Perception by 9-11 Grades Students of Additional Education and the Motives for Their Choice

Over the past decade, the coverage rate of children receiving additional education has increased by about 40%, indicating an increased interest among schoolchildren in extracurricular activities in addition to the regular school program. Such growth in the popularity of additional education requires a deeper understanding of students' motivation and perception of this educational practice. The subject of my research is the perception of additional education, including self-education, and the motivation of adolescents to engage in it. For this study, a data collection method involving semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted online with adolescents was chosen. This approach allows for obtaining the most comprehensive and meaningful narrative from the participants, and the uniform structure of the conversations facilitates further analysis and comparison of their responses. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that adolescents are more inclined to choose additional courses aimed at a deeper exploration of topics of interest to them and the development of skills necessary for their future professional activities. Their need for in-depth study of topics they find interesting is driven by a desire for self-realization and the search for their place in society.