Evaluation of a Distance Education Course in Students' Decision-Making and Beliefs about Careers

Abstract

To assess the influence of a distance course on careers in students' career decision-making and beliefs, 178 distance education college students in the Open University in Taiwan completed the Career Decision Scale, the Career Beliefs Checklist, and a demographic sheet. Unlike most prior research, the course was not associated with career decision-making and beliefs of the students, but students mentioned that career beliefs influenced their decision-making. Three-way multivariate analysis of covariance showed a main effect for age groups on career indecision. On a follow-up questionnaire to which 143 of the same subjects responded, the students indicated their concern about specific factors in career decision-making. The research findings have important implications for the redesign of the career education course for adults and for research.