Learning Behaviors Influenced by Goal Setting in Selecting a Field of Study at the Higher Education Level of Secondary 5 and 6 Students

Abstract

This research aims to study the learning behaviors influenced by goal setting in selecting a field of study at the higher education level of secondary 5 and 6 students. The study was conducted using a case study of Debsirin School, Bangkok and collected data through stratified random sampling with a sample size of 233 individuals. The research tools used were questionnaires comprising personal information, behavioral practices, and learning behaviors in five aspects: classroom learning and time management, extracurricular study and time management, participation in activities, anxiety levels regarding further education, and societal preferences.

The study findings reveal that the majority of students set their educational goals primarily in the field of engineering, followed by social sciences. The top university targeted for first-choice goals was Chulalongkorn University, followed by Mahidol University. Behavioral practices were significantly associated with the intended fields of study at the higher education level at a significance level of 0.05. In terms of the average time spent on self-study revision, it was found that medical science group spent more time compared to other groups. Learning behavior was significantly associated with the intended fields of study at the higher education level, particularly concerning immediate inquiry to teachers or peers when not understanding the content. The medical science group and the engineering group exhibited higher levels of inquiry behavior, while the remaining groups had moderate questioning behavior.