Research suggests that the likelihood of students entering into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers can be increased by promoting and maintaining students' interest in STEM during middle school years, a critical developmental stage when students' interests begin to solidify. One way to attract students to STEM is…

Underrepresentation of female students and specific racial/ethnic groups persists in STEM despite decades of intervention. Evidence suggests a need to encourage interest in STEM fields at the middle-school level. Adolescent career aspirations are influenced by exposure to role models and mindsets, such as a sense of perceived personal capacity.…

The purpose of this study was to explore career outcomes in young adulthood among adolescents with ADHD and/or high abilities. The sample included respondents who had the ability and ADHD measures from Waves 1 (1995), 3 (2002), and 4 (2009) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health in-home questionnaire. Using multiple…

Scholarship focused on Black male students in school counseling has been intermittent despite being well documented in the larger field of education and other disciplines. In this article, we conducted a systematic review of the school counseling literature that focused on Black male students. We used critical race theory (CRT) to examine the…

Background: As the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to increase, there is a need for effective scaffolding and support for novice learners. Educators have encountered challenges in effectively scaffolding novice learners AI concepts, and providing appropriate motivational support. Research evidence has shown the potential of…

The decreasing number of young students pursuing science careers has become a rising concern worldwide, particularly in China. Educational programs with empirical evidence of promoting young students' pursuit of science careers are still lacking. Here, drawing on the existing literature, we designed and implemented a 3-day quasi-apprenticeship…

Creating strong community collaborations is a cornerstone in the success of career and technical education programs. Developing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) programs for middle school students using community collaborations can be challenging. This article presents innovative strategies being successfully implemented in…

Georgia 4-H has been partnering with public schools for over 100 years to provide youth development programming for elementary, middle, and high schools. In 2013, a new state accountability system required the addition of career exploration lessons in elementary schools. Georgia 4-H staff and faculty developed a career curriculum taught by county…

Massachusetts has developed a reputation for being a hub of innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math. Fields like health care and technology are booming here. Yet compared with the general population, the people who fill these roles are disproportionately White. Estimates indicate that between 2018 and 2028, one out of every three…

In a webinar series called the Wild Side of STEAM, educators at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute introduce young viewers to these lesser-known or unusual careers. The free webinar series, launched in October 2020, informs viewers about the variety of careers available in science, technology, engineering, arts, and…

Students from rural backgrounds may face unique challenges with respect to their career-identity development. School counselors are critically positioned to support the career development of these students through a social-justice lens. The following paper proposes a small-group intervention that serves to empower and support middle school…

The aim of this study was to evaluate relationships among the primary school students' social connectedness to parents, teachers and peers, and their career and talent development self-efficacy (CTD-SE). CTD-SE encompasses talent development, career exploration and the acquisition of good work habits. Results suggest that the connectedness with…

The purpose of this study was to explore how life-design-based counselling can influence young learners' academic self-construction within a group context. The study involved a qualitative mode of enquiry with 12 participants. Life-design-based intervention strategies, together with various (postmodern) qualitative techniques, were used to gather…

This multiple case study elicited the voices of four 8th grade students, from a rural, low-income school district, who participated in STEM career explorations during their science class. Based on students' written reflections during career explorations, interviews, and from field notes, we analyzed the ways students talked about their lives and…

In this essay, we discuss issues related to the integration of career exploration in our nation's middle schools. We discuss the theoretical and empirical basis for career exploration at the middle school level and identify selected barriers to its effective implementation, namely with regards to career advising and parent involvement. We also…