Communication Apprehension and Students' Educational Choices: An Exploratory Analysis of Spanish Secondary Education Students

Autor/inn/en	Arquero, Jose Luis; Fernández-Polvillo, Carmen; Valladares-García, Dolores
Titel	Communication Apprehension and Students' Educational Choices: An Exploratory Analysis of Spanish Secondary Education Students
Quelle	In: Education & Training, 59 (2017) 9, S.946-956 (11 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0040-0912
DOI	10.1108/ET-04-2017-0049
Schlagwörter	Secondary School Students; Foreign Countries; Anxiety; Communication (Thought Transfer); Career Choice; Career Counseling; Communication Skills; Vocational Education; Statistical Analysis; Counselors; Fear; Questionnaires; Tests; Writing Apprehension; Academic Aspiration; Student Attitudes; Preferences; Higher Education; Spain; Writing Apprehension Test + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sekundarschüler; Ausland; Angst; Communication; thought; Kommunikation; Gedanke; Kommunikationsstil; Ausbildung; Berufsbildung; Statistische Analyse; Counselor; Counsellor; Counsellors; Berater; Furcht; Fragebogen; Examination; Prüfung; Examen; Schülerverhalten; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Spanien
Abstract	Purpose: The literature evidences the effects of communication apprehension (CA), defined as the level of fear and anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication, on educational efforts and suggests that (via the perceived desirability of certain professions) it could affect vocational choices. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between CA and the vocational choice of secondary education students. Design/methodology/approach: Data were obtained from two sources: a self-administered questionnaire to measure the students' CA levels and their academic preferences, and the vocational counsellors' advice for these students. Findings: The results confirm the existence of a link between CA and both students' vocational choices and counsellors' advice. In general terms, apprehensive students tend to choose vocational education, whereas students with lower levels prefer university for further education. Focussing on the later, more apprehensive students tend to choose science degrees, which are perceived as requiring lower levels of communication skills. Research limitations/implications: Limitations include the use of a convenience sample in only a country.Practical implicationsApprehensive students could be avoiding a path, with all the implications for their professional future, because it is perceived as frightening due to the apparent communication level required. As the literature note the links between CA and communication self-efficacy allows the development of educational interventions resulting in a reduction of CA. Originality/value: The scarce early literature has paid attention to occupational and educational choices in higher and further education, but there is no research focussing on the link between CA and pre-university academic decisions. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01