Health Careers Pathways: A MultiFaceted CTE Model Impacting
Youths’ Career Readiness in
Healthcare
Gustavo Loera, Ed.D.
Mental Health America of Los Angeles
2012 Educating for Careers: Pathways to Success
Sacramento, California
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
What is Gap Analysis?
•A systemic problem-solving approach to
helping improve performance and achieve
organizational goals (Clark & Estes, 2009).
Why Gap Analysis?
•Helps to diagnose and solve school/CTE
program performance problems.
Source: Adapted from Clark, 2004, p. 21.
Goals for CTE students
using Clark’s framework
Global
Goal
Educational
Goal
Performance
Goal
Performance
Gaps
Causes of
Performance
Gaps
By June 2012 pass all
11th grade CTE
classes with a B grade
or better.
By December 2011
have an 90%
attendance rate.
By spring break
2012, have
completed 90% of
assignments.
Dedicate 30
minutes per week
modifying schedule.
Sign up to attend
morning tutoring 30
minutes/day.
Devote 2 hrs. every
day on homework
assignments.
Complete a
minimum of 2
weekly literature
reviews.
Never done it.
Is aware of the
tutoring session, but
has not signed up.
Currently spends
approx. 20 minutes
per day.
0 literature reviews
completed because
no access to
research articles.
Knowledge gap
Motivational gap
Motivational gap
Organizational gap
Key Research Question
• Did CTE students show growth on their knowledge,
experience, and confidence related to healthcare
careers (i.e., their healthcare career readiness)?
Data: Measuring CTE’s Relevance
• Design and Methods
• Pre-test and post-test design (comparison group?).
• Survey instrument (students and educators).
• School records (e.g., transcripts, standardized tests).
• Data Characteristics
• CTE student characteristics.
• School site/CTE program/educator characteristics.
• Sample Scales
Data: Measuring CTE’s Relevance (cont.)
• Indicator: Knowledge and Skill
• Sample questions:
• Students - “How much knowledge do you have about
applying and interviewing for jobs in the healthcare industry?”
• Teachers - “How much knowledge do your CTE students
have about applying and interviewing for jobs in the healthcare
industry?”
Means on the Knowledge Items
Students in the Pre- and PostTest Schools
Fall
Item
1. How much knowledge do
[you/your pathway students]
have about using the skills
needed for healthcare careers?
2. How much knowledge do
[you/your pathway students]
have about the education
requirements needed for
healthcare careers?
3. How much knowledge do
[you/your pathway students]
have about applying and
interviewing for jobs in the
healthcare industry?
4. How much knowledge do
[you/your pathway students]
have about using problem
solving strategies needed for
healthcare careers?
Students in All
Schools
Educators
Spring
Spring
Spring
Mean
n
Mean
n
Mean
n
Mean
n
2.7
1,060
3.0
991
2.9
5,362
3.2
327
2.8
1,058
3.0
990
3.1
5,335
3.3
326
2.3
1,057
2.6
989
2.7
5,329
3.0
324
2.4
1,051
2.7
987
2.7
5,330
3.0
325
Means on the Knowledge Composite Measure
Data: Measuring CTE’s Relevance (cont.)
• Indicator: Experience (Experiential Learning)
• Sample questions:
• Students - “How much experience do you have about
behaving appropriately at a healthcare work site (for example,
having a positive attitude, wearing proper clothing, not using
slang)?”
• Teachers - “How much experience do your CTE students
have about behaving appropriately at a healthcare work site
(for example, having a positive attitude, wearing proper
clothing, not using slang)?”
Means of the Experience Items
Students in the Pre- and Post-Test Students in All
Schools
Schools
Fall
Item
1. How much experience do
[you/your pathway students] have
using the skills needed for
healthcare careers?
2. How much experience do
[you/your pathway students] have
using problem solving strategies
needed for healthcare careers?
3. How much experience do
[you/your pathway students] have
behaving appropriately at a
healthcare work site (for example,
having a positive attitude, wearing
proper clothing, not using slang)?
4. How much experience do
[you/your pathway students] have
working in teams at a healthcare
work site?
5. How much experience do
[you/your pathway students] have
with Health Occupations Students
of America (HOSA)?
Spring
Spring
Educators
Spring
Mean
n
Mean
n
Mean
n
Mean
n
2.3
1,054
2.7
988
2.7
5,329
3.0
323
2.2
1,051
2.6
986
2.6
5,308
2.9
323
2.8
1,056
3.1
987
3.1
5,313
3.2
322
2.2
1,054
2.7
983
2.6
5,292
2.9
320
1.9
1,051
2.2
991
2.2
5,304
3.0
324
Means of the Experience Composite Measure
Data: Measuring CTE’s Relevance (cont.)
• Indicator: Confidence (Self-Efficacy)
• Sample questions:
• Students - “How much confidence do you have that you can
work in teams at a healthcare work site?”
• Teachers - “How much confidence do you have that you can
prepare your CTE students to work in teams at healthcare
work sites?”
Means of the Confidence Items
Students in the Pre- and Post-Test
Schools
Fall
Item
1. How much confidence do you have that
you can use the skills needed for
healthcare careers?
2. How much confidence do you have that
you will complete the education
requirements needed for healthcare
careers?
3. How much confidence do you have that
you can successfully apply and interview
for jobs in the healthcare industry
within the next five years?
4. How much confidence do you have that
you can use problem solving strategies
needed for healthcare careers?
5. How much confidence do you have that
you can behave appropriately at a
healthcare work site (for example,
having a positive attitude, wearing
proper clothing, not using slang)?
Students in All
Schools
Spring
Spring
Mean
n
Mean
n
Mean
n
3.0
1,053
3.1
986
3.1
5,317
3.2
1,052
3.2
990
3.2
5,310
3.0
1,051
3.0
988
3.0
5,298
2.8
1,056
3.0
982
3.0
5,306
3.4
1,050
3.4
986
3.4
5,314
Means on the Confidence Items for Educators
Item
1. How much confidence do you have that you can teach your pathway
students the skills needed for healthcare careers?
2. How much confidence do you have that you can help your pathway
students complete the education requirements needed for healthcare
careers?
3. How much confidence do you have that you can prepare your pathway
students to successfully apply and interview for jobs in the healthcare
industry within the next five years?
4. How much confidence do you have that you can teach your pathway
students problem-solving strategies needed for healthcare careers?
5. How much confidence do you have that you can prepare your pathway
students to behave appropriately at healthcare work sites (for example,
having a positive attitude, wearing proper clothing, not using slang)?
Mean
n
3.3
320
3.4
319
3.4
319
3.3
318
3.6
318
Means of the Confidence Composite Measure
Means on the Knowledge, Experience, and Confidence
Measures in the Fall and Spring for HSMT Students
Data: Measuring CTE’s Relevance (cont.)
• Other Student Indicators:
• Hours of work-based learning completed.
• Expectancy-value of CTE courses.
• Career awareness and development activities.
• School and academic engagement.
Data: Measuring CTE’s Relevance (cont.)
• Other Teacher/Educator Indicators:
• Teacher and counselor encouragement.
• Frequency in collaboration with CTE colleagues.
• Curriculum alignment with:
• Middle school
• College/university
• Industry partner
Contact Information
Gustavo Loera, Ed.D.
gloera@mhala.org