A Case study on perception management and preferability in education institutions: Science high schools sample in Centre sub - provinces of Antalya province

This study was conducted to determine the perception management works in the science high schools in central sub-provinces of Antalya Province and their effects on preferability. The study was done in integrated multi-cases study pattern as one of the qualitative research methods. The research with maximum variety sample was conducted in one public and two private science high schools. As a result of the analysis of the data to be obtained, the characteristics of the ideal secondary school according to the parents of the students. The information resources (perception sources) which the parents use for the education of their children were determined. The perceptions of the parents on private and public schools were determined. The efforts of the schools to generate these perceptions and the effects of these efforts were figured out. The people who are effective on the selection of the secondary schools were defined. The important facts which the parents see important for the effective perception were determined. As a result of the study, physical hardware, course and university exam successes, successful student profile, achievement of the social and cultural works and so on are more prominent but there are different definitions with reference to the desires and expectations of people in for the definition of the ideal secondary school. For the recognition of the schools; the interviews in the schools, internet searches, reference groups, instructions of the teachers in other schools and courses, advertorial and introductory efforts and the experiences of the family members, past information and school orientations are assessed as the sources of the information. Both public and private science schools are seen as successful schools. There are dominant perceptions such as the higher success of the students in science high schools despite their too much efforts, legislation, bureaucracy and short of material facilities, teachers doing only the requirements. On the other hand, in private science schools, there are better communications and the students are considered more closely with more facilities but the parents have concerns on commercial matters related with these schools. For three schools in the scope of the study, there are different perceptions. All parents made interviews with the schools before the registration and the private science high schools had more effects on the parents, unlike the public science high schools where the parents had negative perceptions. For the selection of the high schools, the parents try to create opportunities for their children to meet the schools as guides but the students make the final decision alone under effects of many like family members, teachers, friends, neighbours and so on. It is seen important for the educational institutions to announce the individual or common successes of their students with various manners to introduce their schools and increase the preferability to the people. The schools consider the written and visual advertisements rarely but the students and reference groups are more effective for the introduction of these schools, as the result to be reached.