Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the needs of dental hygiene students at a lifelong education center of a three-year-course college for a credit bank system. The subjects in this study were 200 dental hygiene students at a college located in J, which offered courses of a credit bank system. A survey was conducted from May 19 to 23, 2008, to gather data on the acquisition of a bachelor's degree and the credit bank system, and the answer sheets from 184 respondents(92%) were collected. After the collected data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 12.0 program, the following findings were given: 1. In regard to an intention of taking a bachelor's degree, the largest number of the students investigated(74.5%) intended to do that if they had any chance. As for the reason, 55.6% wanted to get the degree in pursuit of their own personal development. 2. Concerning how to win a bachelor's degree, the largest group that accounted for 63.0% preferred the credit bank systems of college lifelong education centers. 41.8% got interested in the credit bank system mainly because their acquaintances informed them of it. It shows that colleges should reinforce publicity activities if they want to offer the credit bank system. 3. The quality of educational programs and cost had an impact on the choice of an educational institution when they planned to get a bachelor's degree from the credit bank system. Therefore excellent educational programs should be provided, and the government should provide learners with economic help and fund educational institutions. 4. As to comparison of a regular college and the credit bank system as a way to get a bachelor's degree, that was considered to be helpful for finding a job(a mean of 3.39) and for the development of sociability(3.22). That was also deemed to be of use for the improvement of practical job performance, to win public recognition and to be helpful for being well-cultivated, though not many students had those opinions. They took a different view according to academic year(p<.05). 5. Regarding the expected effects of getting a degree from the credit bank system, the greatest group expected it to step up their personal development(3.85). The second largest group expected it to boost job efficacy(3.30), and the students whose academic year was higher had a better opinion. 6. As for future directions for the credit bank system, the largest group put emphasis on the improvement of social perception through intensive P.R. and the enhancement of the qualifications of professors and lecturers(4.02). These opinions were more stressed by the juniors than by the sophomores and seniors, and academic year made a significant difference to their views(p<.05).
