Do Religious Beliefs Influence Students' Career Choice?

• In Event: 61.069 - MTCC Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: 61.069-11 - Religion and Schooling

Abstract

Religion and the existence of God are important aspects in most Indonesians’ lives regardless of their religious affiliations. The study investigates the extent to which religious beliefs influence students’ motivations for entering teacher education, perceptions about teaching and career aspirations. Data were collected from 802 Indonesian teacher education students. The connection between religion and career aspirations was confirmed by the differences identified between religious groups. Muslim participants experienced the strongest influence from their religion to enter teacher education. They perceived teaching as a noble and respected profession, and were more satisfied with their choices, compared to participants from Protestant and Catholic participants.

Author

• Anne Suryani, The University of Melbourne