HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS ON THEIR CAREER CHOICE
M.E. Paduraru1, V.M. Budau2
Organizing extra-curricular activities in which students, according to their abilities, can contribute to improving the quality of life in their community brings many advantages in terms of the education provided by the school. This category of activities encompasses international educational projects, wherein students and their teachers are presented with the opportunity to engage with other cultures, diverse methodologies for educational engagement, and novel career prospects. The present study was conducted to investigate the factors that motivate students to engage in international educational projects, the perceived usefulness and appropriateness of these activities from the students' perspective, and the extent to which they believe that their career choice decisions are influenced by participation in international educational projects. The data were collected from a sample of 53 subjects. The subjects were students from diverse high schools, as well as high school graduates who had participated in international educational projects. The respondents completed the self-administered questionnaire online. The interpretation of the obtained data revealed a positive perception of the effects of participating in international educational projects. Further observation revealed divergent reporting patterns regarding the perceived usefulness and applicability of these projects among respondents currently enrolled in high school and those who have already graduated.
Keywords: Extra-curricular activities, international educational projects, career choice.