Career decision-making the relationship between educational indecision and vocational indecision.
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Date
1997
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Abstract
The present study investigates the relationship between educational and vocational
indecision. It examines gender and cultural differences in relation to these two main
variables. Three levels of educational and vocational indecision among first-entry
university students were studied and designated the categories decided, tentatively
decided and undecided. A biographical questionnaire and the Career Decision Scale
(CDS) were used to gather quantitative data. The CDS was used to measure career
indecision. Students here were arbitrarily categorised as decided, somewhat decided and
undecided according to their CDS scores. Interviews were also conducted to gather
qualitative data.
A total of 404 students completed the questionnaire and CDS, and a total of 25 students
were interviewed. The sample was drawn from the first year student population and
comprised 153 male and 221 female students. There were 271 African, 1 Coloured, 99
Indian and 4 White students in the sample.
The results from the data show that there is a significant relationship between
educational and vocational indecision in the sample. There were significant differences
for gender and culture in relation to educational and vocational indecision. Male
students were found to be more decided than female students about their majors and
vocation. African students were more decided about their vocation than their majors.
The reverse was true for Indian students, that is, they were more decided about their
majors than their vocation. There were also very interesting differences among the
different language groups. The findings of this study show that the levels of educational
and vocational indecision were high among the first-entry university students.
Recommendations and implications for further study are discussed.
KEY TERMS: Career decision-making; majors; vocation; indecision.
Description
Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 1997.
Keywords
Vocational education., Theses--Education., Career education.