TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding Dutch students’ subject choices in secondary education using the Theory of Planned Behavior
AU - Dijks, Monique A.
AU - Warrens, Matthijs J.
AU - Korpershoek, Hanke
AU - Bosker, Roel
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Subject choices in secondary education are important decisions, since they critically determine the tertiary fields of study that pupils can pursue. Multiple variables may play a role in pupils’ decisions, such as their social environment and attitudes. The current study investigated subject choice intentions using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Fishbein & Ajzen, Citation2010). Structural equation modelling was used to investigate TPB for Dutch students in senior general and pre-university education (N = 1295). A new model with second-order factors accommodated the high correlations between the latent constructs. The new second-order factors were referred to as considerations (determined by attitude, subjective norm and perceived control) and beliefs (behavioral, normative and control beliefs). In total, 90.3% of the variance in choice intention was determined by considerations; students’ attitudes were the most important factor. Considering a broad spectrum of beliefs and considerations seems desirable when guiding students in their subject choices.
AB - Subject choices in secondary education are important decisions, since they critically determine the tertiary fields of study that pupils can pursue. Multiple variables may play a role in pupils’ decisions, such as their social environment and attitudes. The current study investigated subject choice intentions using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Fishbein & Ajzen, Citation2010). Structural equation modelling was used to investigate TPB for Dutch students in senior general and pre-university education (N = 1295). A new model with second-order factors accommodated the high correlations between the latent constructs. The new second-order factors were referred to as considerations (determined by attitude, subjective norm and perceived control) and beliefs (behavioral, normative and control beliefs). In total, 90.3% of the variance in choice intention was determined by considerations; students’ attitudes were the most important factor. Considering a broad spectrum of beliefs and considerations seems desirable when guiding students in their subject choices.
U2 - 10.1080/13803611.2023.2290508
DO - 10.1080/13803611.2023.2290508
M3 - Article
SN - 1380-3611
VL - 29
SP - 1
EP - 26
JO - Educational Research and Evaluation
JF - Educational Research and Evaluation
IS - 1-2
ER -