Journal Article

Steering Ideology in Educational Decision-Making

El Falaky, May, El Shazly, Reham

2019

Overview

Factors influencing major choice, as a career decision making, are examined using qualitative data generated from questionnaires and written introspection reports. Data were collected from150 volunteering undergraduates enrolled in one of the Egyptian private universities. Data analysis was mainly inductive with consideration to the Eccles' Expectancy-Value Model. Students' motivations for their major choice are interpreted through a synergy of Self-determination Theory and Expectancy- Value Model, where affective emotive evaluation is perceived as a governing factor. With empirical evidence, this study explores the students' ideological proclivities in major choice decision-making process. The results suggest that value beliefs involving emotive and evaluative motivations, intrinsic motivation, are decisive factors. Our findings make two contributions to the burgeoning scholarship on major choice. First, the eastern societies' curricular and professional pathways appear to be explained by affective disposition towards the field of study rather than socio-cognitive and intellectual processing in the decision making. Second, the results postulate that the Language and Translation students make their enrolment choices informed by centripetal-driven determinants, whereas the Media students' decisions are driven by centrifugal motives. Challenging quintessential conclusions, the results assert that parents, role models, intellectual achievement demonstrate little effect on the decisions of the majority of the students. Probing into an under-researched area, these findings benefit colleges and higher education institutions in the development of appropriate promotions to differentiate themselves in a meaningful way to potential students. They also provide insights which can aid professionals and stakeholders in supporting this unique population through career and decision making processes

• Publisher: جامعة عين شمس - كلية التربية
• Subject: اتخاذ القرارات / الأيديولوجية التوجيهية / التخصص الجامعي / التعليم الجامعي / القرارات التربوية / طلبة الجامعة / علم النفس التربوي