The Relationship Between Participation in Extracurricular Activities,Interaction,Satisfaction With Academic Major,and Career Motivation

Abstract

As career development is one of the major objectives of college, this study examined how participation in extracurricular activities and interaction with faculty and peers influence satisfaction with academic major and career motivation among Korean students. A research model was proposed based on the literature review. Data were collected from 296 male and 343 female college students, and a structural equation modeling analysis was used to test the proposed model. The results showed that participation in extracurricular activities such as major-related study groups, career development-related activities, social clubs, and community service is positively related to career motivation. It was also found that frequent interaction with faculty and peers was directly and positively related to students’ satisfaction with their academic majors and was indirectly and significantly related to their career motivation. The implications of these findings for college-level measures to improve career motivation are discussed.

Keywords

career motivation extracurricular activities interaction with faculty and peers satisfaction with academic major

Unemployment is a serious problem faced by most societies today. With the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (an Internet which enables various devices and objects to connect and exchange data directly with each other), changes in the job market have already commenced, and professional uncertainty will continue to increase. Since career development is one of the major objectives of college education, college students need to not only establish their career identity and make career decisions but also develop the ability to adapt to uncertain career situations and overcome career-related problems. Countries such as Korea also face the problem of unemployment. Colleges and universities in Korea recognize their responsibility toward their students in terms of career development and employment; they strive to enrich students’ learning experiences and support their career development. In this context, one strategy employed by Korean universities and the Ministry of Education is the expansion of extracurricular activities to encourage students to explore their interests and aptitudes and develop essential competencies such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, and collaboration skills.

There has been extensive research on the benefits of participating in extracurricular activities, but the majority of this research has been conducted primarily in the North American context. Particularly in the United States, it is common for students to participate in a broad range of school-wide extracurricular activities. Multiple studies (Fredricks & Eccles, 2006; Mahoney, Cairns, & Farmer, 2003; Rubin, Bommer, & Baldwin, 2002; Rynes, Trank, Lawson, & Ilies, 2003) have shown that participation in extracurricular activities is positively related to educational outcomes such as college retention, student satisfaction, personal development, interpersonal skills, and so on. However, as each country has different educational systems and related issues, the purpose and value of extracurricular activities are not necessarily equivalent in different countries. For example, unlike in the United States, participating in extracurricular activities is not valued in Korean schools because students in Korea are pressured to enter prestigious universities (K. H. Lee, 2001) and the strongest determinants in the college admission process are the College Scholastic Aptitude Test and individual school subject tests. Therefore, high school students feel that it is a waste of time to invest in extracurricular activities. This phenomenon persists even after they become college students, as they prefer to spend their time and efforts on course-related materials so they can earn a higher grade point average (GPA), which is important for their resume.

Recently, however, the academic achievement-centered education in Korea has been criticized for providing lackluster career education. Providing insufficient opportunities for students to explore themselves and their career choices often leads to a mismatch between academic major and interests, which translates into issues with students’ career decisions and employment prospects. As engaging in extracurricular activities is expected to help students discover their interests and expand their capacities, the importance of encouraging such activities has been reevaluated. Now, many universities in Korea are investing in developing extracurricular activities and supporting students’ active participation in them. As such, in Korea, the primary purpose of participating in extracurricular activities is to develop one’s career identity and capacity, rather than to prevent youth delinquency or to encourage them to go to university, which may be the purpose in other countries. However, empirical research on the effects of participation in extracurricular activities on the career development of Korean college students is limited. In this context, this study aims to examine how extracurricular activities would influence Korean college students’ career motivation. Career motivation, consisting of career identity, career resilience, and career insight, guides an individual’s career decisions and behaviors (London & Noe, 1997), and it is considered important because it is related to job search behaviors (M. Kang, Yoon, Kim, & Ryoo, 2016), career decision-making self-efficacy, and career maturity (Lee J. & Choi, 2015).

Furthermore, an examination of the career development of college students cannot ignore its relationship with their major. Students who are satisfied with their academic major tend to study harder and show more commitment to the program, which makes them feel confident about pursuing their career goals as well as making career decisions (S. Kang, 2010). Research shows that satisfaction with academic major positively influences students’ career preparation behavior, employability (J. S. Lee, 2016), and future job satisfaction (Corts, Lounsbury, Saudargas, & Tatum, 2000). Therefore, this study investigates the effect of college students’ satisfaction with their academic major on their career motivation.

Other factors that also contribute to the development of career awareness, cognitive development, and social development include student–faculty interaction and peer interaction (Milsom & Coughlin, 2015; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Several studies have shown that student–faculty interaction significantly impacts students’ satisfaction with their majors (Eimers, 2001); it has also been found to be related to students’ persistence in their academic majors, acquisition of career-relevant skills (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005), and course grades (Guerrero & Rod, 2013). A national survey of student engagement (NSSE, 2003), which was developed to help identify how college students allocate their time and effort in learning at schools in the United States, shows that students who have active formal and informal interactions with faculty have increased opportunities to discuss their careers and to work with faculty on research projects. Moreover, peer interaction facilitates student learning and the development of interpersonal skills, which leads to students’ successful college experiences (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Taking this into account, investigating the effects of interaction with faculty and peers on the career development process of Korean college students can help universities and educators develop academic and counseling programs and strategies.

In summary, the present study examined the structural relationship between participation in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty and peers, satisfaction with academic major, and career motivation among Korean college students. The key contribution of the present study lies in understanding the effects of extracurricular activities and interaction with faculty and peers on promoting career development in the Korean context. It also provides insights and implications for educators as they implement vocational education and counseling.

Theoretical Background

Career Motivation

London (1983) proposed the concept of career motivation, which guides an individual’s career decisions and behaviors. The model has three components: career resilience, career insight, and career identity (London & Noe, 1997). Career resilience refers to “the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, even when the circumstances are discouraging or disruptive” (London & Noe, 1997, p. 62). Career insight is “the ability to be realistic about oneself and one’s career and to put these perceptions to use in establishing goals” (London & Noe, 1997, p. 62). Finally, career identity refers to “the extent to which one defines oneself by work” (London & Noe, 1997, p. 62). Although this model was developed to account for employees’ career motivation and career decisions, it is also applicable to students (Lopes, 2006).

Previous research has discussed the significance of career motivation in students’ career development, finding that career resilience is essential to overcoming career barriers and resisting the stress of career uncertainty (H. Kang, 2015). Career insight enables students to establish their career goals and plans based on objective and realistic information (Fletcher, 1991; You, 2017). Moreover, individuals’ career identity, one of the major goals of development during adolescence (Erikson, 1963), grows with their understanding of themselves and with accurate perceptions of various occupations. Individuals with immature career identities often change their jobs or choose jobs that do not fit their interests and aptitudes (Spokane, 1996). Research has indicated that college students’ career motivation promotes career preparation, job search behaviors, program completion (M. Kang et al., 2016), career decision-making self-efficacy, and career maturity (J. Lee & Choi, 2015). Therefore, it is important for students to participate in experiences that promote their career motivation in college.

Satisfaction With Academic Major

Satisfaction with academic major is defined as “the degree to which students experience satisfaction with their majors” (Nauta, 2007, p. 457). As the majority of the time and effort spent in college is related to academic majors, students’ satisfaction with them has a great impact in determining the quality of students’ college life. Research has indicated that satisfaction with academic major was closely related to academic performance, retention (Aitkens, 1982; Graunke & Woosley, 2005; Nauta, 2007; Wessel, Ryan, & Oswald, 2008), motivation (Elliot & Shin, 2002), relationship with peers (Park & Koo, 2011), overall life satisfaction, and subjective well-being (Lent, Singley, Sheu, Schmidt, & Schmidt, 2007).

Several empirical studies have shown that academic major satisfaction is positively related to career decision-making self-efficacy (S. Kang, 2010; Nauta, 2007), career exploration (J. S. Lee, 2016; Moon & Lee, 2010), employability (J. S. Lee, 2016), and future job satisfaction (Corts et al., 2000), whereas career indecision is strongly associated with low satisfaction with academic major (Hwang, 2004; Y. S. Kang & Lee, 2006; Lim, Park, & Eom, 2009; Park & Koo, 2011). Therefore, for promoting career motivation, it is important for students to cultivate an interest in their fields of study and be engaged in their majors.

Extracurricular Activities

Although there has been extensive research on extracurricular activities, the definition of extracurricular activities has not been unequivocally determined. Bartkus, Nemelka, Nemelka, and Gardner (2012) argued for the need to clearly define extracurricular activities to be able to accurately identify and discuss their effects. According to Bartkus et al., extracurricular activities are academic or nonacademic activities organized by schools that occur outside of regular classes. Participation in such activities is voluntary, and no grade or academic credit is assigned.

Previous research has found that individuals who participated in extracurricular activities during high school tend to have higher academic achievement (Eccles, Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003; Feldman & Matjasko, 2007) and college attendance (Eccles et al., 2003; Mahoney et al., 2003), as well as lower dropout rates and youth problem behaviors (Eccles et al., 2003; Mahoney, 2000; Mahoney & Cairns, 1997). Moreover, college students who participate in extracurricular activities and get socially involved tend to have higher employability (Cole, Rubin, Field, & Giles, 2007), better developed career-related skills (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; You, Ryoo, & Lee, 2015), interpersonal skills (Rubin et al., 2002; Rynes et al., 2003), and cognitive skills (Gellin, 2003). However, as the role and value of extracurricular activities differ from country to country, further investigation into the effectiveness of extracurricular activities in different educational settings may expand the existing research findings.

Interaction With Faculty and Peers

Most of the interaction in college can be categorized as either student–faculty interaction or peer interaction. Several studies have shown that student–faculty interaction was a critical factor in determining satisfaction with one’s major (Eimers, 2001), critical thinking skills, communication skills (Y. K. Kim & Sax, 2009), college graduation, choice of academic major, graduate program aspirations, and pursuit of careers in science (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Pascarella and Terenzini (2001) reported that students with high and moderate interaction with faculty members perceived the academic program and their nonacademic life more positively and that the percentage of leavers among those with low interaction was around 3 times higher than that of students with high interaction. Some studies found that informal interaction with professors was generally helpful to all students; however, Asian American students reported the least frequent interaction (Einarson & Clarkberg, 2010; Kuh & Hu, 2001; Lundberg, & Schreiner, 2004). These researchers concluded that the level of interaction with professors was different based on the students’ cultural background.

In the literature, peer interaction has been identified as essential to students’ development in college (A. Kim & Rhee, 2003; You et al., 2015). Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) discussed the cooperative learning experience, based on the premise of active peer interaction, as improving career development and enriching interpersonal skills. Moreover, Milsom and Coughlin (2015) explained that self-awareness and career awareness developed through interaction with instructors and peers, consultation with advisors and career mentors, participation in internships, and acquisition of work experience. In summary, it is clear that interaction with faculty and peers plays a vital role in students’ cognitive and social development during college life.

Research Model and Hypotheses

This study aimed to examine the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty and peers, satisfaction with academic major, and career motivation. The following hypotheses were posited based on the literature review, and the structural model was proposed (see Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Research model.

Direct effects

Participation in extracurricular activities is positively related to satisfaction with academic major.

The degree of interaction with faculty and peers is positively related to satisfaction with academic major.

Satisfaction with academic major is positively related to career motivation.

Participation in extracurricular activities is positively related to career motivation.

The degree of interaction with faculty and peers is positively related to career motivation.

Indirect effects

Participation in extracurricular activities has a positive indirect effect on career motivation.

Interaction with faculty and peers has a positive indirect effect on career motivation.

Method

Participants

The sample in this study was composed of college students attending at a midsized 4-year university near Seoul, Korea. The participants’ majors included chemistry, physics, bionanotechnology, food science and technology, and life science. Participation in the study was voluntary, and a total of 639 respondents, 296 (46.3%) male and 343 (53.7%) female, were used for analysis. Twelve of the respondents were under 19 years old, 486 respondents (76.1%) were between 20 and 24 years old, and 141 students (22.1%) were between 25 and 29 years old. There were 166 freshmen, 153 sophomores, 169 juniors, and 151 seniors.

Instruments

Participation in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty and peers, satisfaction with academic major, and career motivation were measured using 25 survey items presented in Korean. The survey items were reviewed by two colleagues to check the content validity.

Extracurricular activities

Four items were used to measure the level of participation in extracurricular activities. The items were chosen from the national assessment of student engagement in learning for Korean universities (K-NASEL; Yu et al., 2012), developed based on the NSSE in the United States. The NSSE (2003) is widely used in the United States to measure college student engagement nationwide. It consists of multidimensional student engagement indicators in the areas of academic challenges, learning with peers, experiences with faculty, and a supportive campus environment. K-NASEL was developed with an equivalent purpose and has been validated with Korean college students. An increasing number of universities in Korea are participating in K-NASEL surveys, and several studies (Bae, Kang, & Hong, 2015; Bae, Ra, & Han, 2017; Choi & Shin, 2010) have been conducted using this scale to evaluate the quality of Korean college education. These studies successfully presented the evidence for the construct validity of the student engagement measure, and the subcomponents of K-NASEL significantly predicted the outcomes of college education such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, and career development competency (You et al., 2015). The items regarding participation in extracurricular activities consist of asking about the frequency of participating in major-related study group activities (e.g., “How often do you participate in major-related study groups during the semester?”), career development–related activities, social clubs, and community service. Each item was scored on a 4-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (rarely do it) to 4 (frequently do it). The reliability (Cronbach’s α) of this scale was .65.

Interaction with faculty and peers

To measure interaction with faculty and peers, 2 items were used from the K-NASEL (Yu et al., 2012). These items were “I meet with peers outside class” and “I meet with faculty outside class.” Each item was scored on a 4-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (rarely do it) to 4 (frequently do it). This scale has been used to examine the effects of interaction with faculty and peers on the quality of college education, and it was positively related to communication skills and career development skills of college students (You et al., 2015). Although there is disagreement about computing the reliability of 2 items, Cronbach’s α is considered a general and consistent index (Hulin et al., 2001). The Cronbach’s α for this scale was .63.

Career motivation

To measure career motivation, 14 items from B. Kim and Jyung (2012) were used. The scale was developed for college students based on career motivation theory (London & Noe, 1997), and it consisted of three subscales: Career Resilience, Career Insight, and Career Identity. The scale has been used and validated with multiple samples of Korean college students. The studies have shown that career motivation with this scale significantly predicted career preparation behavior (M. Kang et al., 2016) and career decision-making self-efficacy (B. Kim & Jyung, 2012). Five items were used to measure career resilience (e.g., “I am able to adapt to changing circumstances”; Cronbach’s α = .90), 4 items were used to measure career insight (e.g., “I know my strengths and weaknesses”; Cronbach’s α = .86), and 5 items were used to measure career identity (e.g., “I have clear career goals that I pursue”; Cronbach’s α = .93). Seven-point Likert-type scales were used, ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree). The reliability of these 14 items was .95.

Satisfaction with academic major

To measure satisfaction with academic major, 5 items from Yang, Park, and Kim (2010) were used. These items from the related studies have shown positive relationships with career exploration (Moon & Lee, 2010) as well as the interest–college major congruence (Yang, Park, & Kim, 2010). The sample item was “I am satisfied with my major.” Seven-point Likert-type scales were used, ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree). The Cronbach’s α was .94.

Data Analysis

Descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and a reliability test were performed using PASW Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. The proposed model was tested and the relationships between the research variables were analyzed with AMOS 21.0. Gender and academic year were used as control variables in this study. Three item parcels of career motivation were generated according to subscales. After reviewing the normality of the data, the maximum likelihood estimation method was chosen. In this study, various fit indices were used to evaluate the model fit, including the comparative fit index (CFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR, Hu & Bentler, 1999). Generally, values .06 or less for RMSEA, .08 or less for SRMR, and .95 or greater for CFI (Hu & Bentler, 1999) indicate a good model fit. Furthermore, indirect effects in the proposed model were analyzed using a bootstrapping method with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The significance level in this study was .05.

Results

Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis

The latent variables in this study were participation in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty and peers, satisfaction with academic major, and career motivation. Table 1 presents the means, standard deviations, minimums, maximums, skewness, and kurtosis of the observed variables. The absolute values of the skewness and kurtosis of observed variables were all less than two, which is deemed to fulfill the multivariate normality assumption (Finney & DiStefano, 2006). Therefore, a maximum likelihood estimation method was used in the analysis. The results of the correlation analysis are presented in Table 1. All observed variables were related positively and significantly.

Table 1.

Descriptive Statistics and Correlations Between Observed Variables.

Latent Variable	Participation in Extracurricular				Interaction		Satisfaction with Academic Major					Career Motivation
Observed variable	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
1. Extracurri_1	1.00
2. Extracurri_2	.41*	1.00
3. Extracurri_3	.30*	.37*	1.00
4. Extracurri_4	.23*	.32*	.35*	1.00
5. Peer interaction	.30*	.20*	.22*	.17*	1.00
6. Faculty interaction	.36*	.27*	.20*	.23*	.46*	1.00
7. Satisfaction_1	.22*	.09*	.12*	.09*	.21*	.30*	1.00
8. Satisfaction_2	.26*	.12*	.13*	.11*	.24*	.31*	.83*	1.00
9. Satisfaction_3	.22	.10*	.14*	.12*	.20*	.31*	.70*	.72*	1.00
10. Satisfaction_4	.26	.11*	.17*	.13*	.24*	.32*	.79*	.80*	.75*	1.00
11. Satisfaction_5	.26	.13*	.11*	.08*	.23*	.32*	.71*	.74*	.65*	.79*	1.00
12. Career resilience	.20*	.15*	.16*	.14*	.24*	.23*	.52*	.53*	.52*	.52*	.43*	1.00
13. Career insight	.18*	.14*	.17*	.16*	.18*	.23*	.48*	.51*	.52*	.51*	.43*	.78*	1.00
14. Career identity	.25*	.18*	.19*	.18*	.20*	.26*	.54*	.56*	.52*	.53*	.50*	.78*	.77*
Mean	2.03	1.51	1.83	1.55	2.92	2.53	4.99	4.79	5.05	4.98	4.67	5.06	5.04	4.91
SD	1.13	0.86	1.11	0.89	0.72	0.70	1.40	1.42	1.36	1.44	1.62	1.04	1.06	1.22
Skewness	0.62	1.60	0.95	1.50	−0.59	−0.19	−0.43	−0.35	−0.38	−0.45	−0.32	−0.15	−0.18	−0.31
Kurtosis	−1.06	1.53	−0.64	1.18	0.62	−0.20	−0.30	−0.29	−0.27	−0.32	−0.54	−0.33	−0.33	−0.27

Note. N = 639. Extracurri_1 = major-related study group activity; Extracurri_2 = career development related activity; Extracurri_3 = social clubs; Extracurri_4 = community service; Satisfaction_1 = interest in academic major; Satisfaction_2 = satisfaction with curriculum; Satisfaction_3 = perception of learning value; Satisfaction_4 = overall satisfaction with academic major; Satisfaction_5 = persistence of major.

*p < .05.

Assessment of the Measurement Model

Measurement model analysis was conducted, and the model fit indices were χ²(71, N = 639) = 181.71, p < .001, χ²/df = 2.56, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .05 (90% CIs [.04, .06]), and SRMR = .03, which indicated an adequate model fit. Presented in Table 2, all factor loadings were significant at the .05 level and greater than .50, except for the factor loading of one observed extracurricular activity variable (community service, β = .49) that was very close to .50. Overall, the measurement model showed a good fit and was acceptable.

Table 2.

Factor Loadings for the Measurement Model.

Latent variable → Observed variable	β	SE	β	t
Extracurricular activity → Extracurri_1	1.00	—	.61	—
Extracurricular activity → Extracurri_2	0.79***	.08	.64	10.45
Extracurricular activity → Extracurri_3	0.90***	.09	.55	9.74
Extracurricular activity → Extracurri_4	0.63***	.07	.49	8.99
Interaction → faculty interaction	1.00	—	.77	—
Interaction → peer interaction	0.82***	.08	.61	9.81
Major satisfaction → Satisfaction_1	0.92***	.03	.88	28.27
Major satisfaction → Satisfaction_2	0.95***	.03	.90	29.10
Major satisfaction → Satisfaction_3	0.82***	.03	.81	24.57
Major satisfaction → Satisfaction_4	0.97***	.03	.91	29.48
Major satisfaction → Satisfaction_5	1.00	—	.83	—
Career motivation → career resilience	0.86***	.03	.88	30.30
Career motivation → career insight	0.86***	.03	.88	30.01
Career motivation → career identity	1.00	—	.88	—

Note. Extracurri_1 = major-related study group activity; Extracurri_2 = career development related activity; Extracurri_3 = social clubs; Extracurri_4 = community service; Satisfaction_1 = interest in academic major; Satisfaction_2 = satisfaction with curriculum; Satisfaction_3 = perception of learning value; Satisfaction_4 = overall satisfaction with academic major; Satisfaction_5 = persistence of major.

***p < .001.

Assessment of the Structural Model

The proposed structural model was analyzed. The model fit indices were χ²(71, N = 639) = 181.71, p < .001, χ²/df = 2.56, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .05 (90% CIs [.04, .06]), and SRMR = .04, which showed a good model fit. The estimated direct path coefficients in the model were examined and are shown in Table 3. The direct effect of participation in extracurricular activities on satisfaction with academic major was not significant. The direct effect of interaction with faculty and peers on satisfaction with academic major was positively significant. The direct effect of satisfaction with academic major on career motivation was also significant. Furthermore, the direct effect of extracurricular activity on career motivation was positively significant, but that of interaction with faculty and peers was not. The final model with standard path coefficients is presented in Figure 2.

Table 3.

Direct Path Coefficients and t Values.

Direct Path	β	SE	β	t	p
Extracurricular activity → major satisfaction	.10	.15	.05	0.67	.50
Interaction → major satisfaction	.99***	.20	.41	5.02	<.001
Major satisfaction → career motivation	.43***	.03	.62	14.22	<.001
Extracurricular activity → career motivation	.19*	.08	.14	2.37	.02
Interaction → career motivation	−.06	.10	−.04	−0.60	.55
Control variable
Gender → major satisfaction	−.05	.10	−.02	−0.50	.61
Grade → major satisfaction	.00	.05	.00	−0.03	.97
Gender → career motivation	−.10	.06	−.05	−1.60	.11
Grade → career motivation	.08**	.03	.10	2.77	.006

Note. N = 639. Major satisfaction = satisfaction with academic major; interaction = interaction with faculty and peers.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Figure 2.

Estimated standard direct path coefficients in the final model.

The proposed model had two indirect paths, one from extracurricular activity to career motivation via satisfaction with academic major, and the other from interaction with faculty and peers to career motivation via satisfaction with academic major. A bootstrapping method with 95% CIs was performed to test indirect effects. From the results, the indirect effect of interaction with faculty and peers on career motivation was significant, not including 0 in the CI (β = .41, p < .001, 95% CIs [.25, .65]); but that of extracurricular activities on career motivation was not significant (β = .03, p > .05, 95% CIs [−.07, .15]). This result indicates that satisfaction with academic major has a significant mediation effect between interaction with faculty and peers and career motivation.

Discussion and Conclusion

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural relationship between participation in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty and peers, satisfaction with academic major, and career motivation. The results have shown that participation in extracurricular activities was significantly and positively related to students’ career motivation, and interaction with faculty and peers was also positively related to satisfaction with their majors and was indirectly and positively related to their career motivation. These results support the conclusion that active participation in extracurricular activities provides valuable opportunities for developing career resilience, career insight, and career identity; it implies that frequent interactions with faculty and peers help students be well adapted and committed to their major.

The following conclusions were derived from the findings. First, this study contributes to the validation of the benefits of extracurricular activities and extends their scope. In previous research (Eccles et al., 2003; Mahoney, 2000; Mahoney et al., 2003), the value of extracurricular activities was located in increasing aspiration for college education, preventing youth problem behaviors, and lowering the dropout rate in the United States, in particular, but this study has demonstrated that extracurricular activities can meaningfully contribute to career-focused education. In terms of career education, students are exposed to greater opportunities to identify their interests while searching for attractive activities for themselves; thus, they are able to shape their career identity by engaging in the activities. In addition, because there are more possibilities of encountering obstacles and difficult situations during extracurricular activities, students have more opportunities to experience group dynamics and resolve the issues; thus, when difficulties arise in future career situations, it is expected that these students are able to be more effective and resilient. These findings would be used as empirical evidence for the development of effective strategies in vocational education in other countries.

Second, the importance of informal interaction with faculty and peers should be highlighted. In the present study, a direct positive relationship was found between informal interaction and satisfaction with the academic major. Frequent interaction with faculty and peers gives students opportunities to build a sense of community and to enhance their commitment to the program. Moreover, students can engage in mentoring opportunities by discussing their study and career goals; frequent interaction thus indirectly contributes to the facilitation of students’ career motivation. However, it should be noted that the level of interaction was low in the present study, even though interaction with faculty and peers was revealed to be important for satisfaction with academic major. This result is consistent with previous studies. In Einarson and Clarkberg (2010), Asian American students had reported a relatively low level of student–faculty interaction as compared to that of other ethnicities, and Yu et al. (2012) also observed a low student–faculty interaction among Korean college students. This phenomenon may be due to cultural factors particular to the Asian cultures, but universities should organize and support formal and informal meetings and counseling through various programs and events to help students to overcome this limitation. At the institution level, it is suggested to regularly assess the level of interaction between students and faculty and use it as an indicator of the supportive learning environment.

Third, satisfaction with academic major was revealed to be the strongest predictor of career motivation in this study, which implies that being satisfied with one’s academic major is important in facilitating career development. Thus, universities should endeavor to provide a supportive environment in order to improve the quality of student engagement in their area of study. For example, offering research opportunities and projects with faculty can help students effectively identify academic goals and career interests in their fields, and in-depth experience in the fields of their majors helps students to gain insight into career paths, facilitates their career decisions, and ultimately improves their career motivation. Although participation in extracurricular activities was not found to be significant for satisfaction with academic major in the present study, further research is suggested to test this relationship. The effectiveness of extracurricular activities depends on the objectives of particular activities (You et al., 2015); therefore, it would be useful to identify which extracurricular activities are more or less effective in improving satisfaction with academic major.

Finally, colleges and universities need to do more than make efforts to develop and administer extracurricular activities; they should also seek effective strategies to improve and support the benefits for students who participate in such activities. Although colleges and universities encourage participation in extracurricular activities to enhance students’ core competencies and career development, records of participation in school-based extracurricular activities are not systematically collected and managed. Since such accumulated records of extracurricular activities would show a student’s interests and experiences, they could be a valuable asset for providing personalized career counseling, job seeking, and recruiting. For example, an extracurricular activity management system could be used to manage the extracurricular activities; it would simplify advertising, administration, and the keeping of participation records, which would be useful for providing personalized academic and career counseling. Furthermore, the analysis of personal participation records could lead to personalized recommendations for specific extracurricular activities.

Limitations and Future Directions

This study had some limitations that future studies should improve upon. First, in this study, the reliabilities of measuring extracurricular activity participation and interaction with faculty and peers were relatively low. For example, the reliability of interaction with faculty and peers was .63. The reasons for low reliability are presumably because the scales were measured using a 4-point Likert-type scale, and only 2 items were used for measuring student interaction with faculty and peers. The reliability of this scale, when it was used in a previous study (Yu et al., 2012), was also modest (i.e., Cronbach’s α = .69) even though overall other components of the coefficient α reliability of K-NSSE were above .80; therefore, a more reliable measurement scale needs to be developed for future study. Additionally, this study examined the benefits of extracurricular activities on career development, but the data only came from Korean college students. Therefore, the results can be only tentatively generalized, and future studies should test the proposed model in other countries. Finally, further research should be conducted to examine the effectiveness of different types of extracurricular activities with different objectives on career development. Despite these limitations, the present study contributes to identifying the structural relationship between participation in extracurricular activities, interaction with faculty and peers, satisfaction with academic major, and career motivation, and furthers the discussion about implementing extracurricular activities and the importance of interaction with faculty and peers in different cultural settings.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Ji Won You

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