The identification of career development theories in seven grade-ten career education courses
Date
1980
Authors
Mitchell, Susan Lynn
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Abstract
This research was an analysis of the classroom behavior of seven career education teachers in term~ of .eight theories of career development. The theories of career development included in this study were: accidental, trait-factor, developmental, decision-making, economic, sociological, personality, and social-learning.
The study was conducted with seven grade-ten career education teachers in the Greater Victoria School District No. 61. All teachers became involved on a voluntary basis. However, the seven teachers who volunteered to partake in this study represented 100% of all the grade-ten career education courses taught in the 1979-80 school year in the district.
A review of the literature indicated that the ideal career education program is founded on an explicit philosophy and set of assumptions. By explicitly stating the philosophy and assumptions of their program, teachers can check the consistency and compatibility of their activities and how these actions relate to the expectations of students, their parents, and other members of the school system and society at large. In addition, an explicit statement of philosophy can help in planning the future direction of program development: to guide the writing of goal statements and the selection of strategies to help students achieve their goals.
To aid in analyzing the classroom behavior of career education teachers in relation to the philosophy to which they address their courses, a summary chart listing each theory, major assumptions, and program implications was developed. This chart was use d to identify classroom activities relating to each theory. The identified program implications from the chart were then used to interpret backwards to the assumptions and theories held by the teachers.
It was found that the career education teachers were most influenced by the developmental and decision-making theories of career development. As well, many teachers used interest inventories with their students which indicated the influence of the trait-factor and personality theories. The overall impression however, was that teachers did not think about career education in theoretical terms.
The findings of this study have implications for the development of career education programs in high school settings and particularly in the Greater Victoria School District.
If a program has been in operation, it in fact has a philosophy and set of assumptions already. But these may not have been thoroughly studied and articulated. Thus, it appears that there would be considerable merit in moving so that district wide leadership could be provided in defining and describing the program, resulting in an explicit statement of philosophy and assumptions.