Posted by Howard Richman on December 17 2009 at 17:46:07:
Here is the abstract of the report:
First-generation Canadian graduates of homebased education, who were involved in the 1994 study of their homeschooling experiences, were invited to respond to a survey addressing their economic, educational, occupational, social, civic, life satisfaction, and lifestyle characteristics. Their views on their experience with home education were also collected. Where possible, responses were compared with extant information (from public sources) relating to their school-educated peers.
Homeschooled adults who participated in this study were more likely than the comparable Canadian population to have completed an undergraduate degree, to be civically engaged, to value their religious beliefs, to have multiple income sources, to report income from self-employment, and to report high satisfaction with life. They were found to be physically active, to have higher average incomes than their peers, and were notably more engaged than the comparable population in a wide variety of cultural and leisure activities. They were equally as likely not to be married but, unlike their Canadian counterparts, did not live in commonlaw arrangements, and they were less likely to have children early but tended to have larger than average families when they did have children. More than half of the respondents perceived that they were “very well” prepared for both future education and for life. The respondents described the most positive aspects about being homeschooled as rich relationships, opportunity for enrichment, schedule flexibility, individualization of pace and programs, development of their independence, and the superior education received. The negative aspects identified by some respondents included the social prejudice and, for a number of respondents, social challenges, some curricular limitations, some later difficulty adapting to classroom settings, and some wondered about possible strains on their family.
In general, the respondents conveyed appreciation for their home education and the opportunities offered to them. The educational attainments, occupational achievements, and societal engagement of these adults indicate the success of late twentieth and early twenty-first century Canadian home education and suggest that diverse approaches to education should continue to be probed for their future promise.
Howarde