Hauser, Shannon Stuck in the Fig Tree: Investigating how students problem frame in the context of choosing a major. 2024. Radford University, Thesis. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
This study examines how college students decide on their majors, with a focus on the interplay between identity formation and cognitive development during emerging adulthood. The research question focuses on how students frame the question of how to select a major and explored how students identify both internal and external influences associated with choosing a major. The methodology employed includes one-on-one interviews with students who have recently declared their majors, utilizing storytelling cards to facilitate discussion. Additionally, a workshop with academic advisers was conducted to gather insights on students’ engagement in major selection. The sample comprised students aged 18-23 as well as faculty who serve as first year academic advisers from the University of Mary Washington, a public liberal arts college. The findings reveal that personal identity, future aspirations, and external influences are significant themes in students’ problem framing behaviors. The study yielded insights from the application of problem framing methods, including abductive reasoning and identifying central paradoxes, offering valuable implications for educators, advisers, and academic institutions to enhance guidance and support for student decision-making.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | N Fine Arts > NX Arts in general |
| Divisions: | Radford University > College of Visual and Performing Arts > Department of Design |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Aug 2024 00:44 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Aug 2024 00:44 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1132 |
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