Secondary School Career Research Articles

Factors of engagement: Secondary Pasifika student learning

Education within Aotearoa has not effectively engaged Pasifika students (Ministry of Education, 2023a), and has led to Pasifika students being less likely to continue to tertiary level education (Ministry of Education, 2023b). This review focuses on the published literature about factors that improve the conditions of schooling in Aotearoa to facilitate higher levels of engagement in Pasifika students. For this paper, 20 studies that were carried out in Aotearoa secondary schools with Pasifika students were collected. These studies were then analysed to understand what factors increased their engagement in secondary school. The findings suggest that student-teacher relationships, teachers’ perceptions of Pasifika students, and effective implementation of culturally responsive pedagogies have the greatest impact on Pasifika student engagement in their secondary school career.

Exploring the Viability of the Ranked Discrepancy Model by Comparing the Weighted Total Index Approach and the Borich Model: A Case of Learning Needs Assessment of Career Guidance Teachers

The ranked discrepancy model (RDM) is a relatively novel needs assessment approach and is optimized for addressing ordinal and non-normally distributed data. This study aimed to explore the viability of the RDM by comparing the results obtained from it with those obtained using two other long-standing needs assessment models, and to prioritize the learning needs of secondary school career guidance teachers in South Korea using the RDM as an initial effort to improve the pre-service and in-service educational programs of teachers. Data were collected from 75 career guidance teachers by using a survey questionnaire. The results from the RDM, the weighted total index (WTI) approach, and the Borich model demonstrated a great deal of consistency in terms of the rankings of career guidance teachers’ learning needs. This implies that the RDM is a useful quantitative method for needs assessment in cases involving ordinal items, cross-sectional data, or non-normally distributed data. This study also revealed that “providing and utilizing occupational information” is the biggest shortfall among the job tasks required of secondary school career guidance teachers, compared to its importance. Uncertainty about the future might make it more difficult for career guidance teachers to provide students with the appropriate occupational guidance.

Using Community of Inquire to explore teachers’ responses to a reading-for-meaning course

Background: Although one of the most significant educational goals is to teach learners to comprehend written texts, the Global Education Monitoring Report (UNESCO 2021) identified that many children and adolescents have not acquired the minimum proficiency in reading even at the end of their secondary school career. South African literacy rates have remained with approximately 78% of Grade 4 learners unable to answer basic literal questions.Objectives: To explore teachers’ responses to an 18 h online course on reading for meaning for Grade 4–7 teachers, using the Community of Inquire (CoI) framework.Method: An interpretive paradigm, using a qualitative approach and a case study design, was used for this 18 h online study which was conducted between February and March 2022. Ten teachers were purposively selected for this research article.Results: After inductively and deductively analysing the data collected from the post questionnaire survey and the online Telegram application comments, the teachers’ responses to the three CoI presences are presented.Conclusion: When reflecting on the conceptualisation of using the CoI framework, the social presence dominated. The teaching presence became important when the teachers reflected on their teaching experiences. The cognitive presence then interacted with both the teaching and social presences as the teachers began to be more aware of their own changes in how they taught.Contribution: The study found that using the CoI framework was appropriate for understanding the teachers responses to an online course for reading-for-meaning.

The Role of Teachers in Career Guidance of Students at Secondary Level in Pakistan

Secondary education decides students' career paths, and teachers at this level play an important role in students' career guidance by assisting them in subject selection and providing career knowledge. Given the importance of teachers in secondary school students' career guidance, the study looked into the role of secondary school teachers in secondary school students' career guidance. The study's goals were to determine the role of teachers in secondary school career guidance and to suggest strategies for secondary school students' career guidance. The study population was 3,247 high-school students from the Swat district, with a sample of 346 students chosen using simple random sampling for data collection. The information was gathered using a self-made questionnaire and evaluated using mean ratings, standard deviation, and the chi-square test. They discovered that teachers play an important role in secondary school career guidance because they serve as role models for students, identify students' career aspirations and abilities, assist in the integration of students' aspirations and potentials, assist in the subject selection, provide career guidance, identify potential careers, and provide career information and requirements. The study also suggested that teachers' capacity for providing career guidance at the secondary level be developed and the inclusion of career guidance subjects at the secondary level.

The innovation of technology utilisation in distributing employee by vocational secondary school career centre

Career Centre has a main role as a division in Vocational Secondary School (VSS) to bridge the students and alumni with their work field. Finding out how the success of the Career Centre’s performance is very important for evaluation purposes. This study aimed to: (1) find out the role of the Career Centre in distributing the graduates of VSS in Yogyakarta at the workplace; (2) find out the obstacle experienced and its solution. This was evaluation research using the quantitative descriptive approach. The results showed that Career Centre’s role was good accumulatively viewed from five aspects: (1) as seeker and provider of employment information; (2) conducting a coaching and employee briefing for students/alumni; (3) regarding stakeholders’ partnership; (4) regarding recruitment, selection, and graduate distribution; and (5) graduates tracing. As doing their role, Career Centres faced some obstacles, such as a limited number of administrators, mismatching skills among vocational graduates, less developed IT utilisation, and less organized administrative management. Career Centre’s performance has not been optimal thus it needs innovation. Optimizing technology utilisation by creating an information system with important and helpful features will improve the Career Centre in doing their role. Those features will facilitate the students, alumni, and administrators regarding job vacancies and recruitment information, work field recommendation, graduates’ tracing, administrative management, etc.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Incidence in Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among adolescent athletes is steadily increasing. Identification of the highest risk sports for ACL injuries by sex and competitive setting (ie, practice vs match) is important for targeting injury prevention programs. Purpose: To identify the risk of ACL injuries in adolescent athletes by sport, sex, and setting across a variety of common US and international sports. Study Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: Essentially, 3 online databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched for all studies of ACL injuries per athlete-exposure (AE) or hours of exposure in adolescent athletes. Injuries were then pooled and incidence rates (IRs) reported per 1000 AEs or hours of exposure, with the relative risk (RR) of injuries calculated for sex-comparable sports. IRs per competitive setting (match vs practice) were also calculated. Results: A total of 1235 ACL injuries over 17,824,251 AEs were identified (IR, 0.069 [95% CI, 0.065-0.074]), with 586 of these injuries in girls across 6,986,683 AEs (IR, 0.084 [95% CI, 0.077-0.091]) versus 649 injuries in boys over 10,837,568 AEs (IR, 0.060 [95% CI, 0.055-0.065]). Girls had a higher overall rate of ACL injuries (RR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.25-1.57]), with the most disproportionate risk observed in basketball (RR, 4.14 [95% CI, 2.98-5.76]). The risk of ACL injuries by sex was highest in girls’ soccer (IR, 0.166 [95% CI, 0.146-0.189]) and boys’ football (IR, 0.101 [95% CI, 0.092-0.111]). ACL injuries were over 8 (RR, 8.54 [95% CI, 6.46-11.30]) and 6 (RR, 6.85 [95% CI, 5.52-8.49]) times more likely to occur in a match versus a practice setting for female and male athletes, respectively. Conclusion: The risk of ACL injuries overall approached nearly 1 per 10,000 AEs for female athletes, who were almost 1.5 times as likely as male athletes to suffer an ACL injury across all adolescent sports. A multisport female athlete was estimated to have a nearly 10% risk of ACL injuries over her entire high school or secondary school career. Specifically, male and female adolescents playing soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and football appeared at particular risk of injuries, a finding that can be used to target an injury intervention.

Awareness and perception of physiotherapy practice among career educators in selected secondary schools in Nigeria

Context: High school career educators educate and counsel senior students on choice of career. The pursuit of a career in physiotherapy depends largely on the information available to the students. Aims: The aim of the study is to investigate the level of awareness and perception of the physiotherapy profession among secondary school career educators. Settings and Design: The cross-sectional study recruited 49 secondary school career educators in both public and private secondary schools in Owo local government area of Ondo-state, South-western Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on the level of awareness and knowledge about physiotherapy. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were summarized using mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentiles. Results: About 95.5% of school career educators are aware of physiotherapy. 77.6% are aware that physiotherapy can be studied in university, while others believe that it can be studied in polytechnic (4.1%), college of education (2.0%), and technical schools (6.1%). 51.0% knew about adequate subject combination for gaining admission to study physiotherapy, while 49.0% did not know about the adequate subject combination. The overall knowledge score of <48.0% among school career educators indicated inadequate knowledge about physiotherapy practice, treatment modalities, and specialties. Conclusions: Secondary school career educators in this study demonstrated a high level of awareness about physiotherapy. However, their knowledge about the practice of physiotherapy, treatment modalities, specialties, and employability in institutions other than government own health facilities remains inadequate. The professional body of physiotherapy should organize programs aimed at improving the knowledge of secondary school career educators about the practice of physiotherapy.

Focus on the dropout students’ secondary school experience and career orientation

We examined the characteristics of the respondents before entering higher education along with the clusters. We have discovered the characteristics of secondary school studies and further education, the circumstances for applying for higher education. During the analysis of secondary school studies, we took into account the type of class they studied in high school (in Hungary, they can study in high school, vocational high school, and secondary school), and how many times they changed school. In addition, we compared the results based on school maintainers. There is a significant correlation between the reasons for high-school experience and the dropout rate. In terms of cluster-based differences, it should be emphasized that the expectation of social mobility was overrepresented among the dropouts due to financial reasons and work, but it was also an important aspect that they did not have to pay a fee in the program where they studied. In addition, in the case of those who were disappointed in training and further education, it was most common to apply to the university because they did not want to work and could afford it. Our results can help to develop more effective dropout protection for students entering higher education, both in public and higher education institutions and career orientation.

An Analysis on the Effects of Secondary School Career Education on Students’ Affective Characteristics in Mathematics Learning

An Analysis on the Effects of Secondary School Career Education on Students’ Affective Characteristics in Mathematics Learning

Influence of perceptions and stereotypes of the nursing role on career choice in secondary students: A regional perspective

BackgroundThis study examined the influence that perceptions and stereotypes of the nursing role had on future career choice of rural secondary students. ObjectiveThe study was undertaken to identify a method of attracting final year secondary school students to an undergraduate nursing degree at a rural University. DesignA mixed method study using a pre–post-interventional design. SettingThe rural campus of an Australian university. Participants71 secondary students attending a secondary school career development program at a rural Australian university. MethodSemi structured questionnaires were used for data collection. The surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis of open-ended survey questions. ResultsThe research supports the importance of being aware of young people's impressions about nurses and nursing as a career, to ensure the successful implementation of targeted recruitment. ConclusionTargeted recruitment strategies can increase students' awareness of the wide variety of pathways within nursing, rather than leaving awareness to what family, friends or career advisers tell them, or how nurses are portrayed on television, movies and the media.

米国中等学校家庭科におけるキャリア教育の授業実践 : オハイオ州、ミネソタ州、ウィスコンシン州の実地調査をもとに

米国中等学校家庭科におけるキャリア教育の授業実践 : オハイオ州、ミネソタ州、ウィスコンシン州の実地調査をもとに

Competition, student sorting and performance gains in local education markets: The Dutch secondary sector

AbstractThis article empirically examines the implications of competition among Dutch secondary schools: (1) regarding the sorting of students by performance levels in schools at the begiining of secondary education; and (2) regarding performance gains in the secondary school career, controlling for the aforementioned sorting patterns. We used data from about 13,000 students enrolled at 102 school locations in The Netherlands. Using differences in the distribution of competition intensity across local education markets, we applied Kernel estimation techniques to match students from relatively high‐ to low‐competitive markets on the basis of student and household characteristics. Our results indicate that, with increasing competition, relatively more schools target the group of high‐achieving students. As a result, schools will arguably have to enrol more ‘students at the margin’ to ensure sufficient enrolment rates. To conclude, we observed that, accounting for sorting patterns, competition was related to small negligible improvements in academic achievement at the bottom of the distribution of student performance within the first three years of secondary education. Furthermore, a negative result for competition was found for categorical academic classrooms settings.

"Clearing the track". Priority and process in assisting students to choose careers

This paper describes a secondary school careers intervention.The core components are systematic identification of students according to need, individual counselling, and a personalised work and training exploration programme.The intervention fits within a comprehensive careers and transition scheme and it enhances school and community relations as well as supporting students to make meaningful career choices.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Low Educational Achievement: Evidence Supporting A Causal Hypothesis

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and educational achievement are negatively associated in children. Here we test the hypothesis that there is a direct causal effect of ADHD on educational achievement. The causal effect is tested in a genetically sensitive design to exclude the possibility of confounding by a third factor (e.g. genetic pleiotropy) and by comparing educational achievement and secondary school career in children with ADHD who take or do not take methylphenidate. Data on ADHD symptoms, educational achievement and methylphenidate usage were available in a primary school sample of ~10,000 12-year-old twins from the Netherlands Twin Register. A substantial group also had longitudinal data at ages 7–12 years. ADHD symptoms were cross-sectionally and longitudinally, associated with lower educational achievement at age 12. More ADHD symptoms predicted a lower-level future secondary school career at age 14–16. In both the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, testing the direct causal effect of ADHD on educational achievement, while controlling for genetic and environmental factors, revealed an association between ADHD symptoms and educational achievement independent of genetic and environmental pleiotropy. These findings were confirmed in MZ twin intra-pair differences models, twins with more ADHD symptoms scored lower on educational achievement than their co-twins. Furthermore, children with ADHD medication, scored significantly higher on the educational achievement test than children with ADHD who did not use medication. Taken together, the results are consistent with a direct causal effect of ADHD on educational achievement.

Rural and remote young people's health career decision making within a health workforce development program: a qualitative exploration

One strategy aimed at resolving ongoing health workforce shortages in rural and remote settings has been to implement workforce development initiatives involving the early activation and development of health career aspirations and intentions among young people in these settings. This strategy aligns with the considerable evidence showing that rural background is a strong predictor of rural practice intentions and preferences. The Broken Hill Regional Health Career Academy Program (BHRHCAP) is an initiative aimed at addressing local health workforce challenges by helping young people in the region develop and further their health career aspirations and goals. This article reports the factors impacting on rural and remote youths' health career decision-making within the context of a health workforce development program. Data were collected using interviews and focus groups with a range of stakeholders involved in the BHRHCAP including local secondary school students, secondary school teachers, career advisors, school principals, parents, and pre-graduate health students undertaking a clinical placement in Broken Hill, and local clinicians. Data interpretation was informed by the theoretical constructs articulated within socio cognitive career theory. Young people's career decision-making in the context of a local health workforce development program was influenced by a range of personal, contextual and experiential factors. These included personal factors related to young people's career goals and motivations and their confidence to engage in career decision-making, contextual factors related to BHRHCAP program design and structure as well as the visibility and accessibility of health career pathways in a rural setting, and experiential factors related to the interaction and engagement between young people and role models or influential others in the health and education sectors. This study provided theoretical insight into the broader range of interrelating and complex personal, contextual and experiential factors impacting on rural and remote youths' career decision-making within a health workforce development initiative.

What Secondary School Career Advisors in New Zealand Know about Pharmacy and How that Knowledge Affects Student Career Choices

To explore what career advisors at secondary schools (high schools) in New Zealand know about the pharmacy profession, how they obtain that knowledge, and what their potential influence is on students' decisions to study pharmacy. This study employed a cross sectional questionnaire design. A postal questionnaire was sent to 250 randomly selected secondary schools in New Zealand. The response rate was 112/248 (45%). Responding career advisors were familiar with many of the roles of pharmacists (mean knowledge score 11.5 out of 16). Over 90% of career advisors were familiar with the roles of pharmacists in the community setting; however, many had a poorer understanding of other pharmacist roles. One suggestion for improving the promotion of pharmacy within secondary schools was a greater involvement of pharmacists and pharmacy students in the promotion of pharmacy as a profession. Career advisors need a broader understanding of the potential roles of pharmacists. Increasing contact from practicing pharmacists and undergraduate pharmacy students are potential ways of increasing student interest in pharmacy.

The Impact of Urban Agriculture on Students’ Life Satisfaction in Eastern Cape, South Africa

The importance of agricultural sciences in the school curriculum all over the world cannot be over -emphasized .It include an alternative source of fresh produce, improved life satisfaction and a way to preserve cultural identity and traditions. This study tends to investigate more role of unban agriculture in relation to life satisfaction. The study reveals among others some components of life satisfaction as a result of urban agriculture. These components are; nutrition, self-employment, food security and poverty eradication. The study does not leave behind the economic benefits of urban agriculture such as; income distribution, small scale business to mention a few. The study however recommended among others that the South Africa Government should make agriculture education as a compulsory subject for grade 10 and grade 11 students. This will enable them to develop entrepreneurial skills and self-sufficient mentality before they finish their secondary school careers. The subject will also help them in building job skills, improving self-esteem and contributing to community revitalization. Similarly, the practical components of this subject should constitute 50% if not more from the overall marks. Hence, leaving secondary schools will no longer be a mirage and nightmare all because of no employment. However, some challenges were highlighted this include; limited spaces available, damage to sacks and crops by stray animals, pest and diseases, sustainable access to inputs such as soil, manure, seedlings and water. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1293

The association between adolescents' health and disparities in school career: a longitudinal cohort study.

BackgroundLiterature suggests that children’s educational achievement is associated with their health status and the socioeconomic position of their parents. Few studies have investigated this association in adolescence, while this is an important period affecting future life trajectories. Our study investigates the relationship between adolescents’ health and their subsequent school career, taking into account their parents’ socioeconomic position.MethodsData of all Dutch adolescents who entered secondary education in 2003, according to the national education register, were linked to electronic health records from general practices and to data from the Dutch population register on a patient by patient basis. Secondary school career data of 2455 adolescents were available for several years, resulting in a longitudinal prospective cohort. School career was measured by the completion of secondary education within the research period.ResultsFor most health problems, adolescents’ health status at the moment of entering secondary education showed no association with the subsequent course of their school career. However, adolescents who had more frequent contact with their general practitioner for acute psychosocial problems (e.g. enuresis or overactive/hyperkinetic disorder), were less likely to complete their secondary education, also after adjustment for parental socioeconomic position. They were also less likely to complete their secondary education at the level of entry.ConclusionsAdolescents’ secondary school career is negatively affected by the presence of acute psychosocial health problems, but not by the presence of physical health problems. This underlines the importance of adequately addressing mental health problems in adolescence.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-1104) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Best practices in career education and development in New Zealand secondary schools

This study investigated best practices in New Zealand secondary school career education and guidance programmes. Schools considered to use best practices were identified by nominations from professional associations and from Careers New Zealand. A total of 20 nominated schools agreed to be included in the study and the career advisers of these schools were interviewed. Seven themes emerged from the interviews. These themes suggest career education and guidance programmes that are worthy of emulation by other schools, but the need to consider unique school and community characteristics in the design and implementation of career education and guidance is essential.

Does Vocational Guidance Become Gendered When Discussing Construction?

The Australian construction industry is highly reliant on the local labour force and those employed within it undertake a wide variety of roles ranging from labouring to management. In the past 20 years construction has seen record levels of employment; however lack of skilled labour is becoming problematic. Australia, like most industrialised countries, has an ageing population due to falling birth rates, increased life expectancy and the ageing of the large post-World War II ‘baby boom’ generation. Deciding on a career is one of the most fundamental activities in a young person’s life and the role of the school career counsellor is crucial in this process. This research examined secondary school career counsellor’s knowledge of construction, their perceptions of it as a good career choice and how often they directed male and female students to investigate construction as a career. Comparisons using paired t-tests found career counsellors perceived construction to be a better career option for young men, and directed them more frequently than women, to explore construction careers. The findings also indicate that an educative model, where students and counsellors gain firsthand knowledge from people working in the industry, may counter negative gender stereotypes associated with this area of work and encourage more young people, both male and female, to consider a career in the construction industry.