Multidimensional Analysis of University Students’ Subject Perceptions
Insights from Principal Components
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/jfvms992Keywords:
Subject Perception, Holistic Learning, Principal Component Analysis (PCA)Abstract
In this study, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to survey data to examine the conscious and unconscious attributes university students associate with various academic subjects. The analysis produced 20 principal components, with five showing eigenvalues above 0.1 and the cumulative explained variance reaching 80% by the tenth component. The first component revealed a contrast between memorization-oriented and rule-based subjects, while the second distinguished humanities from sciences. Higher-order components reflected evaluative dimensions of academic engagement, mid-level components represented broader epistemological orientations, and lower-order components captured relational and interpersonal perceptions of subjects. Overall, the findings highlight the value of adopting holistic and interdisciplinary perspectives to improve educational guidance and practices across diverse academic fields.
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