1. Agriculture and environment:Due to the many environmental problems resulting from irrational exploitation and excessive depletion of environmental resources, the need to raise awareness of the importance of preserving the environment, good investment of its wealth and contributing to solving its problems has increased.Therefore, there is an agreement on the importance of providing the community members with an educational background in environmental education to help them wisely manage the environmental resources. The task of raising awareness lies on the educational institutions who must carry out the tasks assigned to them of preparing a generation conscious of the importance of preserving their environment and being well-mannered in their interaction with it (Al-Abd,2000).
2. 2. Household affairs and public life:The progress and development of society is the responsibility of every citizen of this society, and the various natural, social and scientific sciences all together contribute to the advancement of society. Household Economics is a multi-disciplinary science that aims at developing the society by promoting the economic, social, educational, health and cultural level of the individual and the family through the optimal use of all material and human resources.Households economics include a collection of study areas connected with the learners’ life tasks such as: nutrition and food, maternity and child care, clothing, and textiles, household management, household economics and household facilities (Khaled& Abul-Nasr,2015).

Through a review of the previous studies, the researcher notes the diversity of the topic of vocational awareness among the students of vocational streams. Therefore, the researcher was keen to review some studies that dealt with the vocational awareness of the vocational stream students that are related to the current study.

Al-Elayyan, 2018 carried out a study that aimed at identifying the vocational awareness level of vocational streanmstudents in Mafraq Governorate and its relation with the students’ gender and their desire for the vocational specialization, grade level and level of achievement. To achieve the study’s aims, the researcher used the descriptive survey approach. The researcher has developed a vocational awareness scale consisting of (31) items divided into three domains,The study sample consisted of 95 male and female students from vocational schools in Mafraq Governorate. The results showed that the study subjects’ estimates of the vocational awareness level among the vocational streams’ students was moderate. The results also showed statistically significant differences in the levels of vocational awareness among students due to gender in favor of males.

Al-Anezi,2017carried out a study that aimed to identify the effectiveness of a career counseling program based on the theoretical developmental approach in order to raise the level of career awareness among technical college students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study followed the experimental approach. To achieve the objectives of the study, a career counseling program was developed and a scale of career awarenesswasalso prepared. The study sample consisted of 32students who were divided into two groups, the experimental group and controlgroup so that each group consisted of (16 students). The Study concludedthat there were significant differences between the experimental and control groups in the post scale in favor of theexperimental group. These differences are attributed to the career counseling program.

Hashem,2017has conducted a study that aimed to know the effect ofprogram in vocational counseling in developing the vocational awareness ofthe students of middle education stage in Holy Najaf.The study followed the experimental approach. To achieve the study aims, the researcher built a scale for vocational awareness and a program in vocational counseling.The study sample consisted of(36)malestudents and (36)female students.The results showed significant differences between males and females in the used theories, and both females and males are equal in Pandora theory only.

Al-Azzaz, 2015 conducted a study that aimed at exploring students’ awareness, and career decisions of talented secondary school students in Saudi Arabia. To achieve the study aims, the researcher used the descriptive approach. The study sample consisted of (88) talented male and female students from public schools and (94) from partnership schools. The study results showed that the awareness level is the same and in a medium degree for the students of public schools and partnership schools, and that females are vocationally more aware than males.

Raval , 2014, conducted a study that aimed to search the vocational awareness of secondary school students in some regions of India.The study followed the descriptive approach. The study sample consisted of 165 students of higher secondary schools. The career awareness questionnaire consisting of (20) questions was distributed on them. The results showed that students’ awareness is low in the vocational field which indicates an urgent need for students to receive vocational guidance and that students who have previously received vocational guidance obtained this guidance from their family not from school.

Baderkhan, 2012 carried out a study that aimed to define the attitudes of the 10^th primary grade students in Jordan toward enrollment in vocational education. To achieve the study’s aims, a descriptive analytic approach was used.A questionnaire wasadministered as a study tool. The sample consisted of 707 male and female students. The results showed that the estimates of the study subjects of the attitudes of the 10^th primary grade students toward vocational education were moderate. The results also showed an attitude towards vocational education in favor of thosewhose academic achievement is average or lower than average, parents’ level of education and the number of family members.

Huebner, Robert, Raheem&Drace, 2012 carried out a study in the American West about students in the middle stage perceptions of quality of life. The study followed the descriptive approach. The study sample consisted of 2278 male and female students from the middle stage in the USA. The study concluded that the family, friends, self-perception, school environment, living environment and specialization greatly influence life satisfaction and study interests of middle stage students.

Feldman & Whitcomb, 2012 carried out a study to examine whether young adults use abilities or interests as the grounds for their vocational choices and whether young adults approach the decision‐making task by including all career options to which they feel positively or by eliminating all career options to which they feel negatively.The study sample consisted of 73 male and female students. The researchers used vocational and recreational activities and a vocational counseling program in decision making. Afterwards, the vocational interests list and the decision-making lists were applied.The results showed that students with a social profile, have a much larger and more diffuse set of career options available to them than other vocational profiles. The study also showed that the students who were exposed to diverse activities and interests were more capable for career options.

Saideh,2011 carried out a study that aimed to investigate the perception of learners and teachers about the necessity of difference ofthe vocational education curriculum content according to the gender role of learners.The sample of students consisted of 422 students (212 males and 210 females), in additions to(121) male and female teachers. The study followed the descriptive approach. The results indicated that gender specificity of vocational education is not clear in thecurriculum, and students neither prefer nor enjoy subjects out of their gender roles. Male studentshave preferences different from females. Students’ preferences differ according to the nature of the residence area and the grade. Teachers also try to consider gender differences in selection of subjects, but workshop facilities and their original specialties limit their ability to do so.

Al-Atayqah,2010 conducted a study to identifythe effectiveness of the personal model andkrumboltzmodelinsocial learning in developing develop the career awareness level , and decision making for 10^th grade femalestudents.The study followed the experimental approach. The study sample consisted of (45) 10^thprimary grade female students from AlKarakSecondarySchool. The results have shown that the means of both experimental groups was higher regarding career awareness development and decision making compared with the control group.

Through reviewing the previous studies and by extrapolating some of the approaches used in these studies along with some of the aims and results, the researchers concludes the following: in terms of approach, this study agrees with all the previous studies in using the descriptive approach such as the studies of Al-Elayyan(2018), Al-Azzaz(2015), Raval(2014), Baderkhan (2012),Huebner, Robert, Raheem & Drace (2012) and Al-Saidah(2011), except for a number of studies that followed the experimental approach such as Al-Anezi (2017) and Hashem(2017).

It is also noticed through reviewing the previous studies, the diversity of their topics, as some of them dealt with the vocational awareness level among vocational streams students such as the study of Elayyan(2018), while Al-Azzaz, (2015) study aimed at exploring students’ awareness, and career decisions of talented secondary school students in Saudi Arabia. The study of Raval(2014) has agreed with other studies in addressing the vocational awareness of secondary school students in some regions of India. In addition to the study of Baderkhan(2012) which addressed the attitudes of the 10th primary grade students in Jordan toward enrollment in vocational education, while the study of Al-Anezi (2017) addressed the effectiveness of a career counseling program based on the theoretical developmental approach in order to raise the level of career awareness among technical college students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study of Hashem (2017)also addressed he effect of a program in vocational counseling in developing the vocational awareness of middle school students' stage in Holy Najaf. Nevertheless, the current study is similar to the other studies that investigated the vocational awareness of vocational stream students, but it is distinguished in terms of studyingthe level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in the BaniObaidDistrict from thepoint of view of teachers and in the fact of using a questionnaire in collecting data.

The previous studies have helped the researcher in setting a comprehensive perception of the vocational awareness topic in terms of the concept, features, characteristics and others. The researcher has benefitted from the previous studies in guiding the current study and identifying the methodological characteristics and the approach necessary to study this topic.

Based on what has been previously mentioned, the Ministry of Education has currently adopted a national plan that aims to enroll about 50% of males and 35% of females in vocational education in its various agricultural, industrial, nursing, hotel training and household economics domains at the end of the primary education stage in coordination with the 21^st development requirements(Al-Saideh,2014).

It has been noticed that vocational education suffers all through its long history from the effects of the inferior social view. This view was reflected on the vocational education schools, so whoever does not have the opportunity to get academic education or who could not complete his academic studies due to poor achievement will enroll in the vocational education, where such kind of education was looked upon as not requiring a high level of intelligence, nor high school achievement. This view was complicated and emphasized by the increasing demand on academic education to the extent that the number of students enrolled at the academic education has turned into a burden on the state (Mahasneh,2011).

In light of what has been mentioned, the Ministry of Education in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has paid a special attention to formulate positive awareness levels among students towards vocational education, and to raise their awareness in selecting what fits their abilities and interestsbelieving that developing students' attitudes towards vocational education and directing them to the right direction will ensure that students succeed in their professional choices in the future. An attitude is defined as an organization of beliefs about a certain topic or situation. It is relatively constant as it makes one inclined to respond in a certain manner.Despite the fact that this concept has no discernible physical existence, it is merely a presumed composition that implies its existence from its effects which are usually expressed verbally or through individual responses to the statements that calibrate awareness (Tweissi,2011)

The current study contributes to the identification of the level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in the BaniObaidDistrict from the point of view of teachers, especially as the Jordanian community has recently witnessed consecutive changes in the economic, cultural and social structure which might influence the awareness level towards numerous issues prevailing in our community since awareness is characterized by constant change from time to time.

Study Problem

In our community, we encounter many challenges that entail the need for every individual to possess the skills and knowledge one requiresfor self-development and for playing one’s role in community. Thus, there is an increasing need in our society for better learned individuals. The most important steps to approach a better learner have placed high learning expectations on students to determine what learners should know and what they can do (Baker,2005). Currently, education encounters inevitable challenges at a global level. Educational institutions are exposed to deep and fast transformations due to contemporary accelerating scientific and technological variables, accompanied with developmental, economic, social, political, local, regional and international variables.

Based on the status quo which shows a low inclination to enrol in the vocational education in the governorates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in addition to the fact that the students who joined the vocational education did so because of the possibility that they will not be admitted at the academic education because of their low degrees, or may be because of their inability to cover the expenses of academic study,this indicates that there are few who joined or will join vocational education because of their personal convictions of the usefulness and importance of vocational education.As a result of the lack of recent studies that focused on the detection of students’ awareness leveltowards vocational education in recent years, despite the fact that Jordan has witnessed changes in various aspects of life which may lead to a change in the levels of individuals’ awareness of many issues, including vocational education enrollment, studying awareness is one of the most important needs necessary to change human behavior with the purpose of confronting the influences that form negative attitudes. In addition,the Ministry of Education in Jordan has recently adopted a national plan that aims to expand students’ enrollment at vocational education which justifies carrying out this study to determine the extent of the Ministry's procedures success in developing students' awareness towards vocational education, since revealing students' awareness gives a clearer picture of the Ministry’s efforts in this regard. This study is an attempt to identify the level of vocational awareness among 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in theBaniObaidDistrict from the point of view of teachers. The study problem is represented in answering the following questions:

1. 1. What is the level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in the BaniObaidDistrict from the point of view of teachers?
2. 2. Are there significant differences in the estimates of vocational education teachers in the BaniObaidDistrict of vocational awareness level among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams that can be attributed to the variables of gender and educational degree?

Study Significance

The Significance of the study stems from the following:

1. • The current study is significant due to the rarity of previous studies that addressed the level of students’ awareness towards vocational education in Jordan in recent years that witness consecutive changes in the economic, cultural and social structure of Jordan community especially that awareness is characterized by constant change from time to time.
2. • Studying vocational education awareness is vital issue to understand the contradiction between the actual need for vocational education in the Jordanian community and the reluctance of students and parents to enroll at such kind of education which is considered a critical factor in the community development.
3. • The current study provides a feedback for the Jordanian community that may contribute to improving the view towards vocational education in its various areas through guiding sons and daughters towards such kind of education for the purposes of meeting the lab our market requirements and responding to the demands of promoting the development process in all its forms.
4. • The results of this study may draw the attention ofthecurriculum-makers at the Ministry of Education in Jordan to the need to enrich textbooks with topics that contribute to the development of positive attitudes towards vocational education.

Procedural Definitions

1. • Awareness level: The10^thprimary grade student possessing a set of principles, rules and strategies related to vocational education. The role of this set is to shape and guide educational practices and the selection of vocational education streams in Jordan. This is calibrated by the vocational education teachers’ response to the questionnaire prepared by the researcher.
2. • Vocational education domains: These are the domains at which vocational education students enrol after completion of the primary education stage. These are the agricultural, industrial, nursing, hotel training and household economics. Students are distributed on these domains based on a criterion established by the Ministry of Education.
3. • Tenth primary grade students: This the last grade of the primary education stage in Jordan which extends from the 1^st primary grade to the 10^th primary grade according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is one of the important stages where students make their vocational decision in light of their abilities, tendencies and readiness to select the appropriate field.

Study Limits and Limitations

The study results are limited to the following limitations:

1. 1. Human limitations: The study is excluded to the vocational education male and female teachers.
2. 2. Space limitations:The study is excluded to the vocational education male and female teachersintheBaniObaidDistrict in Jordan.
3. 3. Time limitations: The study was implemented in the second semester of the academic year 2018/2019.
4. 4. The study results were also partially limited by the study procedures in terms of designing the study tool and its validity and reliability.

Method and Procedures

This part includes a description of the study subjects, the tools and the most important stages and procedures of developing the study tooland its validity and reliability, data collection and statistical approach adopted in data analysis and result extraction.

Study Approach

The study relied on the descriptive survey approach.

Study Subjects

The study subjects consisted of all themale and female teachersintheBaniObaidDistrict in Jordan who teach only the 10^th primary grade because the study is connected with the 10^th primary grade. According to the statistics carried out by the Directorate of Education, their total number is 171 male and female teachers. The study subjects were distributed according to the variables of gender and educational degree as shown in table (1).

Table 1: Study Subjects Distribution According to the Study Variables

Study Tool

The study aimed to identify the level of vocational awareness among 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in theBaniObaidDistrict from the point of view of teachers. To achieve this aim, the researcher developed the career awareness scale which consists of two parts:

The first part includes general information about the study subjects in light of the variables of gender and educational degree.

The second part includes the items related to the level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams.

Steps of Study Tool Preparation

The study tool preparation passed through the following steps:

1. 1. Literature review of previous studies addressing the same topic, where the researcher benefited from the theoretical framework and from the questionnaires attached to these studies (Al-Elayyan,2018; Al-Anezi,2017).
2. 2. Building the scale items in light of the research literature and the researcher’s personal experience. The initial scale consisted of 26 items.
3. 3. Initially, the scale was shown to a panel of experts specialized in Curriculum, Instruction, Educational Management and Psychology to confirm the item wording and content.
4. 4. Making use of all the experts’ opinions and preparing the scale in a sequential organized way in terms of the items’ comprehensiveness, adequacy and linguistic integrity.
5. 5. The final form of the scale was established after taking into account the experts’ remarks and benefiting from their scientific and linguistic corrections. Some items on which 85% of the experts agreed were excluded and others were merged. Thus the scale finally consisted of 20 items.
6. 6. The answer level was graded for each item of the study tool according to Likert five-point scale, where it was limited to five levels: strongly agree (5 points), agree (4 points), neutral (3points), disagree (2 points), strongly disagree (one point). The career awareness level was divided into three levels: high, medium and low, by dividing numbers from1-5 into three categories to obtain the range of each level i.e. 1-5=1.33, and so the levels shall be as follows: low(1 - 2.33), medium (2.34 - 3.67) and high(3.67- 5).

Scale Validity

The scale validity was confirmed by using face validity accredited by experts:In order to ascertain the scale’s content validity, the researcher presented it in its initial form to 8 specialized reviewers to judge the degree of item relevance in terms of language and belonging to the field to be measured. After reviewing the reviewers’ remarks, the scale was produced in its final form.

Scale Reliability

To ascertain the tool’s reliability, test -retest method was used. The researcher distributed the questionnaire on 20 male and female teachers from within the study sample and administered the questionnaire to them again after two weeks. Afterwards, the reliability coefficient was produced by calculating Pearson correlation coefficient between the first and second administrations. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was (0.88).

Study Implementation Procedures

To implement this study, the researcher followed the following steps:

1. 1. Literature review of studies related and specialized in this topic to benefit from these studies’ theoretical framework.
2. 2. The scale validity and reliability were confirmed and the study subjects were determined.
3. 3. Obtain official approval to apply the tool, and obtain the official letters concerned with facilitating the researcher’s task from the relevant parties at the Ministry of Education.
4. 4. Distributing the scale on the vocational education teachers and asking them to fill out the questionnaires and receiving them back personally through the school administration. Afterwards, analyzing the questionnaires by using the SPSS.

Study Variables

A Mediator variables:

1. • Gender: (male, female)
2. • Educational degree (BA, Postgraduate)

B Independent Variables:

The level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams.

Statistical Processing

To answer the study questions, the researcher carried out the statistical analyses as follows: To answer the first question, the means and standard deviations were calculated at the item level. To answer the second question of detecting the differences between the response of the study sample to the level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in terms of the study two variables, the t-test was used.

Study Results and Discussion

This part reviews the results which the current study has concluded.

Results and Discussion of the first question: What is the level of vocational awareness among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams in the BaniObaid District from the point of view of teachers?

To answer this question, the means and standard deviations were calculated for the study subjects’ responses for each of the scale’s items. Table (2) shows these results.

Table 2: Means and SD of the vocational awareness scale’s items arranged in descending order by the means

Table (2) shows that the means of the scale items of the vocational awareness among 10^th primary grade students from the point of view of teachers were between (3.59-3.89), where the study subjects’ response varied between the high and medium estimates, where 14 items obtained high estimates, while 6 items obtained medium estimates. Item 17 which states:”I see that joining vocational education helps in the elimination of unemployment” came top with a means of (3.89), while item 20 which states:“I think that the community achieves its economic advancement through expanding vocational education fields” came second with a means of (3.81), and item 18 which states:”I feel the necessity of having awareness programs at schools dealing with vocational fields” came third with a means of (3.80) and item 6 which states:“I think that vocational education gives meaning to man’s life” came last with a means of (3.95).

This reflects that the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Education in Jordan to enhance and develop awareness of the importance of vocational education have succeeded. Moreover, thevocational training corporations have recently worked on achieving diversity and variance of the vocational education domains which contributed to improving the levels of awareness towards joining vocational education at the end of the primary education stage.

At the same time, the high level shown by the study results may be attributed to the fact that the social view towards vocational education has improved as it leads to socially high regarded jobs and occupations which helps in improving the awareness level and heading for such kind of education. In addition, media practices helped in disseminating awareness of the importance of vocational education as required, and the economic returns of vocational education might have played a role in achieving this high level.

The researcher considers that the reason may also refer to the role of teachers in encouraging the 10^th primary grade students to select the vocational education streams because of their importance in local community as a result of the benefit gained from taking up a specific career that has economic returns, especially that the difficult economic situation experienced by the Jordanian society accompanied by the unemployment phenomenon, especially among the graduates of the university academic education is one of the factors that contributed to the development of awareness towards the current enrollment at vocational education among Jordanian students.

The results of this study disagree with the results of Al-Elayyan,2018 which showed that the estimates of the study subjects of the level of vocational awareness among students of vocational streams were moderate. The results of this study also disagree with the results of Al-Azzaz(2015) which showed that the awareness level was moderate, and also disagree with the results of the study conducted by Raval,2014 which showed that students’ awareness of vocational field was low. The results of this study also disagree with the results of the study conducted by Baderkhan(2012) which showed that the study subjects’ estimates of the 10^th primary grade students towards vocational education were moderate.

Results and Discussion of the second question: Are there significant differences in the estimates of vocational education teachers in the BaniObaid District of the vocational awareness level among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams that can be attributed to the variables of gender and educational degree?

A Gender Variable: To answer the study question that is related to the gender variable, the means, standard deviations and t-tests were calculated for the responses of the study subjects of vocational education teachers in light of the gender variable. Table (3) shows that.

Table 3: Means, standard deviations and t-tests results of the vocational education teachers estimates of the vocational education level among the 10^th primary grade students that can be attributed to the variable of gender.

Table (3) indicates that there are no significant differences in the means of vocational education teachers estimates of the vocational awareness level among the 10^thprimary grade students that can be attributed to the variable of gender.

The researcher considers that the reason for not having significant differences in the estimates of vocational education male and female teachers of the vocational awareness level among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams can be attributed to the teachers’ agreement regardless of their gender in their perceptions of the vocational education domains and streams and their importance for future occupations, especially as all the vocational education teachers live in a community that has the same characteristics and culture which helps to unify their views towards vocational education.

B Educational Degree Variable: To answer the study question that is related to the educational degree variable, the means, standard deviations and t-tests were calculated for the responses of the study subjects of vocational education teachers in light of the educational degree variable. Table (4) shows that.

Table 4: Means, standard deviations and t-tests results of the vocational education teachers estimates of the vocational education level among the 10^th primary grade students that can be attributed to the variable of educational degree

Table (4) indicates that there are no significant differences in the means of vocational education teachers estimates of the vocational awareness level among the 10th primary grade students that can be attributed to the variable of educational degree.

The researcher considers that the reason for not having significant differences in the estimates of vocational education male and female teachers of the vocational awareness level among the 10^th primary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams that can be attributed to the educational degree can be attributed to all teachers’ belief ,regardless of their educational degree, that their perceptions of the vocational education domains are the same, as they consider vocational education a critical element in teaching and preparing future generations. In addition, the researcher believes that training courses held by the Ministry of Education for the teachers of vocational education had a clear impact on all the vocational education teachers’, regardless of their educational degrees, adoption of positive attitudes towards vocational education. This makes them hold similar estimates in terms of the vocational awareness level among the 10^thprimary grade students in the selection of vocational education streams.

Recommendations and Suggestions

The current study recommends the following:

1. • Prepare guidance programs constantly targeting vocational awareness among the 10^thprimary grade students.
2. • Hold specialized lectures and seminars to make the 10^thprimary grade students acquire vocational knowledge of labour market.
3. • Prepare specialized publications that serve parents’ vocational awareness through the different mediaand social media.
4. • Take into consideration the items to which the response of the study subjects was medium in order to improve the vocational awareness level among students
5. • Carry out future studies that address students’ problems in heading for vocational education programs in Jordan according to variables other than those provided in this study.

References

First: Arabic References

[1] Ibrahim Suleiman (2010). Life Skills are Necessary in the Information Age. Cairo, Etracpublishing.com.

[2] Baderkhan, Sawsan (2012) Attitudes of the 10^thprimary grade students in Jordan toward enrollment in vocational education at the end ofthe primary education stage.IUG Journal of Educational and Psychology Sciences.22(2),65-99.

[3] Khalid, Zainab&Abul-Nasr, Rashidah (2015).The effectiveness of the content of some household management textbooks in developing consumption awareness among the Household Economics Faculty students. Education Journal.3(2),19-43.

[4] Sa’adeh, Jwadat, Ibrahim, &Abdallah (2011).Contemporary School Syllabus,6^th ed. Amman, Jordan, Dar Al-Fikr for Publishing and Distribution.

[5] Al-Sa'aideh, Monim (2011). Necessity of difference of the prevocational education curriculum content according to the students' gender: Perceptions of students and teachers, DIRASAT: Educational Sciences, 38(1),25-43.

[6] Al-Sa'aideh, Monim (2014).An evaluative Study of the reality of teaching vocational education and suggestions to improve it in the upper primary stage in Jordan. DIRASAT,AmmarTheliji University, Al-Aghwat, Algeria, (27)5311.

[7] Tweissi, A. The Nature of Solutions Proposed to Promote the Social Image. DIRASAT: Educational Sciences,40(2):1493-1510.

[8] Ayesh, Ahmad (2009). Vocational Education: Essence, Teaching Methodology and Educational Applications.Amman, Jordan: Dar al-Massirah for Publishing and Distribution.

[9] Atayqah,Norah (2011)The effectiveness of a personal model and a social learning model in developing career awareness and decision making for tenth grade female students. Unpublished MA Dissertation, Mut’ah-University, Jordan.

[10] Al-Azzaz, Amal (2015) Vocational awareness, and its relation with career decisions of talented secondary school students at public and partnership schools in Saudi Arabia. Unpublished MA Dissertation. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

[11] AyyashAl-Anezi(2017).The effectiveness of career counseling program based on the theoretical development to raise vocational awareness level among the Technical College students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. King Saud University-Faculty of Education,29(2),251-273.

[12] Mahasneh, Omar (2011). Vocational Education Curricula and Instruction and Evaluation Strategies,1^st ed. Amman: Dar Alam al-Thaqafah.

[13] Al-Masri,Munzer(1993).Vocational Education in Jordan.1^st ed.Dar al-Massirah for Publishing and Distribution, Amman:Jordan.

[14] Hashem, Amirah (2017). The effect of program in Vocational counseling in developing the Vocational Awareness for high School Students. University of Kufa- The Faculty of Education for Women for Human Sciences Journal.11(20)1-37.

[15] The Ministry of Education. (2006). Vocational Education Curriculum and outlines at the primary education stage. TheGeneral Directorate for Curricula and Education Technology, Amman. Jordan.

[16] Second: Foreign References

[17] Baker, A. (2005). Essentials of Nutrition for sports. Argo publishing 1820 Washington place San Diego, CA.

[18] Farmer, H. (2012). Gender differences in adolescent care exploration. Eric Digest. Retrieved on August 09/2017 from: http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-3/ gender.htm.

[19] Feldman, A., & Daniel, W. (2012) .The Effects of Framing Vocational Choices on young adults sets of career option. Career Development Quarterly, 10(1), 7-25.

[20] Huebner, E., Robert, V., Raheem, P., and Drace, J. (2012). Middle School Students Perceptions of Life.Journal of Happiness Studies, 6(1), 15-24.

[21] Raval, G. (2014).Vocational Awareness of Students and Parents of Higher Secondary Schools.International Journal of Research In all Subjects in Multi Languages, 2(1), 4-8