ERIC Number: EJ828769
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0894-8453
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Constructivist Career Development as a Paradigm of Empowerment for At-Risk Culturally Diverse College Students
Grier-Reed, Tabitha L.; Skaar, Nicole R.; Conkel-Ziebell, Julia L.
Journal of Career Development, v35 n3 p290-305 2009
Although constructivist career theory is routinely discussed in the literature, links between theory and practice in education are lacking. The current study focused on the potential of a constructivist curriculum to empower at-risk culturally diverse college students by increasing career self-efficacy and reducing dysfunctional career thoughts. Using a pre/post-test design, 75 under-prepared undergraduates who were enrolled in six sections of a constructivist career course at a large Midwestern university completed the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale Short-Form (CDSE-SF) and the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). The sample was 45% students of color and 55% White. Multivariate analysis of variance with follow-up univariate analyses revealed significantly higher CDSE-SF scores and significantly lower CTI scores. These results suggest that a constructivist career development course may be a viable educational vehicle for empowering at-risk culturally diverse college students by increasing career self-efficacy and decreasing self-defeating thoughts, particularly thoughts associated with decision-making confusion and commitment anxiety. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Constructivism (Learning), Theory Practice Relationship, Career Development, At Risk Students, Student Diversity, College Students, Student Empowerment, Multivariate Analysis, Self Efficacy, Pretests Posttests, Decision Making
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Career Decision Making Self Efficacy Scale; Career Thoughts Inventory
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A