The Pass Survey: school‐based preferences of 500 + adolescent consumers

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Abstract
Survey sheets requiring three responses, written in order of preference, to each of 10 items regarding various aspects of school, were administered to 595 secondary school students attending three rural and four urban comprehensive schools. Data were assembled from the highest preference responses only, and compiled into three levels of rank‐order for incentive preferences regarding good behaviour, incentive preferences regarding good work, preferences for teacher support of good behaviour, preferences for teacher support of good work, observed teacher qualities, projected teacher qualities, preferred changes to the school environment, and reasons for attending school. Results revealed that an almost universal level of support existed for the use of incentives linked directly to good social behaviour and or academic performance. Overall, social outcomes were preferred for good behaviour, and tangible outcomes were preferred for good schoolwork. However, age, sex, and ability effects provided some qualification of these trends. Academic outcomes were very poorly supported throughout. In terms of feedback preferences, overt feedback received significantly more support than covert feedback overall, and was linked significantly more often to social behaviour than schoolwork. This sample also favoured teachers who show empathy and explain well. The majority of these adolescents indicated that they would like their schools to be redecorated more than any other physical change they could think of, and almost without exception exhibited positive reasons for attending school.