期刊名称：European Journal of Business and Social Sciences
印刷版ISSN：2235-767X
出版年度：2012
卷号：1
期号：4
页码：20-55
出版社：European Society of Business and Social Sciences
摘要：This study examined the characteristics of a secondary school environment that former dropouts were looking for when they returned to school to attain their diploma. A phenomenological qualitative design was used to identify the reasons students dropped out of school, the factors that influenced them to return, the characteristics of the secondary school environment they deemed most desirable, and the differences between the perceptions of African American and Caucasian students in their responses. Eight former dropouts from one South Georgia (USA) school district participated in two individual student interviews and one focus group interview to determine these answers. After coding the responses and identifying common themes, we had a record of the lived experiences and personal voices of these students that determined the essence of their experience. Five participants felt strongly that without the nontraditional secondary school, they would never have earned their diploma. Recommendations for further studies are included.
