Study Load at the Beginning of Studies at Military University and Coping Strategies

Abstract

Socio-psychological research on the study load and ways of coping with it is provided to university management by a number of valuable information for improving the educational process and expanding counselling services for students. The aim of the article is to supplement the general knowledge of the structure of the study load and ways of managing it in a specific area of study such as the study of a military university. The article informs about the results of a pilot research carried out on a sample of 254 first-year students of economic-managerial and technical specialization of military studies. The main goal of this research was primarily to verify whether the biggest burden is still the greatest burden on students and military management. Military students differ significantly in their preferred workload management strategies from their civilian counterparts. Data were collected using the usual method for this type of research – the method of questioning, which was implemented through two questionnaires: Questionnaire of stressful situations and standardized questionnaire Stress Management Strategy – SVF 78. The first questionnaire was created for this research based on analogy of available questionnaire from a school environment for research in the civilian environment of lower education levels. The results were processed using the program STATISTICS CZ 12, evaluated using relevant statistical methods (Anova, Mann-Whitney test). Based on the results, the validity of the general assumption could not be proved, as the greatest burden of probands saw in the organizational provision only parts of military education, for which the specific organizational unit of the school is responsible. Positive findings include a preference for positive strategies for managing the military study load over negative ones, in which military students agree with civilian students. For military students, compared to the assumptions, statistically significant differences in the use of some strategies depending on gender were demonstrated; differences depending on the field of study could not be demonstrated. Despite the local validity of specific results, the text can be beneficial for a wider academic environment both in the field of methodology and knowledge