Exploring experiential education and student voice to support school transitions

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.

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Transforming professional self concept in mid-life career transitions

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.

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Strengthening career development model connectivity between Canada and China

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.

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A closer look: Anxiety among Ontario university students

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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Experiences of athletes competing in the 2019 Pan-American and Para Pan-American Games: How sport-life balance contributes to athletic career transition and overall sport performance

By Katrina Monton

Current literature suggests that athletic career transitions are life-changing events and are often perceived by athletes as extremely stressful (Knights, Sherry & Ruddock-Hudson, 2016). Transitioning out of elite sport forces an individual to adjust to a new way of life and can often be accompanied by negative effects and impact mental health (Knights et al., 2016; Ohashi, 2018). However, retiring from sport and pursuing other experiences is an important life event that can positively impact the individual and lead to personal growth, development and fulfillment (Ohashi, 2018). Existing literature suggests that having sport-life balance facilitates athlete well-being and improves sport performance (Friesen & Orlick, 2010; Knapp, 2012; Pink, Saunders & Stynes, 2015). Student-athletes participating at the Olympic Games are more likely than their non-student counterparts to win medals (Knapp, 2012). Athletes who have opportunities to explore their interests and identity outside of sport report more ease with athletic career transition and adapt more easily to life after sport (Gordon & Lavallee, 2012; Pink, Saunders & Stynes, 2015; Knights et al., 2016; Hansen, Perry, Rose & Montgomery, 2018). Student-athletes consider that balancing sport and academics not only benefits performance in both areas but promotes future career success as well (Aquilina, 2013). Finally, planning for life after sport and career counselling, have been shown to have a positive impact on sport performance, as well as increase life and career satisfaction, post-sport (Aquilina, 2013; Knights et al., 2016; Ohashi, 2018).

Research in this area is limited within the Canadian context. However, the 2010 Olympic Games Debrief, identified a gap in the services being offered to athletes transitioning out of sport. Following this debrief, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) created Game Plan, a total wellness program. Game Plan strives to support current and retired national team athletes to lead more balanced lifestyles. Game Plan works from a holistic framework promoting wellness through five pillars; health, skill development, education, network and career.

The purpose of this study is to explore athletes’ experiences planning and preparing for life after the 2019 Pan-American and Para Pan-American Games. More specifically, this study seeks to investigate the role that sport-life balance plays on post-Games career planning, as well as performance during the Games. This study will provide each athlete with the opportunity to share their experiences, whether they are retiring or continuing in their sport, in a confidential manner. This research project is set to begin in Spring 2019 and involves a collaboration between the COC and McGill University. It is the first of a series for the Pan-American Games, and will function in the same manner as the post-Olympic and Paralympic Debrief research projects. The research method will be a mixed method, including a survey data and qualitative one-on-one interviews with athletes. This project is important for high-level Canadian athletes, as it will help inform Game Plan on how they may better meet the needs of transitioning athletes and overall athlete well-being.

The Project will be conducted under the supervision of Dr Patricia Hewlin, McGill University and in collaboration with Sophie Brassard, Université de Sherbrooke (Game Plan Liaison).

 

Author Bio

Katrina Monton is completing her second year in the MA Counselling Psychology at McGill University. Her research interests are in organizational psychology, specifically promoting inclusion, diversity and safety within educational, sport and workplace settings. Prior to Katrina’s graduate studies she was a national team athlete for over a decade. She is passionate about helping athletes’ transition from high­level sports.

 

References:

Aquilina, D. (2013): A Study of the Relationship Between Elite Athletes’ Educational Development and Sporting Performance, The International Journal of the History of Sport, 30:4, 374-392

Friesen, A., & Orlick, T. (2010). A qualitative analysis of holistic sport psychology

consultants’ professional philosophies. Sport Psychologist, 24(2), 227-244. Retrieved from http://joumals.humankinetics.com/tsp.

Game Plan. (2018). Retrieved March 22, 2019, from https://www.mygameplan.ca/

Gordon, S., & Lavallee, D. (2012). Career transitions. In T. Morris & P. Terry (Eds.), The new sport and exercise psychology companion (pp. 567-582). Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.

Hansen, A., Perry, J., Ross, M., & Montgomery, T. (2018). Facilitating a successful transition out of sport: Introduction of a collegiate student-athlete workshop. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 1-9.

Knapp, D. (2012). Performance of student-athletes at Olympic Games: The performance impact of university student-athletes at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympic Games. Adee// Group, 1-36. Retrieved from http://adcellgroup.com.au/development/uniroos/images/Performance _of_ student-athletes _ at_ Olympic_ Games. pdf

Knights, S., Sherry, E., & Ruddock-Hudson, M. (2016). Investigating elite end-of-athletic-career transiti on: A systematic review. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 28(3), 291-308. doi:10.1080/10413200.2 015.1128992

Ohashi, Alison, “Transitioning Out of Sport: Perspectives of Student-Athlete Support or Development Services” (2018). Boise State University Theses and Dissertations. 1406. 10.18122/td/1406/boisestate

Pink, M., Saunders, J., & Stynes, J. (2015). Reconciling the maintenance of on-field success with off­field player development: A case study of club culture within the Australian Football League. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21(1), 98-108. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.11.009

Wylleman, P., & Lavallee, D. (2004). A developmental perspective on transitions faced by athletes. In M.Weiss (Ed.), Developmental sport and exercise psychology: A lifespan perspective (pp. 507-527). Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.

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Using visual storytelling to increase awareness of career development among post-secondary students

By Kellie Fay

Did you know? “Achieving secure employment is students’ #2 career goal overall.”1 -Brainstorm Strategy Group Inc., 2018

When have you seen a billboard in a school, in a tv commercial or a poster in a bus shelter promoting career development?

How is your institution integrating career development and employability into the curriculum? “Alicia” enters into university directly from high school because her parents want her to have a degree.

Fast forward – Alicia is about to finish her first year of university, which encompassed mostly arts and sciences classes. As the year progressed, her grades declined because she lost interest and didn’t see the relevance or connection of what she was learning to her future. She would sit in the library for hours – aimlessly – not knowing where to turn. She became despondent, she felt alone, anxious and hopeless about her future. Alicia was at a loss about a career direction and started to contemplate dropping out of school.

“Alex” leaves college with a diploma – thinking that it will land him a job in his chosen field. He applied for many positions but wasn’t called for one interview. He doesn’t know how to improve his employability. Consequently, he feels frustrated and blames the college.

Career development reimagined

Senior leadership and faculty value career development and employability of graduates. Career education and employability are integrated as a strategic objective within the institution’s strategic plan. Financial resources are allocated to promote career development institutionally. Faculty integrate career education and employability within their course design and content. For credit career development courses are available for all students.

My vision is to increase the awareness of career development through the power of visual storytelling with – assets – such as infographics, graphic illustrations, animated gifs and mini-short films for the post-secondary sector. Career development visual storytelling would provide an engaging launch for promoting institution-wide career education and employability.

Visual storytelling is a powerful medium for the reason that a substantial amount of information can be communicated in a short period of time. People empathically connect with animated characters and they provide emotional distance. Visual storytelling can be impactful, memorable and can inspire change. It is refreshing and uplifting to learn about the recent skills development and employability initiatives across Canada.2 Moreover, this trend is transpiring internationally as well, namely, the Future of Education and Skills 20303 project.

Still, it is necessary for the profile, promotion and integration of career development to advance. It is prudent for an individual to have a sense of a career direction in order to learn about which skills to develop (including career management skills) and have the know-how to effectively market their learning, skills and experience to future work opportunities.

This infographic is an example of using visual storytelling to communicate as substantial amount of information in a short time and in an engaging way.

 

Author Bio

Kellie Fay is passionate about career development and is motivated to support individuals on their career journey. She is also a visual artist and innovator. Along with obtaining a Master of Career Development, Kellie will soon complete a Master of Stop-Motion Animation. This unique combination of education and skills are a testimony to Kellie’s ability to actualize her vision to create intriguing resources.

 

References:

  1. Brainstorm Strategy Group Inc. “The Weekly Stat.” (Sep 6, 2018) https://twitter.com/brainstormsgi?lang=en
  2. Brookfield Institute. “Employment in 2030”. https://brookfieldinstitute.ca/project/employment-in-2030/
  3. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “OECD Education 2030”. http://www.oecd.org/education/2030/?utm_source=activetrail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=jmc@iccdpp.org

 

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Teacher candidates’ experiences in conducting professional development: A course instructor’s perspective

By Kwesi Yaro

This call for proposals has come at an opportune time when I am still grappling with ideas on a final project I am designing for a course I have been assigned to teach this summer as a sessional instructor. In relevance to this call, I argue for the need for teacher professional development for science and mathematics teachers with emphasis on teacher candidates gaining hands-on experience in planning and conducting professional development with community partner schools on connecting social justice, equity, placed-based and Indigenous knowledges pedagogies into math and science teaching.

Teacher candidates’ engagements with community has been seen to provide a sense of social responsibility, awareness to community and global issues, collaborative work and personality development. Thus, aspects of EDUC 452B 308 Inquiry III, which I will be teaching this summer are aimed at preparing mathematics and science teacher candidates to challenge themselves in making effective contributions to professional growth in their respective future schools and communities through getting involved and taking leadership roles in professional development activities.

This will require gaining not only theoretical knowledge of conducting successful professional development (Pro-D) but also, first-hand experience through working with community partners such as schools. Specifically, in an era where education has taken a more humanistic approach; based on the principles of human rights and dignity, cultural sustainability, social justice, peace, inclusion and protection” (UNESCO, 2016  p. 24), it is important that mathematics and science educators employ more critical perspectives in their teaching and learning in response to the myriad of national and international social, political and ecological challenges we face today. As a result, secondary math and science teacher candidates obtaining first-hand experience in planning and executing/leading Pro-D activities with a focus on infusing placed-based, social justice and Indigenous knowledges in mathematics and science curriculum will be beneficial not only the teacher candidates, but also the in-service teachers who also grapple with incorporating social justice, placed-based and Indigenous knowledges pedagogies in math and science lessons (Nicol, Bragg, Radzimski, Yaro, Chen, Amoah,  2017).

Thus, this proposed Pro-D activity for schools will encourage teachers to integrate critical issues of social concerns in mathematics and science teaching. Broadly, the proposed activity will also foster community engagement through rich learning experiences with community partners such as schools. Moreover, collaborating and working with community partners (schools) will continue to portray academic institutions as places that value inquiry learning, community building and cherish the integration of experiential, sustainability-focused, social justice, place-based learning and explore such abstract concepts while they make explicit connections to practice.

In closing, I hope to share with the audience (from an instructors perspective) my experiences with teacher candidates’ designing and leading professional development activities for in-service teachers on ways of infusing social justice, placed-based and Indigenous knowledge into the K-12 math and science curriculum.

 

Author Bio

Kwesi Yaro is a PhD candidate studying curriculum studies in Mathematics Education at the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. He holds an MA in Mathematics Education from the University of British Columbia and BEd (Mathematics focus) from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Kwesi is also a Sessional Lecturer for Mathematics Methods courses at the Faculty of Education, UBC. Currently, he is working with researchers from multi-disciplinary STEM backgrounds to explore the possibilities and challenges confronting 21st-century teachers in teaching mathematics for social justice. For his doctoral research, he is employing Afrocentric worldviews to investigate cultural strategies African immigrant families deploy to support their children’s mathematics learning in the Canadian context. Kwesi hopes his research will contribute knowledge and insights that will guide teachers and other educators towards a more culturally responsive mathematics teaching.

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Career development from school to work: A holistic understanding of the physical and psychological process of international student transition

By Liton Furukawa (Cannexus20 GSEP Award Winner)

With the growing population of international students changing the demographics in Canada, and the dramatic increase of internationalization in the academy as a part of the Canadian present and future, the federal government now offers a new immigration category called the Canadian Experience Class to assist a certain number of graduates. The transition from school to work is crucial for the international students who wish to apply as a skilled worker under the Canadian Experience Class. For the majority, getting a job or being self-employed as a new entrepreneur after graduating from a school is an inevitable process, which is a significant transition in an individual’s career life. Comparable with any other noteworthy life event, school-to-work transition creates challenges that require readjustments and might result in exciting or distressing experiences. Existing research has not yet reached consensus on the mechanism for a well-adapted career transformation, and school-to-work programs emphasizing individuals’ lifestyles, career adaptability and school-to-work transition are lacking. The present study aims to explore the underlying factors that influence an individual’s experience of school-to-work, thereby guiding career counselling professionals to promote a satisfying school-to-work transition for individuals.

In a literature review, the researcher probes issues such as international students’ lifestyles, school-to-work transition as a career developmental process, school-to-work transition and career adaptability, and the new challenges of school-to-work transition and career counselling in Canada. This research aims to gain a holistic understanding of the physical and psychological process of individuals going through their school-to-work transition and the researcher employs a narrative analysis to evaluate a student’s lifestyle. The research assumes that the quality of an individual’s experience in a school-to-work transition, physically and psychologically, depends on their career adaptability, which is determined by their lifestyle and the social and economic environment as a theoretical framework for career adaptation.

The relationships between international students’ lifestyles, career adaptability and school-to-work transitions will be explored in a cross-sectional and mixed design study of 100 international students divided into two groups. The first group has 50 participants in their last year of study at two universities in the province of British Columbia – University of Victoria (UVic) and Royal Roads University (RRU). The second group is a control group of 50 international student graduates from these two universities who are currently employed. All participants will be recruited by RRU’s international offices and the UVic Global Community. A mixed design of quantitative and qualitative methods will be used in this study in order to gain a holistic understanding of the mechanisms that impact an individual’s response to the school-to-work transition. Both the Well-Being Inventory (Vogt, Taverna, Nillni, & Tyrell, 2018) and Career Transition Inventory (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014) will serve as frameworks for the open-ended questions in the semi-structured interviews ranging from 30 to 45 minutes. The narrative data will be analyzed and the statistical program – MANOVA will be used to test the hypothesis.

 

Author Bio

Liton Furukawa speaks five languages and has taught courses across the curriculum and instruction, arts education and educational technology at universities in Asia and North America. Her doctoral interdisciplinary research transformed from theory to practice and involved the topics of school-to-work programs, cross-cultural adaptation, entrepreneurial education from an international perspective, and career exploration and development play in children.

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Money talks: Financial considerations in careers

By Mirit Grabarski (Cannexus19 GSEP Award Winner) 

Traditionally, work was seen as a source of income and defined by its economic value – “what people do for financial compensation in order to make a living” (Brief & Nord, 1990 p.2). People looked for self-fulfillment outside of work, in things such as hobbies and leisure time. With the technological, economic and social changes in the late 20th century, as well as with the developmental of humanistic psychological theories and examination of human needs, work became an integral part of one’s self-actualization. It became a way to demonstrate personal values and find meaning, grow and learn, build relationships and realize talents.

This change in perceptions is reflected in the history of career theories – from finding what a person will be good at (Holland, 1985) to what people need to be fulfilled in their career (Hall, 1976; Mainiero & Sullivan, 2006) and how they construct meaning (Savickas, 2002). The state of the current research reflects this trend – in a recent review of the Journal of Vocational Behavior, employee well-being was listed as the most prominent research topic (Byington, Felps & Baruch, 2019). In a way, the focus has shifted from compensation, or objective success, to satisfaction, or subjective success.

In my doctoral research I explore the perceptions of agency that people have over their careers as a way to understand career motivations. My findings from a pilot study with 18 business students and a qualitative study with 31 interviewees from various vocational backgrounds support the modern career theories to a large extent, when factors such as a need for growth and challenge, personal meaning and a desire to make in impact were found to act as important motivators of career decisions. However, one interesting finding was that money still plays an important role in career decision-making. While often people expect the workplace to provide them opportunities to realize their potential, financial considerations are still an important factor that may influence career decisions in multiple ways. First, compensation is still a parameter of objective career success, which some people find motivating by itself. Second, financial security might act as a need that has to be fulfilled, especially for people who experienced poverty or insecurity during childhood. Finally, money, or financial security, may act as a moderator – enabler or suppressant of other motivating factors: with sufficient funds people are more willing to fulfill their other career needs, such as work-family balance, actualizing work values with a more meaningful job, or taking more risks; on the other hand, not having enough funds might lead to postponing self-actualization or making decisions that are seen as a compromise. Says one participant (M, 51, administrator): “I still have that ‘I want to be able to provide for my family’ and that’s a huge driver for me… and at the end of the day I want my kids to be okay, and I also want my standard of living to be where it is now and I don’t want it to decrease.” As compensation still plays an important role in career decision-making, it is essential to adapt career theories to include this factor, for a more compete and accurate picture of the reality.

 

Author Bio

Mirit Grabarski is a doctoral student in Ivey Business school at Western University. Her research interest lies in the intersection of career development and gender roles. She is also interested in the Positive Organizational Scholarship movement and specifically issues such as empowerment and resilience.

 

References:

Brief, A. P., & Nord, W. R. (Eds.). (1990). Meanings of occupational work: A collection of essays. Free Press.

Byington, E. K., Felps, W., & Baruch, Y. (2019). Mapping the Journal of Vocational Behavior: A 23-year review. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 110(1), 229-244.

Hall, D. T. (1976). Careers in organizations. Goodyear Pub. Co.

Holland, J. L. (1985). Making Vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments. Prentice-Hall.

Mainiero, L. A., & Sullivan, S. E. (2006). The Opt Out revolt: When people are leaving companies to create Kaleidoscope careers. Davies-Black Publishing.

Savickas, M. L. (2002). Career construction: A developmental theory of vocational behavior. In D. Brown & associates (Eds.), Career Choice and Development (4th ed., pp. 149-205). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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Is work inherently meaningful? Rethinking meaning in work

By Mindy Chiang

“Meaning in work” literature has expanded rapidly in the past decade in vocational counselling and organizational psychology. This body of work highlights the relationship between meaning in work and a host of positive work and life outcomes for samples ranging from working adults to college students (see Duffy & Dik, 2013 for a summary). This literature is largely quantitative, measuring meaning in work, often conceptualized as work “calling,” using standardized measures where one common definition of calling is – a transcendent summons to a career path that is prosocial and tied to one’s personal sense of meaning (Dik & Duffy, 2009).

It is perhaps unsurprising that other conceptualizations of meaning in work exist. For instance, within calling research, there is the “neoclassical” perspective described above which retains the emphasis on an external caller and the prosocial aims of calling, and an alternative perspective (e.g., Dobrow & Tosti-Kharas, 2011) that has a more humanistic focus with emphasis on the individual’s sense of purpose and passion (Duffy, Dik, Douglass, England & Velez, 2018). Might it be conceivable that individuals’ sense of meaning in work is in fact more fluid than any of these conceptualizations?

Recently, Bendassolli and Tateo (2018) contested the notion in current literature that “meaning” in work is an entity that can be statically measured. They posited instead that “work is inherently a meaningful activity, mediating between personal and collective culture” (Bendassolli & Tateo, 2018, p. 137). This intriguing proposition calls for qualitative work that examines the process of individuals’ meaning-making in the work setting. Findings from such work may shed light on the nature of “meaning in work” and add further nuance to this burgeoning literature.

 

Author Bio

Mindy Chiang is a Master’s student in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia. As someone whose career path has been shaped by her evolving sense of meaning, she is especially interested in studying meaning-construction in the career context. Her other research interests include cultural diversity in mental health and existential psychology.  

 

References

Bendassolli, P. F., & Tateo, L. (2018). The meaning of work and cultural psychology: Ideas for new directions. Culture & Psychology, 24(2), 135-159.

Dik, B. J., & Duffy, R. D. (2009). Calling and vocation at work: Definitions and prospects for research and practice. The Counseling Psychologist, 37, 424–450.

Dobrow, S. R., & Tosti-Kharas, J. (2011). Calling: The development of a scale measure. Personnel Psychology, 64, 1001–1049.

Duffy, R. D., & Dik, B. J. (2013). Research on calling: What have we learned and where are we going? Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83(3), 428-436.

Duffy, R. D., Dik, B. J., Douglass, R. P., England, J. W., & Velez, B. L. (2018). Work as a calling: A theoretical model. Journal of Counseling Psychology65(4), 423.

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