Table Of ContentDOCUMENT RESUME
CE 081 642
ED 452 375
Wonacott, Michael E.
AUTHOR
Secondary Career Development Interventions. In Brief: Fast
TITLE
Facts for Policy and Practice No. 13.
National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical
INSTITUTION
Education, Columbus, OH.
Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington,
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2001-00-00
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Apprenticeships; *Career Counseling; *Career Development;
DESCRIPTORS
Career Education; Career Information Systems; Classroom
Techniques; Computer Uses in Education; *Counseling
Techniques; Counselor Client Relationship; *Education Work
Relationship; Educational Research; Experiential Learning;
Internship Programs; *Intervention; Mentors; Models; Program
Effectiveness; School Business Relationship; Secondary
Education; Social Development; Teacher Student Relationship;
Theory Practice Relationship; *Work Experience Programs
Career Days; Career Passports; Computer Assisted Career
IDENTIFIERS
Guidance; Job Fairs; Job Shadowing; School Based
Enterprises; Youth Apprenticeship Projects
ABSTRACT
Dykeman and colleagues developed a taxonomy of career
development interventions used in United States secondary schools that can
help career and technical education (CTE) practitioners evaluate and improve
the effectiveness of guidance programs. The interventions include
introductory, advising, curriculum-based, and work-based interventions.
Introductory interventions awaken students' interest in their own personal
and professional growth and are typically adult-controlled, active
(hands-on), group activities conducted in school and lasting 2 weeks or less.
Introductory interventions include career days, career fairs, and guidance
lessons on personal/social development. Advising interventions are designed
to give students direction, help them resolve barriers, and help them
formulate and sustain plans for their future. Advising interventions can
include academic and career counseling, career-focused parent/student
conferences, career peer advising/tutoring, career maps, career maturity and
interest assessment, Career Passports, and computer-assisted career guidance.
Curriculum-based activities are designed to promote core student knowledge
and skills. They include career information infused into the curriculum, CTE
courses, tech prep, and school-based enterprises. Work-based interventions
promote student knowledge and help motivate students through activities
involving with worksites. Work-based interventions include youth
apprenticeship, mentoring, job shadowing, and internships. Dykeman's
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
classification gives CTE practitioners a practical, research-based model for
evaluating their career development efforts. (Contains 11 references.)
(MN)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Secondary Career Development Interventions
In Brief: Fast Facts for Policy and Practice
No. 13
Michael E. Wonacott
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
ED
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education
The Ohio State University
1900 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1090
2
Natliona0 DOssendnatflon Center
for Career & llecGlantica0 EdneatOon
by Michael C. Wonacott
no. 13
2001
Fast Facts for Police and Practice
Secondary Career Development Interventions
mendation, and student work portfolio.
school students to plan for their futures
Dykeman and colleagues (2001) have de-
(Bradshaw 1995; Welcome to KYAC!
Students see them as a tool for providing
veloped a taxonomy of career development
and sustaining direction in school"a
interventions used in U.S. secondary
1998). ICAV scenarios stimulate curiosity
and interest in personal and professional
schools that can help practitioners evalu- good road map for achieving your goals"
(p. 39)and as a "great door opener for
ate and improve the effectiveness of guid-
growth; students role-play characters faced
ance programs. They consulted career
with education and career choices. Sub-
jobs" (p. 45).
guidance practitioners, researchers, and
sequent scenes show the consequences of
choices made, helping students identify
Computer-assisted Career Guidance. DIS-
literature and identified a comprehensive
effective and ineffective choices. Class-
COVER, ACT's computer-assisted career
list of 44 interventions. Each intervention
was rated on five variables: time (short
room sessions expand on ICAV scenarios
guidance program, helps students develop
term/long term), mode (active/passive),
by helping students assess their own skills,
a personal profile, build a career plan based
on their personal
profile,
access
knowledge, and attitudes (KSAs), rein-
control (adult/youth), place (school/com-
crosswalked information about occupa-
force effective KSAs, and apply KSAs to
munity), and size (group/individual). Clus-
real situations in their own lives. The
tions and education, and begin job search
ter analysis produced a taxonomy with four
and interview preparations (DISCOVER:
ICAV is considered particularly effective
types of interventions: introductory, advis-
ing, curriculum based, and work based.
for students who are not motivated to use
Overview 2001; Taber and Luzzo 1999).
Self-assessment helps students discover
print materials.
This In Brief describes examples of each
type of intervention and how they can be
vocational identify (interests, abilities, per-
Advising Interventions
used to achieve desired outcomes.
sonality, and goals) and improve their level
of career development (clarification of
Introductory Interventions
values, career and self-knowledge, decision
Advising interventions "provide direction,
resolve impediments, and sustain
making); it may also improve career self-
efficacy (confidence in their ability to make
Introductory interventions awaken stu-
planfulness in students about their goals
successful career decisions). DISCOVER
for the future" (Dykeman et al. 2001, p.
dents' interest in their own personal and
is considered most effective when students
professional growth; typically, they are
22). They are most often adult-controlled,
also participate .in other individual and
adult-controlled, active (hands-on) group
school-based individual activities and can
group exploration, counseling, and plan-
be active or passive, long or short term.
activities conducted in school and lasting
ning activities.
They include academic and career coun-
2 weeks or less. They include career days/
seling, career-focused parent/student con-
fairs, field trips, aptitude assessment, and
Curriculum-Based Interventions
guidance lessons on personal/social devel- ferences, career peer advising/tutoring, ca-
reer maps, career maturity and interest
opment, career development, or academic
assessment, career libraries/resource cen- Curriculum-based interventions "promote
planning.
ters, career clusters/pathways/majors, ca-
core student knowledge and skills through
means and content relevant to the world
reer passports/skill certificates, college ad-
Career Days and Career Fairs. Career days
of work" (Dykeman et al. 2001, p. 23).
missions testing, computer-assisted career
and career fairs can develop students' self-
guidance, cooperative/dual enrollment,
knowledge and knowledge of work and
They are either adult or student controlled,
integrate the two meaningfully (Efird and
information interviewing, job search prepa- typically involve active instruction, and are
primarily group activities conducted in
Sherrick 1998; Grant and Jackson 1995).
ration, personal/social preparation, portfo-
school and lasting more than 2 weeks.
Employer representatives become role
lios/individual career plans, and referral to
They include career information infused
external training orcounseling/assessment.
models, helping students see the relevance
into curriculum, career/technical educa-
of interests, aptitudes, abilities, and values
tion (CTE) courses, career skills infused
Career Passports. In the Leander Indepen-
to career and lifestyle choices. Job descrip-
into curriculum, career academies/career
tions and handouts show connections be-
dent School District outside Austin, Texas,
Tech Prep Career Passports' and Path-
tween different jobs, aptitudes and abili-
magnet schools, school-based enterprises,
ways provide a coherent sequence of
student clubs/activities, and Tech Prep.
ties, and educational experiences. Student
questionnaires can help structure inter-
courses to equip students with skills con-
viewing. Students can begin to develop
Tech Prep. Tech Prep links occupational
sistent with career goals (Rouse 1995); lo-
and academic instruction in a sequential
meaningful knowledge about themselves
cal employment trends have driven devel-
opment of 35 Passports in 6 Pathways.
and about work that serves as a basis for
course of occupationally focused, second-
Career information activities and aptitude
personal and professional growth.
ary and postsecondary study to prepare stu-
and interest assessment help ninth-grade
dents for both career-oriented postsecond-
students identify a career goal, plan, and
ary education and employment, often ac-
Guidance Lessons on Personal/Social De-
Passport. Students select subsequent
velopment. Knowledge for Youth about
companied by career development activi-
ties and workplace experiences (Rouse
courses and work experiences to support
Careers (KYAC) combines 21/2 hours of
interactive, computer-assisted video
and complement their chosen Passport.
1995). Tech Prep coordinators report im-
proved student outcomes, including
(ICAV) with 32 hours of print classroom
Completed Passports contain a transcript,
changes in attitudes, greater focus, re-
materials and exercises to prepare high
resume, letters of introduction and recom-
3
newed interest in education, increased
gun approach is that a school may
initiative), learning, and progress. Students
awareness of the relevance of classwork to
can learn from adults as coordinators, man-
overprogram some types of activities and
careers, and better understanding of em-
agers, coaches, and mentors, resulting in
underprogram other types of activities.
ployers' expectations and job requirements.
high academic achievement in a "combi-
Thus, valuable CTE personnel and re-
Integrating occupational and academic
nation of knowledge, communication,
sources are needlessly wasted. Dykeman et
instruction links work situations with con-
problem solving, and technical skill that
al.'s taxonomy gives CTE practitioners a
ceptual issues; workplace experiences re-
sounds like a classic definition of the well-
practical, research-based model to use in
inforce curriculum experiences by provid-
educated person" (p. 687). Put together,
evaluating their career development ef-
ing students new insights and motivation
these elements help students begin an at-
forts.
in academic subjects.
tainable career path with options for both
careers and further education.
References
School-based Enterprises (SBEs). SBEs
enable students to gain occupational ex-
Mentorship and Job Shadowing. The cul-
Bradshaw, R. A. Delivery of Career Counseling:
perience in all aspects of a business like
minating experience for seniors at the
Videodisc & Multimedia Career Interven-
tions. Greensboro, NC: ERIC Clearinghouse
running a radio station or selling home-
Michael E. DeBakey High School for the
on Counseling and Student Services; Ottawa,
grown garden produce and home-made
Health Professions in Houston is a 12-
ON: Canadian Guidance and Counselling
dressing (Sanderson 1998; Stasz and
week preceptorship program, in which stu-
Foundation, 1995. (ED 414 516)
dents shadow an assigned mentor for 2
Kaganoff 1997). Student ownership builds
DISCOVER: Overview. Iowa City, IA: ACT,
confidence, responsibility, and organiza-
hours per day, 4 days per week, at the Texas
2001. < http://www.ac t.org/di scove r/tou r/
tional skills; working in teams with other
Medical Center (Roberts 2000). Mentors
index.html>
students and adults puts interpersonal and
Dykeman, C.; Herr, E. L.; Ingram, M.; Wood, C.;
are assigned based on students' expressed
Charles, S.; and Pehrsson, D. The Taxonomy
communication skills in context. Au-
career interests in areas ranging from medi-
of Career Development Interventions that
tonomy and discretion help students de-
cal photography to autopsies and surgery.
Occur in America's Secondary Schools. Draft.
velop appropriate decision-making and
Shadowing the assigned mentor "helps you
St. Paul: National Research Center for Ca-
to realize that the medical world is not
self-management skills. Just-in-time train-
reer and Technical Education, University of
ing, one-on-tutoring, and mentoring show
TV...The TV picture of what you want is
Minnesota, 2001.
not accurate" (p. 32). Students can see
students the reality of learning on the job;
Grant, D. F, and Jackson, M. H. Career Day Pro-
grams for Today's Youth. Statesboro: Geor-
teaching other students and communicat-
firsthand the need for interpersonal skills
gia Southern University, 1995. (ED 379 581)
ing with outside audiences, on air or over
like teamwork, communication, and lead-
Hamilton, M. A., and Hamilton, S. E "When Is
ership. The preceptorship might either
a sales counter, are foretastes of the work-
Work a Learning Experience?" Phi Delta
place. In sum, SBEs allow students to ac-
confirm or change initial career interests,
Kappan 78, no. 9 (May 1997): 682-689.
but 98% of DeBakey students go on to
quire and practice occupational knowledge
Roberts, M. "Seeing Their Futures." Techniques:
and skills in the same context in which
postsecondary education.
Connecting Education and Careers 75, no. 2
(February 2000): 32-35.
they'll use themthe world of work.
Rouse, C. "Tech Prep Career Passports" for Re-
Internship. Students at a Transportation
warding Futures." NASSP Bulletin 79, no.
Work-Based Interventions
Career Academy Program participate in a
574 (November 1995): 39-45.
full-time, 8-week, paid summer internship
Sanderson, N. "Radio Days." American School
at a transportation-related firm (Stasz and
Work-based interventions "promote stu-
Board Journal 185, no. 5 (May 1998): 37-39.
Kaganoff 1997). Typically, interns have
dent knowledge and motivation through
Stasz, C., and Kaganoff, T. Learning How to
Learn at Work. Berkeley: National Center for
limited autonomy, clear performance ex-
sustained and meaningful interactions with
Research in Vocational Education, University
pectations, and frequent feedback; they
work sites in the community" (Dykeman
of California, 1997. (ED 414 472) <http://
receive classic just-in-time, show-and-tell
et al. 2001, p. 21). They are typically indi-
vocserve.berkeley.edu/Abstracts/916.html>
worksite training. Interns often face the
vidual activities, away from school, either
Taber, B. J., and Luzzo, D. A. A Comprehensive
normal challenges of a busy office"things
adult or student controlled, and more than
Review of Research Evaluating the Effective-
2 weeks long; instruction is overwhelm-
were not always where they were supposed
ness of DISCOVER in Promoting Career
Development. Iowa City, IA: ACT, 1999. (ED
to be, some resources must be shared, and
ingly active. They include cooperative edu-
434 158)
sometimes it is hard to find the right an-
cation, internships, job shadowing, job
Welcome to KYAC! Burnaby, BC: Simon Fraser
swer" (p. 42). Internships involve techni-
coaching, mentoring, service leaming/vol-
University, 1998. <http: / /www.sfu.ca/careers/
cal, academic, and generic (e.g., problem-
unteer programs, work study, and youth ap-
KYAC/kyac.htm>
solving, communication) skills; they also
prenticeships.
provide broadened exposure to the trans-
The work reported herein was supported under
portation industry and its different occu-
Youth Apprenticeship. In youth appren-
the National Dissemination Center for Career
and Technical Education, PR/Award (No.
ticeship, sustained work-based learning
pations and meaningful learning about the
V051A990004) as administered by the Office of
interdependence of jobs in work and the
and school-based learning are made mean-
Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Depart-
ingful by connecting activities (Hamilton
importance of attitudes and behaviors like
ment of Education. However, the contents do not
and Hamilton 1997). Challenging work
initiative, persistence, attention to detail,
necessarily represent the positions or policies of
and meeting deadlines.
helps students attain both basic knowledge
the Office of Vocational and Adult Education or
the U.S. Department of Education, and you
and mastery of procedures and higher-level
should not assume endorsement by the Federal
Dykeman et al. (2001) point out that many
understanding of underlying principles and
Government.
C1 h practitioners presently employ a shot-
concepts; rotating placements and projects
E
gun approach when programming career
provide broad technical competence and
NATIONAL
knowledge of all aspects of the industry. development activities. This approach is
DISSEMINATION
the result of not have a model through
The workplace sets the context for stan-
CENTER
dards of personal and social competence
which to organize these activities in a co-
BE OHIO ME UMW
herent fashion. The problem with a shot-
(e.g., reliability', diligence, self-confidence,
CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
1900 KENNY ROAD, COLUMBUS OH 43210-1090
4
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