This chapter reviews the literature and studies that are useful and from the basis in

coming up the total concept of the study. This also shows the factors in course in preference and
academic performance.

One of the most critical aspects of human resource is education. The performance of
students is critical in producing high-quality graduates who will become great leaders and
manpower for the country, ultimately responsible for the economic and social development of
the country. Academic achievement is one of the most important factors that employers consider
when hiring employees, particularly recent graduates. As a result, students must put forth their
best effort in their studies in order to obtain good grades and prepare themselves for future
opportunities in their careers while also meeting the employer’s demands. Academic
performance in colleges of education determines whether student will proceed to university for a
higher degree or be able to secure a teaching job.

There has been much wrangling about whether or not enthusiasm is the way to select a
career path. But, aside from enthusiasm, there are other critical components that can impact a
career negatively. A few later ponders suggest that understanding one’s claim identity
characteristics instead of energy, is the key to career fulfilment and success. Skills and abilities is
an individual’s aptitude and intellectual abilities are also criteria for choosing a career. An
aptitude is a potential for success in an area after undergoing some training but a layman may
define aptitude as a natural ability for something. The context which people live in with their
personal aptitudes, and educational attainment are the other things that do influence people’s
career choice. (Bandura, 2016).

According to Super’s Lifespan Theory, how we think about ourselves in these roles, their
requirements of them, and the external forces that affect them, may influence how we look at
careers in general and how we make choices for ourselves. Cultural differences have been
identified to have an impact on individuals’ career selections. Adolescents are the people who
are experiencing difficulties in and outside of their cultures. In order to be familiar with cultural
differences and their influences on career decision-making difficulties, one should go through
previous studies and assessments conducted to asses internal and cultural factors affecting
adolescents abilities to choose a career that he or she follow in their life span.

Awareness of the different learning style preferences of students enrolled in applied

sciences courses will eventually lead to more effective learning experiences. In fact, Alavi and
Toozandehjani (2017) concluded that having background of the learning styles of students can
enhance their learning and at the same time help students strengthen self-actualization. Teevan,
Michael and Schlesselman (2011) also emphasize that knowledge of the learning styles can help
facilitate teachers to employ suitable teaching strategies and methods to nurture students’
academic performance. Furthermore, Chilca (2017) studied on the study habits and academic
performance among university students concluded that study habits do influence academic
performance. Hence, in every school stetting particularly in higher education institutions, the
academic performance of students is an indicator of a quality learning experience.

Many studies have been conducted to examine the various factors that influence the
academic performance of students. There are kinds of factors that influence the students’
academic performance demonstrates that internal and external classroom factors have a
significant impact on students’ performance. Internal classroom factors include students’ English
proficiency, class schedules, class size, class test results, learning facilities, homework,
classroom environment, course material complexity, teachers’ roles in the classroom, technology
used in the classroom, and examinations system. Extracurricular activities, family problems are
examples of external classroom factors. According to research, students’ performance is affected
by a variety of factors, including learning facilities, age and gender differences, and a variety of
other variables.

Students make decisions throughout their college career, and decision-making is an

important element in learning process. If a person’s ability does not support the course they like,
they need to think for alternatives that would suit it. It is better to go for a course in which the
student is interested and which his abilities go well rather than going for a course in which the
abilities of the student are not compatible which can results to failure. According to the
Education Science (2021) there are many different reasons that lead a student to choose to study
one subject or university degree or another. These reasons are mainly linked to motivation with
which this task is approached, and they partly determine the possibility of academic success for
the student. The concept of motivation is, therefore, very relevant in these kinds of studies. We
begin by clarifying this concept and pointing out its most relevant aspects in terms of the choice
of study.

Regarding motivation, we agree with the following statement from Pintrich et al. (2006):

“Motivation is the process that tries to explain how the set of thoughts, beliefs and
emotions are transformed into a specific action to achieve a goal. It is the process by which the
activity that is directed to an objective is instigated and maintained”

This concept has a series of interesting peculiarities that can be analysed in view of the
main aim of the current work. The most relevant one is the difference between internal and
external motivation, which many works have already addressed in the field of motivation
psychology; (1) Internal motivation is the kind that its origin in the person themselves, such as
vocation or preferences. Vocation is understood here as the inclination that a person feels to
dictate themselves to a specific profession. (2) External motivation is the type that has its origin
in an external element that serves as a starting point for the person’s action. This type of
motivation is associated with the search for some type of reward associated with achievement of
the objective , such as salary or social position.
 The factors affecting students’ enrolment include socio-economic parent, teacher, gender,
environmental and employment opportunities. Ming (2010) finds students are often attracted to
post-secondary education because of the career opportunities it may provide. According to the
investigation of Jekayinfa (2011) students’ enjoyment of social studies and social studies lessons,
social implication of social studies, attitudes towards social studies teachers, career interest and
leisure interest in social studies are dependent on the location of the location of the school.
Students located in urban areas show more positive interest in social studies because of their
exposure to the media and information about social studies unlike their counterparts in the rural
areas who have little or no exposure to the subject matter as well as the beneficial nature of
social studies and the career opportunities opened to them. According to Khaled and Chiodo
(2004), the teacher-learning environment played a key role in shaping students’ attitude about
social studies. Teachers who are willing to assist students in learning showed enthusiasm in the
classroom, and paid close attention to students’ need had a strong effect on how students felt
about social studies. Additionally, students’ personality traits, personal goals and motivation as
well as the support from teachers and the teacher’s level of experience significantly influence the
academic performance of students (Ulate and Carballo. 2011). From the discussions above, it is
critical evident that student play a critical role towards their academic performance. Students’
factors such as developing interest in a subject, engaging in co-curricular activities (Javanthi et
al. 2014), regular studying, self-motivation, punctuality in school (Sibanda et al. 2015; Khan and
Ahmed, 2013), and students personal goals as well as personality traits (Ulate and Carballo,
2011) affect their academic performance.

According to Maric and Sakac (2014), students’ factors that affect their academic
performance could be classified into internal and social factors. They found that the internal
factors that influence students’ academic performance included interest in content of a subject,
internal satisfaction, and aspiration. The combination of factors influencing the academic
performance of students varies from one academic environment to another, from one set of
students to the next, and indeed from one cultural setting to another. More often than not,
students have worked hard but their input has not been positively correlated to their output. This
has been revealed in a report from UWI’s Office of Planning Development (2011). Course
selection is a non-trivial task. Prior to every academic term, students make a series of course
selection decisions. The course selections they make create a chain of reactions that influence
future course choices, skill development, and job decisions (Huang et al., 2019).

According to Fin, Monica B. Read, Heather (2020), this research investigates the factors
that impact students’ perceptions of Open Educational Resources (OER) in Higher Education.
This study examines the factors that impact the student perception of these materials to add to the
pedagogical discussion surrounding the increased used OER resources as method of improving
student access to education. This study looked factors regarding student, course and university
characteristics. The results suggest that feelings of connectivity to the course, a preference for
lower costs of education, likelihood to rate faculty members higher, and preference for online
courses contribute to positive student perceptions of open educational course materials; however
factors such as income or perceptions of monetary benefit show little effect.

Many college students choose social studies as their major because it piques their interest
in real-world issues. It enables students to comprehend societal and global developments as well
as their roles in shaping the nation’s future. Students will investigate current and global issues
concerning governance, their roles as citizens, living in a diverse society, and globalization.
These are issues that affect our children’s lives as young citizens, and they prepare them for the
responsibilities they will need to exercise wisely as adults in the future. Social studies encourage
students to become involved in policy issues rather than relying solely on the government to
achieve desired results. Because of curiosity, students choose social studies as their major course
for five reasons. Do you ever wonder why people act the way they do? Have you ever let your
mind wander and wondered what role you play in society? Perhaps social science will be able to
assist you in answering these questions. The study of social science is one of the oldest areas of
education and has made significantly contributions to society’s development throughout history.
Social science, in general, is the study of society and how people behave, interact, and influence
one another within a community. Do you need more convincing about what makes this course so
appealing? Here are some more reasons why you should start studying social science right away!
(1) It will give you a better understanding of mankind. Humans are naturally inquisitive, and we
are always fascinated by other people. One of the most exciting reasons for studying social
sciences is that it can help you gain a better understanding of yourself and others’ behaviour
through psychology. What motivates you to do something specific? Looking outward, you can
get sense of society as a whole. Then, using sociology and anthropology, they understand how
collective actions and behaviors shape culture. (2) It can help you make better choices for your
future. The first step toward shaping your future is to learn from past mistakes. What has gone
before? What are the most important things you can learn from it? History, as one of the social
sciences, can help you better understand society and examine it from various angles. It aids in the
development of critical thinking in students, allowing them to make informed decisions and gain
a holistic perspective. (3) It can help you manage your resources better. Social science is
concerned not only with the past and the future, but also with the present and how we deal with
it. People may be surprised to learn that economics is a branch of social science, and an
important branch at that, because it studies how society deals with scarcity. The study of
economics is concerned with how people can make the best use of their limited resources. Social
science will teach you a lot about how the world works. It will help you understand how
governments, corporations, and countries make decisions that have far-reaching consequences
for the lives of their citizens. (4) It will expose you to different cultures. You will be exposed to
various cultures and traditions as you learn about different societies and the people who live in
them. Why some actions are deemed moral in one place but immoral in another? What impacts
do social norms have on societal development? These are just a few of the questions that the
social sciences can help to answer. (5) It can provide you with a lot of career opportunities.
Studying social sciences not only helps you understand how things around you work, but it also
gives you the skills you need to participate in them. These skill sets include critical thinking,
analytical thinking logic, problem-solving, and communication skills, which can be acquired
through the study of political science or law. You can pursue a variety of careers with a degree in
social science. This can be in politics, academia, business, community, development, the media,
and a variety of other fields.

There are factors you should consider in selecting social studies as your major course, (1)
Start with your interest. Consider your passions and willingness to learn about social studies. (2)
Consider your talents and skills. Maximize your talents and gifts! Knowing your aptitude will
make it easy for you to determine the preferred course will suit you well. (3) Check the content
of social studies. Before enrolling in a course, it is important to research the content of the
modules. Being aware of what you’ll need to study will help you better understand your
prospective program. (4) Consider the earning potential. Consider your financial goals and
potential job opportunities as you may want to choose a course that will help you reach them.

According to Agarwala, T. (2008), we have factors that influence career choice, decision-
making, especially career decision-making, can be influenced by a lot of intrinsic and extrinsic
factors. Understand these influences can help in making an informed career decision which can
have long-term implications. The following are some of the factors that are considered in the
process of career decision making. (1) Personality. Your personality consists of relatively stable
enduring traits. A match between one’s personality and career are associated with better
adjustment at work and job satisfaction. A career counsellor will use standardized tests to assess
your personality and give feedback on your dominant traits and their relevance to one’s career.
(2) Interest. One’s interests, although not a stable as personality can also influence your career
decision-making process. Your career interests involve your preferences about work
environments and the nature of the work that you want to pursue. A career counsellor may
understand your career-related interests by administering standardized tests. (3) Values. An
understanding of our core values that we consider non-negotiable can help us guide our career
decision-making process. A career that clashes with our values can lead to dissonance,
influencing our job satisfaction. An avenue that can help you realize and express your core
values can also lead to greater sense of purpose and meaning in your work. (4) Perception of
careers. Popular media has influenced our perception of careers. There are some careers that are
perceived to be more glamorous and desirable than others, solely based on how they are
portrayed. However, selecting a career path based on a biased perception may not be an ideal
method, leaving us vulnerable to experience shock and regret. It would be helpful if you consult
people working in the field to get a more accurate perception of the pros and cons of the career.
(5) Skills abilities and talents. The skills, abilities, and talents that you have acquired over the
years also play a role in your career choices. (6) Culture. The culture the you were exposed to
does have a significant role in influencing the values and expectations. One’s selection of a
career can be influenced by the cultural norms that an individual is expected to follow. However,
these cultural norms can also create expectations and pressure to adhere to them. Multicultural
career counselling can help address these dilemmas, which can help you make an informed and
strategic decision. (7) Socio-economic factors. Our career choices occur in the context of the
economy and forces that affect the economy. Our own socio-economic status might be a
significant determining force that will influence the choice of our career. The remuneration that
we receive, our long-term financial aspirations influence our career choices. (8) Other career
related factors. The prospects for growth within a career, the perquisites it offers, the
geographical location of the organization, the opportunity to work from home, job security are
the parameters that can influence our career choices.