Evaluación de los factores disposicionales que influyen en la elección de especialidad en estudiantes de Décimo Año de Educación General Básica, año 2025

Abstract

Abstract: This study evaluated the dispositional factors influencing the choice of specialization among tenth-grade students at the Monseñor Francisco Dólera Educational Unit (UEMFD) during the 2025 academic year. The research employed a descriptive design and a mixed-methods approach, aiming to characterize quantifiable trends and, complementarily, to describe and understand contextual elements of the decision-making process. The sample consisted of 120 students. The adapted IFIEC instrument (30 items) with a four-point ordinal scale (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1) and three dimensions personal, family, and vocational factors was used for the diagnostic assessment. The instrument's internal consistency was satisfactory (α = 0.86), supporting its use for institutional diagnostic purposes. The assessments revealed a majority preference for the sciences over technical fields and an average level of low confidence in the decision-making process. In the dispositional analysis, it was found that the family and personal dimensions carried more weight than the vocational dimension. In this regard, strong family involvement, self-knowledge, perceived academic ability, and clarity of educational goals were considered sources of guidance. Thus, the mention of active family participation, self-knowledge, perceived academic ability, and clarity of educational goals, which guide the decision, was considered a source of guidance. Based on this evidence, guidelines are proposed for strengthening vocational and professional guidance at the UEMFD (University of Medellín, Colombia) through a set of systematic interventions that include exploring interests, tutoring, integrating the Student Counseling and Guidance Department (DECE), and greater family involvement, to facilitate informed, coherent, and sustainable decisions.