INTRODUCTION
1. The urgency of this research
Among life skills, decision-making skill is considered to be a core in the life skills and plays an
extremely significant role in the life of every individual. Therefore, the education of decision-making skill is
one of the key tasks of life skills education.
In the ever-changing modern society, human have to face up with both opportunities and challenges. In
fact, there are a number of unfortunate negative phenomenon happening to students due to the lack of life skills
and good decisions when facing a problem of life. Some decisions even are wrong, influencing the long-term
future of the youngsters. Surveys shows the needs of students about acquiring life skills high, including some
that are much concerned as: decision-making skill, communication and behavioral skill, skill to cope with
stress, job searching skill and skill against as well as avoiding the social evils.
Although there are classes of training life skills, soft skills for students in which some may be the
optional programs at university or services of skills training companies, there is still a lack of systematic
research on life skills, soft skills education in general and decision-making skill in particular .
Therefore the title “The education of decision-making skills for college students” to be chosen for
research.
2. Aims of the reasearch
To determine measures of educating students in decision-making skills, so they would know how to
solve the problems encountered in life properly, to avoid the risks in modern society, contributing to the
success in their lives.
3. Research object and subject
3.1. The object
The process of educating life skills, soft skills for students.
1
3.2. The subject
Relation between methods and results of educating decision-making skill for students.
4. Hypothesis
When making decisions, students nowadays are still sentimental, thus, they would easily encounter
risks or failures in life. If decision-making skills education were systematic, in which it is ensured the basic
steps of decision-making and organization skills for students to apply in solving primary problems in school
and daily life with various educational measures, students would improve their ability of making appropriate

decision making skills for students, contributing to scientific hypothesis testing
6.2.6 Working product method
Regards to the process of making decision in groups of students in the experiment situations to
evaluate decision making skills of students and through the log we note out the application of decision
making skills in situations that students encounter in life (Activities followed Experiments).
6.3 Groups of complementary methods
6.3.1 Method of processing data obtained by statistics and SPSS software
This method is used to process the data collected from situation and expremental investigation to draw
the necessary conclusions.
6.3.2 Expert method
Using this method to refer the opinion of some experts in developing the research outline, choosing
research methods, setting survey questionnaire and assessing decision making skills
3
7. Research scope
- Decision making skills is mainly examined under the aspect of socio-psycological ability.
- Investigating the decision making skills of students in six universities: Hue University, Vinh
University, Hong Duc University, University of Construction, Foreign Trade University, Hanoi University of
Education and organizing the experiments in Hong Duc University.
- Experiment form of educating decision-making skills for students is club activity.
- Number of researchers: 679 students, 120 lecturers
- Time of survey: March 2010
- Experimental time: August, 2010 to December, 2011
8. The contribution of thesis
8.1. In theory
The thesis contributes and develops the theories on decision-making skills education for students in
the context of higher education in Vietnam.
8.2. In practice
The research results reflect the state decision-making skills and decision-making skills education for
students today. On that basis, we introduce the measure of education associated with solving common
problems in student life in order to help them make appropriate decisions, avoiding risks and contributing to

of identifying the decision-making styles; the ways to get to a decision; choosing decision-making
participants; collecting information; predicting the future.
1.1.2. The domestic researches
Decision-making skill education for learners is mentioned in the studies for pupils or disadvantaged
children of Nguyen Thanh Binh, Luu Thu Thuy, Nguyen Thi Oanh… In Vietnam, decision-making skills
have also been considered in different fields as management science, management psychology, military,
business.
In summary, throught studying both external and domestic researches, it is obvious that there are
studies on decision-making skills as a life skills or management skills, but there is no research on educating
decision-making skill for students. Therefore, studying decision-making skill education to solve problems in
the lives of students today is indeed a new and essential issue.
1.2. Relevant tool concepts
1.2.1. Skill
There have been a great number of researches on skills which set up different concepts and the author
of this thesis accords with Vu Dung’ attitude, it is said that: "Skill is the ability of effectively manipulating
knowledge about acting procedure which has been perceived by the subject to perform the corresponding
task".
1.2.2. Life skill
The concept of life skills is very diverse, the understanding of life skills associated with specific
cultures and contexts. In this topic the author chose the concept: Life skill as the socio-psychological
capacity which helps people adapt, communicate, solve situations in modern social in a positive and
effective way.
1.2.3. Decision-making skills
6
Making decision means: The achieving of optimal alternative from a number of alternatives to solve
the problems, situations in life.
Decision-making skill is: The ability of people to chose the optimal alternatives from the possible
options to promptly and effectively solve problems in life. The efficiency needs to be associated with
contribution and appropriate to contexts.
1.2.4. Decision-making skill education

There are five steps of decision making: detemining the problem, collecting necessary information,
listing possible solutions, analyzing them and choosing the optimum one.
1.3.3.2 Decision-making skill education in association with students' problems
- Apply decision-making skill to solving study problems
- Apply decision-making skill to time management
- Apply decision-making skill to problems in daily life
1.3.4. Principles of Decision-making skill education for students
Decision making skill education for students should conform with principles: experiencing through
activities, interaction and behavior change.
1.3.5. Methods of Decision-making skill educationfor students
Methods of Decision-making skill educationfor students consist of brainstorming, discussion, practice,
case study, studying typical examples and games and acting.
1.3.6. Methods of Decision-making skill education for students at university
8
Decision-making skill education for students is implemented by some methods: Through studying
subjects in curriculum. through teaching optional subjects or special subjects on living skills or soft skills,
through extra-curricular activities, through corresponding, through real situations.
1.3.7. Process of organizing to teach decision-making skill for students
- First, organizing for students to experience decision-making skill
- Second, organizing and putting students into various situations (maybe assumptions)
- Third, requiring students to go on applying decision-making skill in specific situations to consolidate
and develop this skill.
- Forth, evaluating students' results of establishing decision-making skill.
1.3.8. Assessment about the level of students' decision-making skill
1.3.8.1. Determining criteria
Analyzing the nature and steps of decision-making skill can determine criteria:
- Comprehend and apply the five-step process of decision-making
- Analyze, recognize and determine problems of the situations
- Create and list possible solutions to solve the problems
- Be aware of and analyze advantages and disadvantages of each solution

Decision-making skill education for students
2.2.1. Awareness of managers, lecturers and students about the significance of teaching decision-making
skill for students
The statics results in table 2.1a (thesis) indicate that the majority of managers and lectures ( 94%) and
students (97%) are aware of the significance of decision-making skill education for students. Also, our
interviews find out some opinions on significance of decision-making skill education for students. Many
lecturers and students suppose that it's important for everyone to attempt prompt and appropriate decisions in
their lives and those who have decision-making skill can make a lot of great success . In contrast, lack of
decision-making skill may cause wrong decisions which have bad effects on individual living standards and
the society. Therefore, decision-making skill education for the youth in general and students in particular is
undeniably of great importance.
2.2.2 Opinions of managers, lecturers and students about decision-making skill
Table 2.2: Opinions of managers, lecturers and students about decision-making skill
No Answers
Managers and
lecturers
Students
Quantity % Quantity %
1 Ability to find out solutions to problems and situations
in daily life 13 10.83 72 10.33
2 Ability to choose the most advantageous answer for
problems and situations
9 7.50 99 14.20
11
3 Ability to choose the optimum answer among possible
answers to tackle problems in daily life promptly and
effectively
60 50.00 264 37.88
4 Ability to choose an answer appropriate for problems
and situations

42 35.00 289 41.46
8 For risk avoidance 28 23.33 150 21.52
9 For avoiding socail evils 22 18.33 185 26.54
The results in table 2.3 show that awareness of managers, lecturers and students about the
significances of decision-making skill comprise those for individuals independence and master of life,
13
effective solutions to problems and situations in daily life, sucesses in life, self-confidence… This also
indicates that students are in great need of living skills in general and decision-making skill in particular.
Managers and lecturers haven't fully evaluate the role of decision-making skill in every field of student life.
2.3. The real situation of decision-making skill of students
2.3.1. The real situation of students' difficulties in making decisions
14
Table 2.4a: Students' difficulties in making decisions
No Issues
Managers and lecturers Students
Quantity % Quantity %
1 In studies
44 36.67 113 16.21
2 In behavior
69 57.50 369 52.94
3 In sentimental relationship and sex
60 50,00 297 42.61
4 In avoiding social evils 41 34.17 64 9.18
5 In dealing with stress 48 40.00 204 29.27
6 In time management 61 50.83 213 30.56
7 In determining relevant goals 47 39.17 233 33.43
8 In determining value 14 11.67 121 17.36
9 In future career activities 40 33.33 189 27.12
According to the figures in the above table, it's clear that there are a great number of difficulties facing
students in decision-making such as in behavior, sentimental relationship and sex, time management,

16
11b (Appendix 2, thesis). The results in table 2.7c (thesis) indicate that up to 78.9% of students have
disordered decision-making skill. Our interviews show that most of students make decisions according to
their subjective, interests and feelings without conforming to a certain process. That's why there is no
certainty about whether their decisions are relevant or not.
2.3.5 Students' demands for being taught about decision-making skill
2.3.5.1 Level of students’ demands for being taught about decision-making skill
Table 2.8 (thesis) indicates that students have high demands for being taught about decision making skill (over 88%
of students want and really want). Students are in urgent need of decision making skill because they are well aware of its
significance. Percentage of students who do not want to be taught this skill is very small. And this situation should be taken
into consideration by universities.
2.3.5.2 Issues of students’ demands for being taught about decision-making skill
The figures in 2.9 (thesis) show that students' opinion on their demand for decision-making skill
education are nearly similar to those of managers and lecturers but students have a higher percentage of
opinions on the demand than mangers and lecturers. Students' demand for being taught about decision-
making skill is the highest in the field of daily life (71.59%) accompanied by teaching decision-making
together with other supplementary skills (70.01%), in future career activities (67.29%) and in studies
(61.69%). Future career activities and studies are difficult issues to students.
In reality, students are still confused about making decisions on many fields of life. This would be because
there are so many challenges and changes in social life but students are lack of life experience and don't easily
adapt to these changes. And due to their lack of financial aids and low living standards, a great number of students
encounter difficulties in making their own living to pay tuition fees.
2.4. The real situation of decision-making skill education for students at university
2.4.1. Assessments of managers, lecturers and students about the level of Decision-making skill education
for students
17
Table 2.10: Assessments of managers, lecturers and students about the level of decision-making skill
education for students
No Answers
Managers and lecturers Students

No Effectiveness
Managers and
lecturers
Students
Quantity % Quantity %
1 Understand the significance of decision-making skill
in daily life
68 56.67 407 58.39
2 Know necessary steps to make best decisions
26 21.67 168 24.10
3 Apply decision-making steps to situations in daily life
33 27.50 193 27.69
4 Other
The statistics in table 2.12 show that opinions of managers and lecturers are quite consistent with
those of students in terms of effectiveness of decision-making skill education for students. In fact,
stusdents don't get much comprehension after taking part in classes for living skills. 58.39% of students
are aware of the significance of decision making skill education. The percentage of students who are
aware of the significance is double those who know steps in decision making (24.10%) and only
27.69% apply the steps to situations in daily life
19
2.4.4. Teaching staff for decision-making education for students
Results in table 2.13 (thesis) show that the most highly appreciated groups are Youth Union and
Student Union (67.50% managers and lecturers and 55.81% students choose) followed by form teachers,
study consultants, student mission department (over 65% managers and lecturers choose) though they are not
highly appreciated by students (over 30%). Managing board is not highly appreciated by students (13.49%).
From practical observation, we've learned that these people are core forces in teaching living skills and
decision-making skill for students.
2.4.5. Assessment about degree of satisfaction towards the process of Decision-making skill education for
students
From the figures in table 2.14 (thesis) together with finding out reasons, we've learned that there is a

We have carried out an experiment in decision-making skill education for students K12 (58 students in
Experimental research group and 60 in Control experiment group) and students K13 (39 students in
Experimental research group and 40 in Control experiment group) at Faculty of Psychology -Education in
Hong Duc University.
21
3.4.2. Experimental content
The experiment is carried out in the forms of club activities about decision making in
determining relevant goals, studies, time management, behavior, sentimental relationship and
avoiding social evils.
3.4.3.Criteria and assessment scale
We evaluate the level of students’ decision making skill according to the following criteria:
* Awareness:
We require students to understand and analyse the nature of decision making skill, list all decision
making steps in the right order, roles and significance of the skill in daily life and know well about contents
of decision making skill in behavior, avoiding social evils, sentimental relationship, determing relevant goals
and time management.
* Attitude
Students should be enthusiastic about taking courses in decision making skill to apply to their daily
life, supporting the right and fighting against the wrong.
* Behavior
In order to assess students’ decision making skill, we base on signs of decision making skill such as
suitability, flexibility and effectiveness and use different methods like observation and investigating through
questionnaires and interviews.
The author also used this tool to evaluate students’ decision making skill for each topic by combining
method of observation with product research to figure out how frequent students carry out steps above in 5
situations of each topic.
- Asessment scale
22
In terms of awareness, we have tests with mark 5
In terms of behavior, we use five-level form for mark 5

experiment group’s awareness
before and after the second
influence
Graph
3.9: Results of Experiemental research
Graph
3.10: Results of Control experiement
25