COMMONWEALTH ASSOCATION FOR EDUCATION,
ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
ISSN NO 2322-0147
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 5
MAY 2014
College and University Students’: Politics and
Decision Making- A Literature Review
INDEXED WITH PARIS, DAIS.NET, DRJI, WORLDCAT, EBSCO-USA, J-GATE
(EDITOR-IN-CHIEF)
DR MUJIBUL HASAN SIDDIQUI
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY,
ALIGARH-202002,
UTTAR PRADESH,
INDIA
website: www.ocwjournalonline.com
Excellence International Journal of Education and
Research (Multi- subject journal)
Excellence International Journal Of Education And Research VOLUME 2
ISSUE 5
ISSN 2322-0147
College and University Students’: Politics and Decision
Making- A Literature Review
By
Guptajit Pathak
Assistant Professor
Department of History
Kanya Mahavidyalaya
Geetanagar,
Guwahati-21,
Assam.
E-mail:
guptajitpathak@yahoo.com
Mobile : +91 99548 85175
ABSTRACT :
Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind,
character or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by
which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one
generation to another. Education has long been a powerful predictor in understanding political
participation and yet the paths toward earning a college degree have changed considerably in
recent years. College and University students’ report higher levels of political interest, political
skills, political mobilization and political participation.
The student communities, being young and energetic, are a bundle of inflammable material.
They being young have no patience are lively and malleable.
The research is mainly focused on distinctive features of politics and decision making and the
reflection of emotional thinking of the college and University students’.
Key Words :
College, Education, Decision Making, Politics, University.
Introduction :
Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind,
character or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by
which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one
generation to another.
The Research paper illustrates students’ politics and decision making process and their impact
on the critical thinking process. The research is mainly focused on distinctive features of politics
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and decision making and the reflection of emotional thinking of the college and University
students’.
Aims and Objectives:
1.
2.
To focus about the politics and decision making process of the college and university
students’.
To highlight the distinctive features of politics and Decision making and the reflection of
emotional thinking of the college and University students’.
Importance of the Study:
1.
2.
The research paper will highlight as an interesting document for politics and decision
making process of the college and university students’.
It will be vital for the researchers and academicians for their research work in the study
area.
Research Methodology:
The research paper is basically, a survey cum descriptive and analytical method. The study is a
micro-level study. The primary data are collected through a well designed schedule of questions.
The secondary sources are i.e. books, articles, journals, magazines, newspapers, periodicals,
research paper, pamphlets, paper clips, internet, websites and different types of collections.
Hypothesis:
Politics and decision making process has a great value in the context of college and University
students’.
Politics of College and University Students:
College and University students have common thinking styles and it has an impact on their
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critical thinking process. They give much emphasis on distinctive features of convergent or
divergent thinking and the reflection of emotional thinking on decision-making process. They
have practical advantages and disadvantages in thinking process, as some subjective side of
purposeful activity, which practically changes objective conditions. It means and subjects of a
human life and by that forms the very individual and all his mental ability.
The impact in educational systems, home school, public school, private and charter are not only
determined by the political actions of our elected officials, integration of technology, hence,
the growing interaction of students activity allowed to participate in real world experiences
including politics and its different scenarios.
No matter what their size, politics and elections in colleges and universities are exciting things.
From student government to city council to presidential elections, college and university
students and its campuses are often at the forefront of all kind of politics, political activism, and
the political process. Interesting is that how they get involved and makes a difference while still
managing to stay on top of academics.
In the present world, college and university students are more and more interested in political
arenas; hence, it is not uncommon to find some youth’s active participation in political
activities. Many students even have expressed loyalty to or enroll themselves in their
interested political parties. Question is that how these participations of students can affect the
political future and other social issues in the short term and long term perspectives.
A primary difference must be made here between politics as active participation in political
movements and the study of political science. Basically, political science is an academic subject
and it involves the study of the administrative systems of different countries, the formation of
political parties, different judiciary systems, etc. Political science, hence, is a theoretical study
of world political systems. Politics means the formation of political parties and their active
participation in the administration of a country. It involves organizing political meetings,
canvassing for elections and the manipulation of people for political gains.
Students’ participation in political areas has some drawbacks. The main occupation of students
should be the pursuit of their respective courses of study. All their time and energy should be
used in this activity. It is only in this way that they can secure their own individual futures and
thereby safeguard the future life of the nation. Basically, political participation means a huge
waste of this precious time and energy.
Politics may be beneficial in some ways. Students would be well-advised to stay well away from
politics. Their main business is to concern themselves with studies. They can do the most good
for themselves with studies. Through it they can do the most good for themselves as well as for
the nation.
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Decision Making Process of College and University Students:
In students’ decision-making process voluntarily or not, applies a certain thinking style. In the
term of thinking style finds its reflection one trivial fact- we think differently about same. When
it comes to problem-solving or decision-making, two people, chosen at random, will most likely
not simply approach to a situation in different ways, but behave, as if they deal with two
different situations.
Individual differences in thinking appear to be very versatile and depend on a great number of
causes, which makes it tough to reduce them to a common denominator. Thinking style could
be defined as open system of intellectual strategies, modes, skills and operations, which person
is predisposed to.
Decision making styles start to form in childhood, develop during all life and usually seem
optimal to their bearers. Nevertheless, better understanding of thinking styles help us in
finding common language with "difficult" people and influencing them more effectively, making
our intelligence more powerful and effective and becoming more exact and impartial in
perception, understanding and assessment of what other people speak and work.
Convergent and Divergent styles in decision making process:
The model of structure of the intellect, discovered Joy Paul Guilford, marks out divergent
thinking, as an ability to find as many possible solutions to a particular problem, and
convergent thinking, as an ability to find the best single solution to a problem. Features of
convergent style are abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. In problem-solving
and decision-making students prefer to deal rather with technical tasks and formulated
problems, than with social and interpersonal relations issues.
Divergent style is characterized by dominance of concrete experience and reflective
supervision. Individuals with divergent thinking can easily visualize of contradictory mixed
situations. They like creative activity connected with comprehensive consideration of the
problems, based on search of the every possible information and so-called “brain storms”.
The division of thinking into divergent and convergent and their various influences on
management style is of great importance in understanding the specificity of the intelligence of
manager. Convergent thinking style corresponds in full measure to practical problems as such,
unlike theoretical, informative problems, which demand strong divergent abilities. Practicallysocial intelligence of the manager is a certain symptom complex, in which dominates
convergent thinking. The divergent thinking style is, useful, and, hence, in a number of
management situations it is required.
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Emotional Thinking Style:
Emotional thinking is also an important thinking style. Though logic operations are integral part
of thinking, it could not be defined as a trait, based solely on logic and intelligence. Emotions
frequently interfere in thinking process and change. Emotions are capable not only to distort,
but also to stimulate thinking. No doubt, feeling gives to the thought bigger passion, intensity,
sharpness, purposefulness and persistence. Productive thought would be impossible without
exalted feeling just like without logic, knowledge, skills and abilities.
Emotions are especially pronounced during the moments of finding decision of a difficult
problem. Here they perform heuristic and regulatory functions. Heuristic function of emotions
consists in selecting some zone of optimal search, which has a required solution of the
problem. Regulatory function of emotions in thinking is shown in their capability to speed up
the active search of the necessary solution in the case, when it is conducted in a right direction.
Decision making process plays a pivotal role in decision-making process. If thinking is
considered to be an integrated part of reality, than any decision in this contest could be best
described as a main product of the thinking process. Differentiation of thinking styles is the
polarity of convergent/divergent thinking, discovered by Guilford.
Critical thinking belong its emotional areas. The psychology of the emotional thinking style has
a range of characteristic features, which can influence the decision making process both
positive and negative way. Critically thinking person should be able to admit in him the
presence of certain emotions.
Making Decisions by the College and University Students:
Important question is that how tough is making a decision in college and university by the
students? Students’ awareness and skillful use of emotional sensitivity, emotional
consciousness and emotional potential always lead a qualitatively new and higher level of
decision making.
The complications are simple to understand, hence, so hard to grasp and change that many
youth people trying to pursue their bachelor's degree often get swept away with the flood of
college social life.
Doing the right decision is always the best decision to make, but how can you tell if what you
are doing is correct? It's not always easy to do.
Making decisions in college or university really and truly relies on where the student’s priorities
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are. If the student doesn't care about class or their education, they will indeed find better
things to do with their time.
Highlight of the Findings :
3.
The highlighting findings of the research paper are :
1. College and University students’ report higher levels of political importance, political
issues, political mobilization and political participation.
2. Politics and decision making processes of the college and university students’ give a
shape to their lives.
3. The features of politics, Decision making and the reflection of emotional thinking of the
college and University students’ have a great value.
4. The teachers, society, community and the overall environment are responsible for
college and university students’ education.
5. College and university students political and decision making issues are of great value
for the future of the nation.
Suggestions for Future Research :
The present study is immensely educative and related to research as it covers an important
segment of educational ladder. On the basis of the findings the following suggestions are found
out to protect and expand human rights of the people.
1. Education has long been a powerful predictor in understanding political participation.
2. The paths toward earning a college and university degree should have some pivotal
means.
3. College and university students’ education and relative education must be spread to all
concerned.
4. Relating the issue of college and university students’ decision making, ethical education
must be added.
5. College and University students’ report higher levels of political interest, political skills,
political mobilization and political participation.
6. Scientific perspective is a key factor for the college and university students’ in their
political and decision making process.
Conclusions :
The importance of a college and university education is accentuated because of the
opportunity to gain valuable resources during the study tenure. The more connections which
are collected during the college and university life, the more options you will have for the
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future are of great value.
The concept of education is like a diamond which appears to be of different colours (natures)
when seen from different angles. Education being an important social activity, its meanings has
been changing through the ages, due to changes in social and physical conditions.
References :
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(World Book Company, Tarrytown-on-Hudson, New York, 1950)
2. Brameld, Theodore, Philosophies of Education in Cultural Perspective (The Dryden
Press, Inc., New York, 1955)
3. Broudy, Harry et-al, Philosophy of Education (University of Illinois Press, Urbana, II,
1967)
4. Chaube, S. P., Foundations and Guidelines of Modern Education, Ram Prasad & Sons,
1957, Agra.
5. Chaube, S. P., Recent Philosophies of Education in India, Ram Prasad & Sons, 1967,
Agra.
6. Childs, John L., Pragmatism and American Education (Holt, Rinehart and Winston,
Inc., New York, 1956).
7. Datta, D. M., The Six Ways of knowing, Calcutta University, 1960.
8. Prankena, William, K., Three Historical Philosophies of Education (Scott Foresman
and Company, Chicago, 1965).
9. Pandey, R. S., Shiksha Darshan Ka Sarveshan, Central Book Depot, Allahabad, 1981.
10. Phemix, Phillip H., Philosophy of Education (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, In., New
York, 1958).
11. Rcid, Lonis, A., Philosophy and Education (William Heinemann, London, 1962).
12. Sampurnananda, Yoga Darshan, Hindin Samiti, Lucknow, 1965.
13. Scheffler, Jorael (Ed.), Philosophy and Education: Modern Readings (Allyn and
Bacon, Inc. Boston, 1958).
14. Ulich, Robert, Fundamentals of Democratic Education, 1940, American Book.
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