The effectiveness of the computer-assisted career guidance program, choices, on self-efficacy and the career decision-making process
Date
1990
Authors
Vey, Clarence Alexander
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of one computer-assisted guidance program, the Computerized Heuristic Occupational Information Career Exploration System (CHOICES), upon self-efficacy and the decision-making process of system users. The effect of user/subject gender on self-efficacy and decision-making was also measured by comparing pre- and post-test total-scores on the Career Decision Scale {CDS) and the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (CDMSES).
The subjects were 10 male and 22 female undergraduate university students who were enrolled in at least one 400-level academic course in the Faculty of Education, and whose majors included several disciplines (e.g. Psychology, Philosophy). Volunteer subjects were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group, and all subjects completed pre- and post-tests of the CDS and CDMSES. An analysis of covariance was performed on the totals of all subjects' pre- and post-test scores. Results of the statistical analysis offered confirmation that in this population, CHOICES enhances decision-making abilities; F(l,30)=8.9; p<.001. No significant difference occurred in the level of self-efficacy between CHOICES users and control subjects. However, the analysis shows that female CHOICES users increased their mean level of self-efficacy from 290.5 to 322.7, as measured by the CDMSES; whereas, male CHOICES users showed a slight decrease in their total score mean.