| Summary: | M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) === The aim of this study is to establish whether there is significant differences between the aptitudes of succesful freshmen in the B.A. (Law)-, B.Com. (Accountancy)- and B.Sc. (Biological Sciences) fields of study, as well as between succesful freshman male and female students. This study consists mainly out of two parts. Firstly a literature study discussing the concepts aptitude and aptitude testing. Futhermore aptitude and vocational guidance are discussed from an Educational Psychological perspective. Secondly an empirical study was done to establish differences in various aptitudes of the above mentioned fields of study and between male and female students. According to the literature study aptitude can be seen as a combination of factors which enables an individual to achieve a certain level of performance or to develop a certain skill with the necessary training. It is apparent from the literature study that aptitude is inherited; as well as influenced by environmental factors. In early childhood it varies considerably but stabilizes in later years. Slight similarities are present between aptitude and intelligence but a very clear distinction can be drawn. Aptitudes and interests influence each other but according to research, correlations very seldom exist. Differences appear between the aptitude patterns of males and females. The process of vocational guidance consists of three components, namely diagnosis, process and outcome. Vocational guidance is an educational matter which places a responsibility on each educator. Self-knowledge and career-knowledge are a prerequisite for a meaningful choice of a career. In the empirical study a random sample (n = 357) was taken from the successful freshmen at the Rand Afrikaans University for the years 1985, 1986, 1987 from the B.A. (Law)-, B.Com. (Accountancy), and B.Sc. (Biological Sciences) fields of study...
|
|---|
