RESULTS OF OPINION POLL CONDUCTED AMONG STUDENTS OF PHILOLOGY

AND UNIVERSITY LECTURERS AND COLLABORATORS CONCERNING THE LEVEL OF ADJUSTMENT OF THE

CONTENTS OF STUDY PROGRAMMES TO THE LABOUR MARKET

Prof. Julijana Vučo, PhD Prof. Olivera Durbaba, PhD

1Beograd, 15.12.2012.

THE OVERALL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS – STUDENTS

• A total of 827 respondents participated. The majority of the respondents were from the University of Belgrade (61%) and the University of Novi Sad (16%). The University of Kragujevac provided 13% of the respondents, the Univerzitet of Niš 9%, and the University of Novi Pazar 1 % of the respondents.

2Beograd, 15.12.2012.

THE OVERALL NUMBER OF LECTURERS AND COLLABORATORS: The overall number of respondents: 66 lecturers and collaborators. The greatest number of lecturers were polled at the Universities of Belgrade (48%) and Novi Sad (32%). The Universities of Niš and Kragujevac provided 9 %, and the University in Novi Pazar1 % of the candidates.

3Beograd, 15.12.2012.

THE AGE STRUCTURE OF STUDENTS AND THE LENGTH OF STUDYING

Most of the students polled were born between 1988 and 1991; 15% of the students were born up to 1987, and 6% were born after 1991. The poll featured most students from the final years of studies – 30% from

the 4th year and 31% the 3rd year of studies. There were 23% of students from the 2nd year and 9% of students from the 1st year of studies. A relatively small number of students attended the Master’s Degree level of studies, only 6% of those polled.

4Beograd, 15.12.2012.

THE STRUCTURE OF LECTURERS IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC TITLES AND THE LENGTH OF

EMPLOYMENT• 45 % of respondents – LECTURERS

(senior lecturers, readers and full professors);

• 55 % of respondents – COLLABORATORS(lectors, senior lectors, language teachers, assistants and teachers).

• Most of the respondents have been employed at the University between 6 and 15 years (50%).

• 29% have been employed between 16 and 25 years.

• 14% have been employed up to 5 years.

• 4% of the respondents have been employed at the University between 26 and 35 years, or over 35 years.

5Beograd, 15.12.2012.

DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS ACCORDING TO FACULTY DEPARTMENTS

• The poll featured students from a total of 21 departments of foreign language studies.

• The majority of the respondents were students of the English language (34%), which corresponds to the distribution within the framework of the university centres and the overall number of students enrolled.

• Students studying the languages taught at schools also featured prominently in the poll, namely, students of

• German (12%), • French, Russian and Spanish (9%

each), • Italian (6%).

Language Number of students Percentage

English 282 34% German 102 12% Russian 73 9% Spanish 73 9% French 71 9% Italian 49 6% Others 177 21%

6Beograd, 15.12.2012.

DISTRIBUTION OF LECTURERS ACCORDING TO THEIR SCIENTIFIC AREA

The majority of the respondents teach linguistic subjects:

- theoretical linguistics (41%)- applied linguistics (43%) - pracatical language teaching

(59%).

43% of the respondents teach literary-theoretical and culturological subjects.

The overall number exceeds 100%, since most lecturers teach more than one philological area.

Beograd, 15.12.2012. 7

REASONS FOR SELECTING THE AREA OF STUDIES Response Percenta

ge

Interest in a foreign language 83

Mastery of a foreign language 51

Interest in becoming a literary translatior 46

Interest in becoming a professional translator 46

Interest in becoming a teacher 39

Interest in consecutive or simultaneous translation

37

Interest in literature 37

A sought-after profession, good chances of finding a job

23

Interest in the native language 15

Stimulus provided by family or friends 5

Belief that philological studies are easy/easier than other fields of study

38Beograd, 15.12.2012.

DEGREE OF PERSONAL (DIS)SATISFACTION WITH THE PHILOLOGICAL PROFESSION

• very or mostly satisfied: 68% • partly satisfied: 25% • mostly or very dissatisfied: 7%

9Beograd, 15.12.2012.

PLANS CONCERNING THE CHOICE OF PROFESSION

Future profession: translator (42%) language teacher (41%)

other (17%)

Prospects Percentage

Very good 15

Relatively good 54

Medium 25

Limited and poor 5

None 1

10Beograd, 15.12.2012.

LECTURERS’ VIEWS ON THE CONTENTS AND ELEMENTS OF TEACHING THAT SHOULD BE IMPROVED FOR THE

SAKE OF BETTER CHANCES OF EMPLOYMENT

• Linking teaching and practice; • intensifying the teaching of narrowly professional subjects

with a view to modularisation and professionalisation of philological professional titles, areas and profiles;

• reform of translation teaching (both literary and non-literary), introducing professional translation in the curriculum;

• Intensifying speech production teaching and development of communicative competence (e.g.. Through use of a foreign language and within the framework of teaching other theoretical disciplines);

• changing the didactic forms of higher education (interactive manner of work, necessity of professional advancement of universitety lecturers);

• reducing the number of classes dedicated to theoretical subjects (especially literature and history of language) and exam requirements of factographic nature. 11Beograd, 15.12.2012.

STUDENTS’ VIEWS ON THE USEFULNESS OF TEACHING CONTENTS

12Beograd, 15.12.2012.

STUDENTS’ VIEWS ON THE TEACHING CONTENTS IRRELEVANT FOR THEIR FUTURE

PROFESSIONA generally negative view of subjects, mainly because of their

general character or predominantly theoretical concept:

“I believe that some subjects are useful only if one plans to teach at a faculty. However, most students will never be able to use the majority of the knowledge they acquire in a professional context.”

13Beograd, 15.12.2012.

A negative view of theoretical subjects from the students’ own department (literature, theoretical linguistics, history of language):

“What’s the use of literature, anyway? It is useful only to those who will stay to work at the faculty, and that means one person in every five generations.”

STILL: there is some awareness of the function of teaching literature:

“For, even those subjects that we tend to refer to as ‘useless’ (meaning literature, which has no specific use after we finish our studies), do provide a certain amount of knowledge, some general culture, which can be of use after all, both in translation and teaching.”

14Beograd, 15.12.2012.

A critical view on the necessity of programmatic, methodological or organisational innovations in the sphere of teaching:

“Instead of there being at least two semesters of teaching simultaneous/consecutive translation, we get two semesters of subjects totally irrelevant to students, who have opted for the translation vocational stream with good reason.”

15Beograd, 15.12.2012.

A critical view on the didactic methods or competence of lecturers and teaching collaborators, and the relevance of literature:

“I would say that there are contents which lecturers place too much emphasis on, while neglecting others. Such views of the lecturers make me feel that such contents are unnecessary.”

16Beograd, 15.12.2012.

A positive view of variety of philological contents: “Actually, from my point of view, there is no superfluous

information. There are contents of greater or lesser importance for my future profession, but there are none that are devoid of value altogether.”

A POSITIVE VIEW OF VARIETY OF PHILOLOGICAL CONTENTS

17Beograd, 15.12.2012.

STUDENTS: CONTENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THEIR FUTURE WORK, BUT ARE NOT OFFERED IN THE

COURSE OF THEIR STUDIES translation, simultaneous, consecutive, professional practice – connection between what is taught and its

practical professional application contemporary programmes, contemporary forms of work active language teaching new subjects extracurricular activities, student exchange programmes equipment

18Beograd, 15.12.2012.