Vocational profile and test for Computer, Agricultural and Mathematics Teaching majors Perfil y test vocacional para las carreras de Computadores, Agrícola y Enseñanza de la Matemática

Abstract

This research aimed at designing and validating a vocational preference test for three majors at Costa Rica Institute of Technology (ITCR): Computer Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, and Mathematics Teaching in Technological Environments. The sample of the study consisted of 13 educators (15.4% female, 84.6% male) and 435 students, 63.2% male and 36.8% female, with an average age of 20.74 years. A vocational profile by discipline was prepared, reviewed and validated by experts. The resulting document served as the basis for the vocational instrument. Subsequently, its psychometric properties were evaluated through factor analysis, obtaining adequate goodness-of-fit indicators. The test included a general skills and interests scale, aswell as a career task scale. The existence of vocational profiles for each discipline was demonstrated and those participants who showed greater affinity with the profile of their major also showed greater vocational satisfaction. Significant differences were showed according to vocational satisfaction level in physical skills, leadership, mathematical reasoning, discipline self-regulation, visuospatial and chemistry ability. Moreover, significant differences were found in favor of women in the means of biological ability, discipline self-regulation and visuospatial ability, in preference for tasks and interests in Mathematics Teaching and in Agricultural Engineering tasks. Men obtained higher averages in physical ability, mathematical ability and preference for tasks and interests in Computer Engineering.