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…

It can be difficult for employers to recruit sales students because of the supply/demand gap. This is true despite increases in university sales education programs. This study investigates the impact of a sales organization representative giving an in-class presentation about student intent to pursue employment at the organization. The results…

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers are among the fastest growing and highest paying, yet women are largely underrepresented in these fields, and many girls lack access to STEM opportunities in school. Oregon State University's Open Campus partners with the American Association of University Women to bring an experiential…

Until recently, most community colleges have done little through the new student onboarding process to help entering students explore academic and career interests, choose a program of study aligned to their interests, and develop a plan for completing such a program. This has been the case even though many students start college without clear…

We describe a space industry work experience program and report on the design, implementation, and evaluation of this program, including its purposes, organisation, participants -- hosts and students -- and its outcomes. The program was a collaboration between the South Australian Department for Education, the South Australian Space Industry…

The talents that neurodiverse individuals bring to STEM fields are being increasingly recognized, thus it is important to ensure neurodiverse youth have opportunities to experience an array of STEM fields as viable career options. Based on the results of a systematic review, this article provides recommendations for how informal STEM learning…

Adolescents typically use the self-regulation skills that they develop earlier in childhood to explore their identities. However, some adolescents do not develop self-regulation skills for a variety of reasons. Identity formation and self-regulation could develop concurrently for adolescents with self-regulatory failure as they explore a valued…

This study aimed to examine career and academic outcome expectations of high school students. Data of the research designed in the survey model were collected from 695 students attending ninth to twelfth grades of high schools that offer academic and vocational education in city center of Nigde in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey in the…

From 1910 to 1940, a grassroots effort in America called the high school movement led to a "spectacular educational transformation" in this country. Enrollment of 18-year-olds grew from 19 percent to 71 percent, and graduation rates rose from 9 percent to more than 50 percent--lifting the US to the forefront of educational attainment in…

The California Community College System is an entry point for the majority of first-generation college students. This case study of a community college in Southern California examined the experiences and motivations of both Latinx students in their major/career decision-making process and the community college counseling faculty who serve, educate…

Purpose: The aim of this research was to analyze change of STEM career choices of female students having different cognitive styles who participated in out-of-school STEM activities. Socio-economically disadvantaged, high academic achiever 20 female students participated in the research. Participants received integrated STEM training for six days…

The present study identified the relationships between gender role personality and career exploration in female college students, as well as the mediating roles of career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) and self-regulation in the relationships. We used data from 210 Korean female college students. Structural equation modeling revealed the following:…

This perspective article discusses how a health-related learning community was incorporated to help freshman students learn about health and wellness and prevent weight gain at an HBCU. Freshman students often gain weight during their first year away from home. These students make poor diet and exercise choices during their transition to college…

College and career readiness has become a top priority for elementary schools. Skills-focused approaches often are the sole method of preparing students for their postsecondary futures, which can overshadow the identities that students bring to the classroom. In contrast, the authors adopted an identity-centered approach to literacy instruction…