CERIC

New tools for integration: Credential assessment for displaced individuals

May 30, 2019By Norman Valdez

Many refugees who arrive in Canada are highly skilled, but have little access to evidence to prove their academic achievements

Beatrice Kohlenberg

The United Nations estimates that there are more than 68 million individuals displaced as a result of natural disasters, conflict and violence (United Nations, 2018). Many are forced to flee with little to nothing in hand. When these individuals arrive in a new country, ready to contribute their skills, they often face a critical challenge: lack of proof of their educational credentials.

The need for solutions that allow these individuals to begin quickly contributing their skills to their new communities has become increasingly urgent over time. The conflict in Syria – and the huge outflow of people seeking new lives in Canada – prompted the Canadian government to begin looking for solutions in 2015.

Many of these refugees were highly skilled, but had little access to evidence to prove their academic achievements. Their institutions were destroyed, damaged, closed or unresponsive. This caused significant delays and barriers when attempting to build a life in Canada and go back to school, re-enter their professions or find anything but a so-called survival job.

World Education Services (WES) is a credential evaluation service provider that also partners with a number of organizations in Canada’s settlement sector. As such, we quickly began hearing from our institutional and community partners about issues on the ground. Refugees were facing barriers to integration. They wanted to re-build their professional lives, but without verification of their educational attainments, that was exceptionally difficult.

International policies added another element of urgency to these questions: Canada was on the verge of ratifying an international agreement, commonly referred to as the Lisbon Recognition Convention. In the details of this treaty is a special note regarding the credential recognition for “refugees, displaced persons, and persons in a refugee-like situation.” This clause details assurance and accessibility requirements for credential assessment and recognition for this specific population.

” … applicants who had the credential evaluation in hand were able to move forward with their lives.”

The confluence of factors provided an impetus for WES to create a refugee pilot project. The project ran throughout 2016 and 2017, and ultimately led to the establishment of a permanent initiative to help qualified individuals, including those who are not refugees but who have fled specific countries in crisis, surmount at least one barrier to moving forward with their lives. This program is now known as the WES Gateway Program.

Manifesting barriers in Canada

The problem of credential verification creates barriers that academic institutions, professional regulatory bodies and employers are not well positioned to address. Receipt of documents directly from the awarding institution is normative credential evaluation practice. These credentials stand as verifiable proof of baseline eligibility for academic programs and professional roles. Without these verifiable credentials, institutions and others often find their hands are tied.

“Our community welcomed many Syrian refugees, and as much as we all wanted to help,” said Kate Day, admissions and pathways advisor at Fanshawe College, “we learned quickly that we were missing some of the tools we needed to help these newcomers transition to post-secondary education.”

Read more:

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Testing solutions to emerging challenges

WES launched its refugee pilot project in July 2016. The goal was to determine whether WES could use its expertise and resources to reliably provide those who were facing barriers to integration with a high-quality credential evaluation that would prove their academic accomplishments and their equivalency in Canada.

Drawing on over 40 years of experience, WES developed a rigorously tested methodology to compare available academic documentation to documents stored in our extensive archival database to produce an evaluation report. WES worked with documents individuals had in their possession that signified they attended or completed a program of study. In some cases, WES evaluators were able to reconstruct the course of study using partial documentation, information in the organization’s archives and knowledge of the country’s education system.

Working with a network of organizations across Canada who supported eligible participants with application assistance and wrap-around services, WES was able to provide 337 Syrian refugees – 100% of applicants – with a credential evaluation.

More notable, however, was the fact that applicants who had the credential evaluation in hand were able to move forward with their lives. Through surveys and participant feedback, we confirmed how the report was being used. Three-quarters of those who used the report to apply for education were offered admission. No applicants reported having their application rejected. Others used their report for the purpose of professional licensure; 84% reported passing the initial review. And more than 60% of those who used their WES credential evaluation to obtain employment reported receiving at least one job offer.

Just as impressive as these numbers was the quality of organizations that accepted these reports. They included organizations such as the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO) and Osgoode Hall Law School.

To move forward with a scaled version of the program, WES conducted research on other countries in crisis. We sought to identify countries where great numbers of highly educated individuals were being forcibly displaced as a result of political unrest, conflict and natural disasters, and faced challenges in accessing verifiable documents. Equally important was our ability, based on data maintained in our credential evaluation database, to credibly map and reconstruct the education histories of applicants based on standard qualification requirements of a given education system.

Accessing long-term programming

We’ve now expanded the pilot phase to become the WES Gateway Program. This program is available in Canada to displaced individuals who, because of adverse circumstances in their country of education, lack standard proof of academic achievement.

Program eligibility centres on access to documentation, not refugee status. Eligible participants have been educated in seven countries: Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela.

As shown by the example of one applicant, the program’s impact is profound: Wid Sabir completed his education in Iraq. After arrival in Canada, he obtained a job offer from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). However, to move forward, Wid had to provide TTC with a credential evaluation that validated his educational qualifications. This was a major barrier for Wid: He was able to obtain his diploma, but he could not obtain the needed verification from the Iraqi Ministry of Education.

“I was about to potentially lose this job offer because I couldn’t obtain verification and prove my qualifications,” he said.

Through word of mouth, Wid heard about the WES Gateway Program. He brought the documents he had in-hand to a WES referral partner, ACCES Employment, which submitted an application for a WES Gateway Credential Evaluation. WES evaluated Wid’s credentials and submitted the report directly to TTC for recognition. He began his new role with TTC earlier this month.

Wid’s story is one of many. The WES Gateway Program offers a way forward for displaced individuals, and provides employers and other institutions with the verification they need to recognize qualifications. It also enables career practitioners in the settlement sector to offer their clients solutions to this barrier. WES works with referral partners across the country to ensure that this program is accessible to those who need it. Visit wes.org/ca/wesgateway to find a list of our partner organizations.

Beatrice Kohlenberg, PMP, is the senior program manager for the WES Gateway Program. She has extensive experience in project and program management, managing employment and diversity programs covering all aspects of program development, implementation and evaluation.

References

United Nations. (2018, June 19). Figures at a Glance. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html

2019

Post-secondary students with disabilities face gaps in career education services

May 10, 2019By Rachel So

While there has been progress in advancing inclusion for students with disabilities in Canadian colleges and universities, there is still work to be done to reduce structural barriers, discrimination and alienation from access to career education and work-integrated learning, according to the Final Report of a CERIC-funded project undertaken by the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS). The report, Accessibility and Universal Design in Career Transitions Programming and Services, finds that students with disabilities need greater opportunities to build their skills and career-related experience, whether through co-op placements, mentorship or volunteering.

This NEADS report aggregates findings from a range of research that looks at different data-sets and populations of disabled students and includes a survey of post-secondary career educators. The purpose of the report is to help increase understanding of existing gaps and guide best practice models for accommodations and universal design in career education for students with disabilities. CERIC’s support allowed for an expansion of the scope of research within the landmark The Landscape of Accessibility and Accommodation for Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities in Canada project funded by Employment and Social Development Canada from 2016-2018, which is a thorough examination of current accessibility, services, accommodations, technical equipment and supports for students with disabilities at publicly funded post-secondary institutions across Canada.

Overall, the key messages related to career development that emerge from the research include:

Accessibility and inclusion efforts in the post-secondary environment have lagged behind the evolution of the student experience and are limited to the academic (classroom and online learning) environment; in particular, accessibility in the co-curricular, professional development and work-integrated learning spaces needs to be developed.
Students with disabilities are often lacking in non-academic experiences that can lead to employment including: summer employment, part-time work during the school year, co-op placements and internships.
Significant transition barriers into, between, and out of levels of post-secondary education remain, with particular challenges faced by disabled students transitioning into post-secondary, and from post-secondary into the labour market.

Additional analysis for the report was done using the Statistics Canada 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability and the 2015 Canadian University Consortium study. The consortium study includes survey data on types of work experience; motivation for pursuit of higher education and career goals; and steps to prepare for employment among students with disabilities. The Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (2016), which specifically focuses on graduate students with disabilities, was also examined. It includes a snapshot of the experience of Indigenous graduate students with disabilities and graduate students pursuing STEM disciplines. Collectively, this reporting on the education and employment experiences of Canadians with disabilities in college or university programs provides valuable context and insights.

Some notable findings:

Of the 3,775,910 Canadians with disabilities aged 15 years and older, 190,290 are attending a post-secondary institution.
University students with disabilities are younger, slightly more likely to be female, much less likely to identify as Indigenous, more likely to be an immigrant and slightly less likely to be a member of the visible minority population than non-university students with disabilities.
The most prevalent type of disability reported among university students is pain. This type of disability is frequently reported together with mobility and/or flexibility disabilities and/or disability as a result of a mental-health condition. Mental health was the second most prevalent disability reported.
The employment rate of Canadians aged 25 to 64 with disabilities was 49%, compared with 79% for Canadians without a disability. The difference in employment rates between persons with disabilities and those without a disability was lower among university graduates.
Graduate students with disabilities are typically older than graduate students not reporting disabilities. They are also more likely to be enrolled in arts and humanities and less likely to be enrolled in business/management and engineering programs.
Approximately 60% of graduating students with disabilities plan to continue with further education or career development after graduation, with 38% expected to apply to graduate school and 22% expected to apply to professional school.
Thirty-one percent of students with disabilities say they have employment arranged for after graduation. Among those, 44% report the work as having a strong correlation with the skills and knowledge they acquired and 38% say it required their specific degree.
Nearly all graduating students with disabilities have taken at least one step to prepare for employment after graduating, usually informally through talking with peers, parents or professors about career options.

As part of this research project, NEADS also conducted a nationwide survey in late 2018 /early 2019 of career education professionals in Canadian post-secondary institutions in order to understand their experiences working with students with disabilities. Some of the challenges noted by respondents include:

Issues and questions students have regarding disclosure to employers;
Lack of awareness or resources to support diverse conditions by institution or employers;
Employers are still slow to hire people with diverse abilities due to lack of awareness, will or supports; and
Structural barriers that exist within the institution.

The report notes that a key issue is that disability services centres on Canadian college and university campuses are funded to provide academic accommodations, but not accommodations in other learning environments. For students with disabilities, the potential for significant barriers to accessing the co-curricular learning environment exists. Disability offices do not often have the staff to devote to working with other student services portfolios, such as career educators on campus, in preparing them to work with students with disabilities.

The report encourages career educators to increase their knowledge base to support the specific challenges that students with disabilities experience and to consider how – from universal design to employment accommodations – they can better transform this knowledge into programming within their post-secondary institutions.

What job factors enhance organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) most among employees with disabilities?

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Amani Hitimana

Twenty-two percent of the general population in Canada or 6.2 million Canadians have at least one disability (Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017) and yet this minority group is under-researched in academic fields (Lengnick-Hall et al., 2008; Shore et al., 2009).

Morris-Wales (2010) noted that there is a need to determine the most important employment factors affecting the career progression for persons with disabilities. The present study responds to this call for research by addressing the following question: “What employment factors are the best predictors of high organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) among employees with disabilities?” This is the first study of its kind to link OBSE with job factors job such as pay satisfaction, satisfaction with schedule flexibility, job satisfaction and workload among employees with disabilities. Understanding the correlation between the selected job factors and OBSE will become increasingly important in the coming decades, due to the labour shortage and the reality that disability rates are continuing to increase in Canada.

In terms of results, a positive correlation is expected to be found between the selected job factors and OBSE – thus, the greater the satisfaction that employees with disabilities find in terms of pay, workload, schedule flexibility and their job responsibilities, the higher the OBSE level. Considering the increasing rate of employees who are not adequately engaged with their work and the upcoming shortage of talent to fill important employment positions (Wall, 2015), if organizations succeed in optimizing these factors, they will retain employees with disabilities. However, these organizations will then face the further challenge of ensuring that their employees with disabilities are supported in terms of their having positive self-esteem and being deeply engaged with the organizations that choose to employ them.

Author Bio

Amani Hitimana is a doctoral student in the Faculty of Adult Education and Community Development at the University of Toronto, with a specialization in Workplace Learning and Social Change. His passion to advocate for vulnerable populations has since translated into a leadership priority. He works for Christian Horizons as a Program Manager and serves as a board member for the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN).

Career development in research and consultancy in STEM

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Angela Rutakomozibwa

I am currently a graduate student at the university of British Columbia (UBC) who is originally a professional trained teacher and educator with over 15 years’ experience in education management. I taught science at an advanced level, in particular physics. Further, I have worked with the Ministry of Education in designing, developing and writing curricular, syllabus and curriculum support materials for school and colleges, research, monitoring and evaluation of education programs.

My concern for female participation in STEM-related programs and especially physics was heightened when I joined the undergraduate program at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in the early 1990s. I struggled with questions such as: What happened to all the females who graduated from high school? What could be keeping many females whom I knew were just as bright as I was from pursuing studies in STEM-related fields? This state of wonderment has persisted in me to date and hence the reason for advancing into proposing research projects to further investigate how a technology-based instructional strategy might help female students’ who are learning physics to make career advancements into STEM.

My goal is to become a professor in science education in research and consultancy (R&C) who will work mainly on research related to STEM. From 2019 when I am still finishing my dissertation, my target five years from now is to revamp a functioning R&C section with enough human and fiscal resources.

I am on study leave now but apart from that I am an employee of the Tanzania Institute of Education, which is a Ministry of Education organization that has roles and responsibilities of curriculum development in the country. It is the only organization in the country that is mandated for that function among others.

As I prepare to complete my studies, I look forward to enhancing the research and consultancy section of the Ministry through working collaboratively with different institutions including universities on various projects. Given available opportunities, if necessary, I would transfer to the university to advise the responsible Ministry on issues related to science teaching and learning and especially improving the environment for female students teaching and learning in STEM-related fields.

There are possible obstacles that might hinder my achievements, but I have anticipated solutions that may propel me along my career pathway towards my goal. Listed here are the obstacles with anticipated solutions.

Obstacle 1: The section might not get enough resources/funding allocated for the identified challenges.

Solution 1: Prepare a five-year strategic plan that may be used to solicit/seek funds from organization/institutions.

Obstacle 2: Not sure whether the management will buy into the idea as a priority area for the institution.

Solution 2: Prepare and present a short-term proposal to management for selling ideas on the importance of project funding before advancing to the next stage.

Obstacle 3: Not sure current management or Ministry of Education will allow my transfer to go work with the university because of conflict of interest.

Solution 3: Arrange meetings with my director to discuss the situation before submitting my application for approval.

Obstacle 4: I don’t know how easily the strategic plan may be accepted by the Ministry.

Solution 4: Consult different organizations and share the plan before submission during the budgetary period.

To advance in achieving this career development goal, there are some of activities that may be ongoing and/or need accomplishment to achieve these goals.

Attend courses or trainings related to career development to meet professionals and share innovative ideas about research projects.
Pursue self-study or seek out training opportunity on how to prepare a strong strategic plan that may be sellable.
Meet and share my ideas with people/colleagues whom I admire and have engaged in projects.
Begin the communication with my director about the idea for understanding and share with the management team well in advance.
Solicit whether there are opportunities for transfer and approach universities that have positions by submitting documents for applications.

Author Bio

(Angela Rutakomozibwa) My parents encouraged us to value education, which they considered wealth in life and often referred to science! This is what inspired me into science education culminating into graduating as a high school physics teacher. I served as a curriculum expert for 15 years until coming to UBC. Offering quality science education especially to female students has always been my passion. As a PhD candidate in the department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, my focus is how technology-based instructional strategies might impact female students’ motivation and engagement in physics learning.

Developing soft skills using the HB FIRST® robotics program in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Sunny Bui

There is a large gap in the increasing number of jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and a low percentage of under-represented groups (ie, women and people with disabilities) who are attaining degrees in these fields and participating in the workforce._1,2 Although the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canadian Human Rights Act guarantees equality and the absence of discrimination, people with disabilities encounter barriers to post-secondary education in STEM fields._3,4 A promising mechanism to enhance enrollment in STEM fields for youth with disabilities is through robotics programs.5 Among typically developing youth, robotics programs have the potential to improve STEM-related skills, teamwork, self-confidence, and social and communication skills._6,7 Youth with disabilities are often excluded from and/or have fewer opportunities to participate in STEM programs.5 Although there is growth in literature on the potential role of robotics programs, such as LEGO therapy, little is known about the impact of an adapted, group-based robotics program specifically for youth with disabilities.2,5,8 Among the group that could benefit most are individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).₉

There is a growing focus in research literature to utilize the restricted interests of people with ASD to help foster learning (Gunn & Delafield-Butt, 2016). The passion and repetitive behaviours that are exhibited towards these interests appear to increase over the lifespan.₁₀ However, these interests may not always constitute positive learning and can guide development of negative social behaviours not consistent with social norms. For example, stalking behaviour and tendencies that typically appear in youth with ASD, aged 10-15.₁₁ Negative social behaviours like stalking contributes to the social stigma and further adds to the social challenges associated with ASD. If not corrected or properly guided, negative restricted interests can be detrimental in other aspects of life such as education and employment.₁₂ Restricted interests can be beneficial for learning, however, individuals with ASD may not always overcome challenges in social communication. Difficulties in social communication can contribute to academic underachievement and has the largest impact on education during years of critical social development (i.e., youth).₁₃ In addition, social difficulties often prevent the successful integration of people with ASD into the workforce despite their educational attainment.₁₄ Developing a mechanism that provides an opportunity to pursue positive interests (ie, STEM) and contribute to personal development (ie, social communication and interactions) is needed to help minimize the challenges (ie, in education and employment) people with ASD face in their lifetime.

Individuals with ASD have the potential to help address the increasing number of jobs in STEM as these jobs tend to be naturally repetitive and systematic. However, there are few studies in the research literature that have explored an evidence-based pathway to increasing interests towards STEM. A pilot study conducted by the Transitions and Inclusive Environments Lab (TRAIL) suggests that a promising pathway to increase STEM interest is through robotics programs for youth with disabilities.₅ In specific, the HB FIRST® robotics program at Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto. While engaged in teamwork, children learn about computer programming and building robots. This approach is different than LEGO therapy models that are typically less structured and have a more recreational focus. Additionally, structured group-based robotics programs similar to the HB FIRST® robotics program have the potential to increase career interests of children and youth towards STEM education and employment.₁₅ The combination of interacting with a peer, building robots and learning coding can provide a basis for developing soft skills that are critical in future STEM careers.

Current research being conducted by the TRAIL builds from the current research literature. In specific, the effects of the adapted HB FIRST® robotics program on soft skills (ie, social, teamwork and problem solving) that are critical for success in future education and employment in the STEM field. Findings will be ready for dissemination January 2020.

Author Bio

Sunny Bui (he/him/his) is a MSc candidate in the Rehabilitation Science program at the University of Toronto and graduate student in the TRAIL lab at the Bloorview Research Institute. He has a background in kinesiology and the social sciences. His thesis topic is on the development of soft skills (ie, social) among youth with disabilities (ie, autism spectrum disorder) in an adapted robotics program.

References:

Dasgupta, N., and Stout, J.G. (2014). Girls and Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: STEMing the Tide and Broadening Participation in STEM Careers. Policy Insights from Behav. Brain Sci. 1, 21–29. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732214549471.
Lindsay, S., and Hounsell, K.G. (2017). Adapting a robotics program to enhance participation and interest in STEM among children with disabilities: a pilot study. Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol. 12, 694–704. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2016.1229047.

Beck-Winchatz, B., and Riccobono, M.A. (2008). Advancing participation of blind students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Adv. Sp. Res. 42, 1855–1858. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117707005960 [Accessed March 28, 2019].

Dutta, A., M. Kundu, M., and Schiro-Geist, C. (2009). Coordination of Postsecondary Transition Services for Students with Disabilities.

Lindsay, S., Hounsell, K., and Cassiani, C. (2017). A scoping review of the role of LEGO® therapy for improving inclusion and social skills among children and youth with autism.

Benitti, F.B.V. (2012). Exploring the educational potential of robotics in schools: A systematic review. Comput. Educ.

Ludi, S., and Reichlmayr, T. (2011). The Use of Robotics to Promote Computing to Pre-College Students with Visual Impairments. ACM Trans. Comput. Educ.

Sullivan, A., Kazakoff, E.R., and Bers, M.U. (2013). The wheels on the bot go round and round: Robotics curriculum in pre-kindergarten. J. Inf. Technol. Educ.

Wei, X., Yu, J.W., Shattuck, P., McCracken, M., and Blackorby, J. (2013). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participation among college students with an autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 43, 1539–1546. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23114569.

Charlop, M.H., Kurtz, P.F., and Casey, F.G. (2006). Using aberrant behaviors as reinforcers for autistic children. J. Appl. Behav. Anal.

Post, M., Haymes, L., Storey, K., Loughrey, T., and Campbell, C. (2014). Understanding Stalking Behaviors by Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Recommended Prevention Strategies for School Settings. J. Autism Dev. Disord.

Post, M., Storey, K., Haymes, L., Campbell, C., and Loughrey, T. (2014). Stalking behaviors by individuals with autism spectrum disorders in employment settings: Understanding stalking behavior and developing appropriate supports. Educ. Train. Autism Dev. Disabil.

Williams White, S., Keonig, K., and Scahill, L. (2007). Social skills development in children with autism spectrum disorders: A review of the intervention research. J. Autism Dev. Disord.

Hendricks, D. (2010). Employment and adults with autism spectrum disorders: Challenges and strategies for success. J. Vocat. Rehabil.

Goh, H., and Ali, B. (2014). Robotics as a tool to stem learning. Int. J. Innovaion Educ. Res.

‘Knees weak, arms are heavy:’ Understanding and managing employment interview anxiety

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Irene Zhang (Cannexus20 GSEP Award Winner)

Job interviews are one of the most popular selection methods for hiring new employees, and for good reason; they can predict up to 17% of variance in a candidate’s future job performance (Cortina et al., 2000). When asked to report the feelings and thoughts experienced before and during a job interview, many people will share stories of sweaty palms, fidgeting, racing thoughts and fears of failure. These experiences can be broadly categorized into the phenomenon termed “interview anxiety.” Interview anxiety is an extremely common experience, but it has only recently captured the attention of researchers. McCarthy and Goffin (2004) are credited with developing the first comprehensive scale of interview anxiety which conceptualizes this type of anxiety as a situation-specific personality trait, and includes five dimensions: social (ie, worrying about social behaviour), communication (i., worrying about verbal, non-verbal and listening ability), performance (ie, worrying about outcome), appearance (ie, worrying about physical appearance) and behavioural (ie, experiencing physical symptoms) anxiety. Though interview anxiety is similar to other types of anxiety such as social anxiety and test-taking anxiety, it is not exactly the same as it incorporates elements from each of these types of anxiety, and only emerges in the event of an actual job interview. However, like other kinds of anxiety, interview anxiety can have a negative influence on normal functioning.

Interview anxiety can impact interview performance

Although interview anxiety is triggered by the formal environment surrounding job interviews and may not reflect a candidate’s actual competencies, it can have a serious impact on one’s overall interview score. Powell, Stanley, and Brown (2018) found an overall meta-analytic correlation of -.19 (ie, a moderate negative effect size) between interview anxiety and interview performance, meaning there is an established link between individuals who experience great interview anxiety and poor interview scores. Unfortunately, as interview anxiety can be unrelated to one’s actual fit and qualifications for the job, competent but nervous individuals may become accidentally overlooked in a competitive hiring situation.

Managing interview anxiety prior to the interview day

Since interview scores can determine who receives a job offer, it is important to understand how to reduce one’s interview anxiety. Experience with past interviews may help decrease interview anxiety (Huffcutt, Van Iddekinge, & Roth, 2011), however, one-on-one coaching with career counsellors is more effective for improving interview scores (Williams, 2012). Counsellors can teach coping mechanisms for alleviating and hiding anxiety from interviewers. Feeney, McCarthy and Goffin (2015) found that it is most beneficial to use problem and emotion-oriented coping. Problem-oriented coping refers to tackling the problem head-on by taking mock-interviews and reading interview tips to prepare, while emotion-oriented coping occurs when applicants receive emotional support from loved ones in advance and recall these messages of support in moments of heightened worry. Teaching these particular skills to applicants may improve their interview performance. Individuals can also be trained to apply evidence-based treatments for similar types of anxiety, like social anxiety, to the interview context. Feiler and Powell (2016) tested two such interventions, positive imagery (ie, imagining oneself to be successful and confident during the interview) and field perspective taking (ie, appraising the situation through one’s own eyes rather than taking the interviewer’s perspective and judging oneself externally), and found that both interventions were able to decrease self-reported levels of interview anxiety.

Managing interview anxiety on the interview day

On the day of the actual interview it may be comforting to know that in reality, interviewees over-estimate how much their anxiety is actually detected by the interviewer; interview anxiety is mostly a hidden internal experience of discomfort (McCarthy & Goffin, 2004; Sieverding, 2009). However, for candidates looking to minimize the appearance of anxiety, they should avoid speaking too slowly (Feiler & Powell, 2016), stay away from filler words such as “um,” “ah,” and “like” and try not to ramble and go off-topic (Miller, Gayfer, & Powell, 2018).

Interview anxiety is a multi-dimensional trait that occurs only in the job interview context. It is a very common experience that can affect a jobseeker’s prospects. By seeking out support from loved ones and evidence-based interventions from career counsellors, applicants can better manage their interview anxiety to perform their best in job interviews.

Author Bio

Irene Zhang is a Master’s student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Guelph and a Junior Consultant for Organization & Management Solutions. She was a Gold Medallist in the Honours BA Psychology program at Western University. Irene has research interests broadly in recruitment and selection, with a focus on personality and interviews.

References:

Cortina, J. M., Goldstein, N. B., Payne, S. C., Davison, H. K., & Gilliland, S. W. (2000). The incremental validity of interview scores over and above cognitive ability and conscientiousness. Personnel Psychology, 53(2), 325-351.

Feeney, J. R., McCarthy, J. M., & Goffin, R. (2015). Applicant anxiety: Examining the sex‐linked anxiety coping theory in job interview contexts. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 23(3), 295-305.

Feiler, A. R., & Powell, D. M. (2016). The role of self‐focused attention and negative self‐thought in interview anxiety: A test of two interventions. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 24(2), 132-149.

Huffcutt, A. I., Van Iddekinge, C. H., & Roth, P. L. (2011). Understanding applicant behavior in employment interviews: A theoretical model of interviewee performance. Human Resource Management Review, 21(4), 353-367.

McCarthy, J., & Goffin, R. (2004). Measuring job interview anxiety: Beyond weak knees and sweaty Personnel Psychology, 57(3), 607-637.

Miller, R. O., Gayfer, B. L., & Powell, D. M. (2018). Influence of vocal and verbal cues on ratings of interview anxiety and interview performance. Personnel Assessment and Decisions, 4(2), 26-41.

Powell, D. M., Stanley, D. J., & Brown, K. N. (2018). Meta-analysis of the relation between interview anxiety and interview performance. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 50(4), 195-207.

Sieverding, M. (2009). ‘Be cool!’ Emotional costs of hiding feelings in a job interview. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 17, 391–401.

Williams, K. Z. (2012). Does practice make perfect? Effects of practice and coaching on interview. ProQuest Dissertations, 3525932.

Exploring experiential education and student voice to support school transitions

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Colleen Knechtel

Post-secondary education (PSE) decision-making is an extraordinarily complex process (Mueller, 2008) that forces young people to consider not only their personal attributes, values and interests, but also compels them to think deeply about the life they want to lead, and make choices amidst seemingly endless possibilities. Transitions from school-to-work and from high school to PSE often take students on extended, sometimes winding roads that most often eventually lead to technical training and higher education programs (Alberta Advanced Education, 2016). Post-secondary aspirations begin to emerge by age 15 (Alberta Advanced Education) and are considered to be important predictors for future PSE access (Christofides, Hoy, Li & Stengos, 2008; Motte, et al., 2008). While the flexible and diverse nature of experiential education programs is known to provide open spaces for students to reconnoitre their strengths, values and interests, allowing students to become the author of their own story (McGowan, 2016; Baxter Magolda, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2008; Kegan, 1982; see also Lehmann, 2007; 2016), these programs are also underexplored avenues to support students in their PSE explorations.

Experiential learning opportunities link education, work and personal development. Such learning is best conceived not in terms of specific outcomes, but as a continuous process that creates knowledge grounded in experience (Kolb, 2014) involving both personal and social aspects of development (Dewey 1938). It is well established in the research literature that community service-learning and other experiential education programs such as internships and leadership opportunities enable students to gain practical knowledge and skills, as well as important personal and social understandings.

An essential consideration for the design of such programs is student voice, a traditionally neglected aspect within school culture. It is critical that educators work alongside students to understand their perspectives and find ways to empower young people to actively engage in authentic explorations of their interests, curiosities and aspirations to support preparation for PSE decision-making. One example of such a program is a four-day internship created for students interested in learning about architecture. Instead of attending school, a group of students went to work at a local architecture firm. Not only did these students job shadow the architects to learn about what they do in their workplace day-to-day, they also were invited to actively participate in design meetings where they were asked to contribute their ideas about ways our local downtown public library (currently under major redesign construction) might create welcoming spaces for young people.

In this internship, student voice was honuored, first by the option to choose to participate in the program, and secondly, by being invited into authentic planning conversations. Together, experiential education program design and student voice are important approaches to support students’ PSE planning and decision-making in preparation for school transitions.

Author Bio

(Colleen Knechtel) After counselling and supporting disadvantaged and injured workers, I began in 2009 to lead collaborative projects to empower students in schools. These collaborative school-based projects created questions that I am now exploring in my graduate studies at the University of Alberta. My research interests involve experiential education program design in secondary school communities that support students’ explorations of post-secondary aspirations, options and decision-making at the intersections of student voice and school transitions.

References:

Alberta Advanced Education. (2016). Campus Alberta planning resource 2016. Alberta: Alberta Advanced Education.

Baxter Magolda, M. B. (1998). Developing self-authorship in young adult life. Journal of College Student Development, 39, 143-156.

Baxter Magolda, M. B. (1999). Creating contexts for learning and self-authorship: Constructive developmental pedagogy. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. Retrieved from www.vanderbilt.edu/vupress

Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2004). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self-development. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2008). Three elements of self-authorship. Journal of College Student Development, 49, 269-284. doi: 10.1353/csd.0.0016

Christofides, L.N., Hoy, M., Li, Z., & Stengos, T. (2008). The evolution of aspirations for university attendance. In R. Finnie, R. E. Mueller, A. Sweetman, & A. Usher. (Eds.), Who goes? Who stays? What matters? Accessing and persisting in post-secondary education in Canada (pp. 109-134). Kingston, Canada: McGill Queen’s University Press.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Touchstone.

Griffin, J. E. Jr, Lorenz, G.F., & Mitchell, D. (2010). A study of outcomes-oriented student reflection during internship: The integrated, coordinated, and reflection based model of learning and experiential education. The Journal of Cooperative Education & Internships, 44(1), 42-50.

Kegan, R. (1982). Evolving self: Problem and process in human development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Kolb, D. A. (2014). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Ltd.

Lehmann, W. (2007). Choosing to labour: school-work transitions and social class. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Lehmann, W., & Milne, E. (2016). Education & society: Canadian perspectives. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

McGowan, A. L. (2016). Impact of One-Semester Outdoor Education Programs on Adolescent Perceptions of Self-Authorship. Journal of Experiential Education. 39(4), 386-411. DOI: 10.1177/1053825916668902.

Mueller, R.E. (2008). Access and persistence of students in Canadian post-secondary education: What we know, what we don’t know, and why it matters. In R. Finnie, R. E. Mueller, A.

Sweetman, & A. Usher. (Eds.), Who goes? Who stays? What matters? Accessing and persisting in post-secondary education in Canada (pp. 33-61). Kingston, Canada: McGill Queen’s University Press.

Motte, A., Qiu, H., Zhang, Y., & Bussière, P. (2008). The youth in transition survey: Following Canadian youth through time. In R. Finnie, R. E. Mueller, A. Sweetman, & A. Usher. (Eds.), Who goes? Who stays? What matters? Accessing and persisting in post-secondary education in Canada (pp. 63-75). Kingston, Canada: McGill Queen’s University Press.

Transforming professional self concept in mid-life career transitions

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Connie Covey (Cannexus20 GSEP Award Winner)

What is my purpose? What valuable and significant contribution can I make? What is the meaning, intent or design of my career? These are the types of questions that often surface during a mid-life career transition. As career develops over time, so too does your professional self concept. You are always in the process of becoming; the past shapes who you are today and today shapes who you will become tomorrow. Furthermore, professional self concept is informed by worldview which encompasses your values, beliefs and ethics and is shaped by psycho-social and socio-cultural influences beginning at the time of birth (Mezirow, 1991).

The middle of life is a time in adult development that tends to be reflective, a time to consider worldview and professional self concept. Adulthood is also when locus of control shifts from an external focus to an internal focus resulting in taking greater responsibility for the outcome of one’s career and life. This shift in locus of control also aligns with important psychological, emotional, mental and spiritual development that occurs during the middle of life between the ages of 45 – 55 (Kjellström & Stålne, 2017).

Disorienting dilemma

In today’s world of work characterized by liquid modernity (Bauman, 2005), planned or unplanned mid-life career transitions may feel like a disorienting dilemma in which frames of reference or habits of the mind are found to be invalid or feel inauthentic (Mezirow, 1991). As adults take in new information through lived career experiences, their meaning structures (informed by their worldview) are being reshaped. This psychological learning process is referred to as constructivism, in which previously acquired knowledge is questioned and assumptions and premises that no longer apply to the current reality are modified, reshaped or reinterpreted (Mezirow, 1994).

Mid-career is also a common time when individuals begin to question the guiding principles upon which they have built their career (Lips-Wiserma, 2002). For some, it is a time when egocentrism is questioned and replaced by a growing desire to “give back” in some meaningful or significant way. The disorienting dilemma experienced during a mid-life career transition often raises a number of existential questions such as “who am I” “why am I here” or “what defines me or my career”? These questions are related to how the individual perceives themselves and the conceptualization of their individual and professional identity (Illeris, 2013).

Transforming professional self concept

A natural part of adult development includes psychological, emotional, mental and spiritual development whereby adults learn from their lived experiences and as a result their meaning structures, worldview and professional self concept are being reformed. Transforming professional self concept is influenced by experiential learning and important adult development which, in turn, impacts career.

Transforming professional self concept is more than constructing a new interpretation from the lived experiences in your career. Rather, transforming professional self concept is when you perceive yourself in a new light perhaps as a result of a spiritual experience or a personal kairos. In other words, a moment of insight that is impactful at the deepest ontological and epistemological level resulting in a greater level of consciousness contributing to identity transformation (Kegan, 2009).

As a career counsellor I have the privilege of working with individuals during mid-life career transitions which is often a time when individuals reconnect with the things that matter most to them. A time of soul searching, spiritual insight and connection to a purpose or power greater than themselves impacting ways of knowing and being in the world (King, 2011).

Author Bio

Connie Covey is a career counsellor at CareerPlan.ca and is currently pursuing an EdD in workplace and adult learning at the University of Calgary. Connie’s research explores the role of spiritual practices (from the Western Judeo-Christian perspective) in mid-life career transitions for defining career purpose and meaning (completion 2020). She can be reached at connie@careerplan.ca.

References:

Bauman, Z. (2005). Education in liquid modernity. The review of education, pedagogy, and cultural studies, 27(4), 303-317.

Illeris, K. (2013). Transformative learning and identity. Routledge.

Kegan, R. (2009). What “form” transforms? A constructive-developmental approach to transformative learning. In Contemporary theories of learning (pp. 43-60). Routledge.

King, U. (2011). Can spirituality transform our world?. Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 1(1), 17-34.

Kjellström, S., & Stålne, K. (2017). Adult development as a lens: Applications of adult development theories in research. Behavioral Development Bulletin, 22(2), 266.

Lips-Wiserma, L. (2002) “The influence of spiritual “meaning‐making” on career behavior”, Journal of Management Development, 21 (7), 497-520, https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710210434638

Mezirow, J. (1994). Understanding transformation theory. Adult Education Quarterly, 44(4), 222-232.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. Jossey-Bass, 350 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94104-1310.

Strengthening career development model connectivity between Canada and China

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Julia Nie

Framing the context

Canada has well-established practical career development models, education and research programs. What is the current status of career development in China? What are the challenges, opportunities and solutions? What are the strategies to change the situation?

Strengths: Career development initiative in China

In China, domestic university enrolment has been rising at a staggering rate over the past decade. Additionally, there are large growing numbers of returning overseas students entering the job market in China. The outcome of graduates’ jobseeking has drawn the attention of students, universities, government and communities. Now government, universities and private sectors in China are building their capacity around the tools and theories of career development.

Opportunities: Career development in China

Career development is a relatively new concept in China. There was no career development theory and practice before the 1990s. Jobs were assigned by government. Nowadays, China has a rapid-growth economy and changing labour market; there is huge demand for career development. Government and non-government sectors are building their capability to offer career development to university students. However, they are facing many challenges, such as a lack of trained and qualified career development practitioners to deliver services and outdated career development assessment software and tools. Government and non-government players in Canada can act as an enabler and facilitator opening doors for practice, research and partnership between Canada and China through institutional partnership building, research collaboration, internationalized career development curriculum, as well as sending delegations and hosting summits.

Aspirations: Career development model connectivity

In today’s globalized knowledge-based economy, the communication and connectivity, exchange and collaboration between Canada and China should be a cohesive strategy. Canada expertise export can build a Canadian brand.

Results: Canadian brand, communication and collaboration

The career development model connectivity between Canada and China will brand Canadian expertise, building a gateway that leads to positive change in the labour market of China and results in sustainable social and cultural communication and collaboration between the two countries.

Author Bio

Julia Nie is a career practitioner and researcher focused on career development, intercultural and international communication. She holds Career Development Practitioner certification from Simon Fraser University and is completing her MA in Intercultural and International Communication at Royal Roads University. She has over 10 years of experience in research, employment service and university management in intercultural communication context, working with diverse groups including immigrants, youth and people with disability and multi-barriers.

A closer look: Anxiety among Ontario university students

May 8, 2019By Rachel So

By Karoline Achille

The period of childhood, adolescence and young adulthood is a high-risk age group for the development of several forms of psychopathology, particularly anxiety disorders (Kessler et al., 2005). According to a survey by the Association of Directors of University and College Counseling Centers, anxiety remains the main concern among students (41.6%), followed by depression (36.4%) and relationship problems (35.8%) (Mistler et al, 2012). The American Association of Universities for Health in Canada found similar results. Nearly 33% of students reported anxiety about their academic performance (American College Health Association, 2016). University students are experiencing a type of anxiety that is unknown to the general population as they face: debt accumulation and repayment of school debt, rising tuition fees, paid work, balancing social life, academic success and uncertainty about the labour market after graduation (Kaniasty, Moore, Howard & Buchwald, 2014).

Before examining the prevalence of anxiety disorders in Ontario, we need to examine the systemic challenges in mental health. If we look at Canadian provincial governments, we find that Ontario spends a little less on mental health than the national average, a difference of 7.2% (Institute of Health Economics, 2010). In addition, while Ontario invested an additional $18.5 billion in health care over the same period, the per capita investment was $1,361 in health care, compared to $16.45 per capita for mental health (Lurie, 2014). In 2016, through a survey of students across Ontario, researchers found that 65% of post-secondary students reported having exhausting anxiety (Ontario Universities, 2017). These results corroborate a study conducted at Queen’s University where nearly 62% of the students surveyed living with psychological disorders experienced a decline in academic performance (60%), health problems (57%) and absenteeism from school or work (48%) (Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, 2014). According to an online survey commissioned by Children’s Mental Health in Ontario from a representative sample of 806 Ontarians, 50% of Ontario parents have already expressed concerns about their child’s anxiety level and 33% of Ontario parents have encouraged their child to miss school because of anxiety (2017).

Finally, it should be added that suicide is the second leading cause of death among Canadian youth after accidents on the road (Statistics Canada, 2015). We must also mention the stigma associated with psychological disorders. According to studies by Rosenthal and Wilson (2008), more than 75% of students with significant psychological distress do not consult professionals because of this stigma. The reality of Canadian university students living in Ontario is characterized by stressors such as academic achievement, financial stress, rising tuition fees and other factors that make them vulnerable to anxiety disorders.

Author Bio

My name is Karoline Achille, I am a first-year student in the Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of Ottawa. My Master’s thesis focuses on the issues faced by university students in a minority context. I am a former undergraduate student and I am familiar with the reality of undergraduate students. These students are experiencing a lot of stress in many areas of their lives as they study.

References:

Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (2014). Guide d’intervention fédérale en santé mentale étudiante, Ottawa, ACAE. Retrouvé sur le site : http://www.acae-casa.com/guide_d_ intervention_f_d_rale_en_sant_mentale_tudiante

Children’s Mental Health Ontario (2017) “Children and Youth Mental Health Survey: Getting Help in Ontario.” Ipsos, Retrouvé le site : www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/CMHO-children-and-youth-mental-health-ontario

Institute of Health Economics (2010) The Cost of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Canada Report. Retrouvé sur le site: http://www.ihe.ca/document/Cost%20of%20Mental%20Health%20Services%20in%20Canada%20Report%20June% 202010.pdf

Kaniasty, Krzysztof, et al. (2014) Stress and Anxiety Applications to Social and Environmental Threats, Psychological Well-Being, Occupational Challenges, and Developmental Psychology. Logos Berlin,

Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demler O, Jin R, Merikangas KR, Walters EE (2005) Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry; 62:593–602.

Lurie, S. (2014). Why Can’t Canada Spend More on Mental Health? Health, 6, 684-690.

Mistler, B, et coll. (2012) “The AUCCCD Annual Survey and Report Overview.” The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, www.aucccd.org.

Ontario’s Universities (2017) Mental Health. Retrouvé sur le site: ontariosuniversities.ca/issues-priorities/student-supports.

Statistics Canada. (2015). Deaths and causes of death, 2015. Retrouvé sur le site : https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/180223/dq180223c-eng.htm Statistics Canada. 2011. “2011 Census of Canada: Topic-based Tabulations, Language Composition (Detailed Mother Tongue, Knowledge of Official Languages, Age Groups and Sex)” Ottawa: Statistics Canada.

Rosenthal, B. et Wilson, W.C. (2008). Mental health services: Use and disparity among diverse college students. Journal Of American College Health: J Of ACH, 57(1), 61-68.

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