Tara Orchard
Co-ordinator, Career Consulting
Career Development Centre
Wilfrid Laurier University
Approach to Career Consulting
Brief Overview
► Emerging Theory and Pedagogy
► Application to our 5 Stages of Career
Development
► Future Challenges in Career Consulting
2
Career Learning Path
Theory of A leads to B leads to C and so on
Decisions Based on
► Life experiences
► Natural endowment
► Opportunity
Apprentice/
Trades
High
School
Student
University/
College
Job
Rely on ‘Experts’ for
information and
guidance
3
Learning Theory
• Developmental - Lifespan and Cognitive
(Theorists: Super, Kohlberg, Perry)
• Experiential Learning and Social Learning Theory
(Kolb, Bandura, Krumboltz)
One Directional or Dimensional Learning based
on access to information and opportunity
1. Opportunity for gathering and assessing
information was often limited
2. Reliance on ‘Experts’ to provide information
4
Emerging Learning Theory
4 components 3 processes
Social. Knowledge as emergent
property of interactions between
networks of learners.
Situated. Learning occurs within
context. Need educational activities
mirroring actual situations
Reflective. Require opportunity to
reflect on, defend and share to
become part of available repertoire’
Reflective
MultiFaceted
Social
Situational
Education
Process
Self-Paced
Guided
Cohort
Multi-faceted. Learning incorporates
a range of theory, engagement and
active construction.
5
Connectivism
Siemens, 2008
Learning Theory for a Digital Age - knowledge and
cognition are distributed across networks of people and
technology. Learning is the process of connecting, growing
and navigating those networks.
Neural level – new stimuli, input and
experiences shape the physical
development of the brain
Neural
‘Brain’
Conceptual level - Novice learners form
conceptual connections similar to experts
External Understanding is an
emergent element related
to the shape and structure
of the learner’s personal
information and social networks.
Conceptual
‘Ideas’
Connectivism
External
‘Info
Sources’
Pedagogy
Student Engagement Conference
McGraw-Hill Publishing Annual Conference
Growing Up Digital (Don Tapscott)
(Wikinomics)
Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants
Changing Career Process Delivery
Career Professional Role in a new landscape
7
Career Theory
Learning Theory of Career Counselling (LTCC)
Mitchell and Krumboltz 1996
Theory as a way of
explaining the origin
of career choice and
a Guide for career
practitioners
Expand
capabilities
and interests
Prepare
for
changing
tasks
Empowered to
take actions
Career
professionals
role
Planned Happenstance Theory
– Krumboltz &Levin, 2004
Career indecision as sensible and desirable
Benefit from preparing for unplanned events
8
Constructivist Theory of Career
Derived from Existential theory and more a philosophical framework within which
career counselling can be done. Based on the concepts of “constructivism”
Construct meaning/reality of
the world through
experiences
Experiences
‘Construct’ self/world through
interpretations/actions and
perceptions useful/misleading
Individuals differ in their
construction of events
Evolving under constant revision
–’new constructs’ or new ‘stories’
Fulfillment requires critical
reflection of assumptions that
account daily decisions/actions
Revisions
Individual
Reality
Critical
Reflection
Interpretation
and actions
9
Career Learning Path
Apprentice
/Trades
Volunteer
University/
College
Access to more
information and
learning
opportunities
On-Going
Career
Planning
High
School
Learner
On-line
Learning
Part-time
Jobs
Virtual
Training
Ability to Access changing information quickly
10
Student Engagement
Changing Career Process Delivery
Internet: Encyclopedia vs. Interactive Community
Career Professional: Purveyor of Content?
Pedagogy
11
Applied to Our Career Consulting
Career Planning Process
A. Effective Career Planning is a dynamic and
ongoing process of gathering, assessing and
re-assessing accurate information about
1. Yourself 2. Your options 3. Your opportunities
B. Then making decisions, plans, changing
courses, making new decisions and navigating
a lifelong career
C. Involves the ability to learn and apply knowledge
and experiences within a career planning context
12
5 Steps in Career Planning
5. PLANNING
4. REFLECTION
3. CAREER IMMERSION
2. CAREER AWARENESS
1. SELF AWARENESS
Career Philosophy
Learn More First
Knowledge of Self and Options
Approach to Our Career Training
Engage the career learner in the career
development process
Utilize multiple learning styles, multiple
intelligences and consider individual experiences/
personalities within the career consulting process
Provide a wide range of career development
resources, activities and experiences
15
Our Career Consulting Tools
Self and Career Awareness Exploration
Individual or Group Activities
►Career Planning Workshops - CP101/102
► Self-assessment tools (individually/groups)
For example – Type (MBTI/TYPEFOCUS), Interests, EQ
► Individual Appointments and Debriefs
► Encouraging Interactive Career Narrative and Career
Journaling, Blog or Wiki. Autobiographical or
biographical; a Diary - Building a career ‘story’ or
anthology using the polyphonic voice
- Focusing on Personal Stories
Informed Access to Information
Traditional Resources
The N.O.C and The Job Futures
Vault Online Career Library and Career Cruising
Online -Our ‘My Major’
Social Media Resources
Blogging - careerchatter Blog
Twitter Follow us at Laurier Careerchatter
Linkedin – Laurier Career Centre Linkedin Group
The Career Professional role involves
1. Provide a framework for career development and
encourage students to navigate the career
development process with forethought
2. Facilitate critical analysis of ‘self’ and ‘options’
(including ‘blind spots’)
3. Responsibility to identify, gather and filter
accurate and timely resources and information
4. Provide opportunity for feedback and consultation
Professional Challenges
►Rapidly changing global career options
►Rapidly changing career requirements
► Access to effective unbiased Academic Advising
► Effective use of Career Assessment Tools
►Ever expanding volume of career information
► Effective use of technology
► Changing demographics of students
► Student engagement
Career Centre Vision Statement
Our Vision
Each student is engaged in the career
development process as an integral part of the
Laurier experience
20
Searching For Jobs
We welcome your engagement
through Twitter and other social
media
Are there any questions?
Thank you for
your interest