The purpose of this study was to identify career decision groups based on the career decision trajectories of college students over a 3-year period, and to examine the factors influencing group classification and differences. To achieve this goal, a latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was conducted on longitudinal data collected from 867 college…

The path to becoming a school principal is characterized by a variety of trajectories that reflect the diverse experiences and backgrounds of aspiring leaders. While ideally the road to the principalship would result in a proportional and representative body of principals, research has shown this is rarely the case. To gain a better understanding…

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examines what influences 7th and 8th grade rural middle school students to consider a potential career trajectory. Phase One of the study includes a demographic and career cluster interest survey of 38 participants. Phase Two of the study focused on 23 of the 38 Phase One participants, who were…

Countless factors influence students' educational and career choices. We examined potential impacts on international students' choices to study STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) through the lens of Social Cognitive Theory (Bussey & Bandura, 1999). Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we analyzed…

In this article, we analyse the processes that contribute to changes in career aspirations among German PhD graduates. Drawing on the concept of cooling out (Goffman 1952; Clark 1960) - which describes semi-intentional practices that can cause a gradual decline in educational or career aspirations -- the paper expands on this by distinguishing…

Within the school-based vocational education and training system, so-called hybrid teachers, i.e. who both work in a vocational school and a business, can add value to the quality of VET as well as can solve ageing and the threat of shortages among VET teachers. In this research, the motivation of becoming a VET teacher as a second career and its…

The problem of teacher shortages in rural areas are intractable, as schools lack adequate qualified teachers, which inevitably exerts a negative impact on student learning and school development. In Taiwan, the government has implemented relevant policies, but the high teacher turnover rate and the high proportion of nonqualified teachers are…

In the United States, there exists a significant disparity between the racial demographics of teachers and students, with a majority of educators being white. This mismatch underscores the critical shortage of teachers of color (TOC). While race does not determine teacher quality, a teacher's race, ethnicity, and language do shape the experiences…

Black male teachers comprise 2% of the teacher population in the United States. In light of this disparity, there is a need to diversify the teacher workforce by recruiting and retaining Black male teachers. Black teachers are influential in students' academic performance and personal growth. Without their presence, we are missing a key…

College students make job decisions without complete information. As a result, they may rely on misleading heuristics ("interesting jobs pay badly") and pursue options misaligned with their goals. We test whether highlighting job characteristics changes decision making. We find increasing the salience of a job's monetary benefits…

There is little attention and consensus in science education for gifted learners, leading to insufficient support and understanding of their needs, which hinders their potential development as future scientists and professionals. Utilizing a narrative research design, the study explores the experiences of nine scientists identified as gifted in…

Students' career decision is a relevant topic in career development with scholars and practitioners aiming at understanding which factors can contribute to students decision-making to support them in their career path. In this study, we argue that facilitating conditions can positively influence the career decisions of students. This relationship…

The Psychosocial Theoretical Model of Gifted Adolescent Girls' Career Development (PTM) is a framework which reveals the interrelated factors that influence career development for gifted adolescent girls. The model was developed during the completion of a PhD thesis (Napier, 2020) and provides important new insights to support their career…

Increasing attrition rates affect the quantity and quality of teacher human capital worldwide and pose threats to classroom practice and student learning outcomes. Understanding of these effects will be advanced by studying the reasons why preservice teachers leave or remain in the teaching profession. Literature indicates a range of influential…

Contribution: This article lends empirical evidence to this research area of factors influencing students' choice of and success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Background: Understanding these factors is crucial as it informs recruitment and support interventions provided to students and constitutes a premise to…