Career Development Among Ethnic and Age Groups of Community College Students

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in career development among four ethnic groups and two age groups of community college students in regard to their career goals, career preparation actions, and the number of job seeking strategies utilized. Data were obtained from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 90/94) of the National Center for Educational Statistics (NOES), U.S. Department of Education. Results suggest that there are statistically significant differences among the ethnic groups in six of the seven career goals; however, there are no significant differences between the traditional and non-traditional age groups in career goals. For career preparation action there are significant differences between the two age groups and also between Black/African American and White/European American students. There is no significant difference among the age or ethnic groups in the number of job seeking strategies utilized. These findings imply that student services providers, such as counselors, should be sensitive to community college students' backgrounds and experiences related to ethnicity and age. Individualized career-related workshops tailored to the career needs of specific student populations should be offered. The function of community colleges as providers of employment preparation can be enhanced by familiarizing students with accurate career information, considering students' ethnic backgrounds and their age.     

Success in Algebra Among Community College Students

College algebra is a required course for most majors, but is viewed by many as a gatekeeper course for degree completion by students. With almost half a million students taking college algebra each year, faculty are experimenting with new course lengths of time that might result in higher success, completion, and retention rates for college algebra students. This article reports on a study of the traditional 16-week versus an 8-week course length in college algebra at a two-year Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in the United States. The study was to determine which course length of time, 8 weeks or 16 weeks, results in a higher proportion of students successfully completing the college algebra course. Also investigated were success rates among ethnicities, genders, and age groups. The study included 231 students in college algebra. Data were analyzed on four sections of the traditional 16-week courses and four sections of 8-week courses. In this study, success was measured as earning a grade of A, B, or C in the course. Understanding more about course lengths of time for college algebra can aid in increased understanding of time as a factor and, ultimately, may determine if students are more successful in 8-week or 16-week courses of instruction.     

Service-Learning Among Nontraditional Age Community College Students

In recent decades, many institutions of higher education have responded to community and student learning needs through the development of service-learning programs (Sapp & Crabtree, 2002 Sapp , D. A. , & Crabtree , R. D. ( 2002 ). A laboratory in citizenship: Service-learning in the technical communication classroom . Technical Communication Quarterly , 11 ( 4 ), 411 – 431 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). Community colleges have been noted as leaders in the establishment of service-learning programs. The purpose of this study was to better understand the service-learning experiences and subsequent outcome of nontraditional age students at a community college. The study utilized the three commonly noted best practices in service-learning as a guide in the exploration of literature and data: (a) connection between course material and the service experience through reflection; (b) the extent to which it is perceived that participation in service-learning had an impact on the community; and (c) the training or orientation activities incorporated into the service-learning experience. Using case study methodology, multiple data sources were collected and analyzed, including faculty member surveys, course syllabi, agency surveys, student surveys and semistructured interviews. Findings of the study revealed a number of implications for practice, as well as recommendations for future research. This study revealed the critical importance of postreflective assignments in helping students connect their service experience to course content and better understand community needs, yielded an understanding of how appreciative agency representatives and working with others at the agency enhanced the service-learning experience, explained how informal means by which to receive an orientation to the service agency are of value, and confirmed previous research that suggests intention to volunteer after graduation can be attributable, at least in part, to students’ participation in service-learning.     

Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Career Commitment: Gender and Ethnic Differences Among College Students

This study evaluated the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale—Short Form (CDMSE-SF; Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996) using the Career Commitment Scale (CCS; Farmer, 1985) as a criterion measure. Responses from 165 undergraduates in a Southern university revealed high internal consistency for the CDMSE-SF, and moderate correlation between the CDMSE-SF and CCS. However, no gender or ethnic differences were found in this correlation. Females scored higher than males on the CCS. Blacks scored higher than Whites on both measures. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

Civic Engagement Among Community College Students Through Service Learning

Higher education has been called upon to prepare its graduates to be civically engaged community members. Since the 1980s, faculty have taken up this call. Service learning is a common strategy that educators have adopted to stimulate civic engagement in students. In this study, service learning students and nonservice learning students from eight community colleges were given precourse and postcourse surveys on civic engagement. Results revealed a statistically significant increase in service learners’ civic engagement when compared to nonservice learners. The findings are consistent with other higher education studies that use an expanded definition of civic engagement.     

Academic Outcomes Among a Sample of Learning Support Community College Students

This research examined the relationship between placement in a learning support college program and subsequent academic outcomes. The sample consisted of 275 entering freshmen students who were enrolled in the Learning Support reading courses in the fall of 2005. Data were collected from the Gordon College Office of Institutional Research. The data showed that of the 275 students who enrolled in a Learning Support reading course in the fall 2005 semester, 189 returned for the spring 2006 semester. Data also showed that 58% of the 275 students enrolled in Learning Support reading during fall 2005 successfully completed a basic reading intensive course upon completion of their remedial reading class. One hundred eighty seven students who had previously completed Learning Support reading enrolled (spring 2006 or later) in Introductory English 101 and 121 passed. Fifty-five students who had completed Learning Support reading enrolled (spring 2006 or later) in History 1121, Western Civilization, and 20 students passed. Six of the 205 students who completed Learning Support reading graduated Gordon College within a three-year period. The results of the present study indicate that the Learning Support Reading Program in place at Gordon College has proven to be a beneficial tool for at-risk college students. It is assumed that programs such as the Learning Support Program described here may help students build a foundation that will aid them throughout their college career.     

大学生职业生涯规划探索

本文重点分析了我校大学生职业生涯规划现状,指出了在校大学生合理规划职业生涯规划的重要性、必要性,并就"应怎样进行职业生涯规划"及"如何有效的实施职业生涯规划"提出了若干建议,对高校培养适应未来社会发展的人才具有现实的指导意义.     

大学生职业生涯教育探析

开展大学生职业生涯教育不仅是建设人力资源强国的需要,是高校实现人才培养目标的需要,也是大学生成长成才的客观需要。高等学校应将就业指导提升为系统性、全程化的职业生涯教育,进一步完善大学生职业生涯开发体系,加强师资队伍建设,搭建职业生涯发展平台,深入推进大学生职业生涯教育的研究与实践。     

大学生职业生涯规划问题研究

随着我国经济的不断发展与进步,社会对人才的素质提出了更高的要求,随着我国高等教育体制的不断改革和深入,大学不断扩招,大学生面临激烈的竞争与严峻的挑战,如何提高自身素质,以适应社会的需求,是当代大学生面临的重要问题,大学生职业生涯规划时提高素质,增强竞争力将起到积极的促进作用.     

Higher Level Thinking,Writing, and Democracy Among Community College Students

In my work on the college's Committee on Multiculturalism and Ethnic Studies, I found that much of the written work done in our community college was based on lower level cognition, requiring none of the assessment or exploration that is emblematic of critical thought in a democracy. Most of the assignments asked students simply to recite information without any demand for assessments, values, or analysis of the material. Most seemed rooted in inculcation rather than creative thought. In the workshops I conducted with colleagues, I endeavored to stress the importance of transcending the simple cookie-cutter essay, urging faculty that critical thinking and even the strength of our democracy depend on our students’ ability to use information to construct new ideas and propose provocative and original theories.     

高职生职业生涯规划的思考

高职生职业生涯规划是指学生在大学期间进行系统的职业发展道路的设想和规划。大学时期是人一生中的重要阶段,学生应好好度过,并在教师指导的基础上认真规划自身的职业生涯,做好四个＂三＂,即认识人生三种关系,树立人生三个支点,把握个人发展的＂三级跳＂,构建三方面结构。     

以职业生涯规划指导提升大学生就业力

职业生涯规划已成为大学生的一个重要课题,它帮助大学生在了解自我的基础上确定自己的职业方向、目标,并制定相应的计划,避免就业的盲目性,为个人走向职业成功提供最有效率的途径.将大学生的学业生涯规划与职业生涯规划相结合,分析了大学生职业生涯规划的三个阶段,并对提高高校毕业生就业力提出一些可实施建议.     

School Belonging,Ethnic Identity,and Psychological Adjustment Among Ethnic Minority College Students

This study considers how the psychological adjustment of ethnic minority college students may be linked to a sense of school belonging and ethnic identity, two constructs related to individuals feeling like they belong to a larger group. Using self-reports from 311 undergraduates from ethnic minority backgrounds, school belonging was found to be negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and positively associated with perceived self-worth, scholastic competence, and social acceptance, while ethnic identity was only found to be positively associated with self-worth. Furthermore, the interaction between ethnic identity and school belonging was significantly associated with self-worth, suggesting that in the absence of a sense of belonging at school, stronger ethnic identity was linked to higher self-worth. College students reported the lowest levels of self-worth when they were neither connected to their college nor connected to their ethnic group.     

女大学生职业生涯规划探讨

采用问卷调查法,以湖南女子职业大学400名女大学生为样本,对其职业生涯规划意识等内容进行了调查。结果显示:大多数学生的职业生涯规划意识不强,虽然认为职业生涯规划很重要,但却对其缺乏系统了解;学生接受职业生涯规划教育主要是通过学校,且不同年级对职业生涯规划需求存在较大差异;婚姻对于其职业生涯规划有较大影响,且男女有别。为此,学校有必要加强对女大学生的职业规划指导。     

浅谈大学生的职业生涯规划

职业生涯规划已成为大学生的一个重要课题,它可帮助大学生在了解自我的基础上确定自己的职业方向、目标,并制定相应的计划,避免就业的盲目性,为个人成功择业提供最有效率的途径.本文将大学生的学业生涯规划与职业生涯规划相结合,分析了大学生职业生涯规划的三个阶段,并对高校毕业生就业提出一些可实施建议.     

大学生职业生涯规划路径初探

当前大学生就业面临前所未有的困难,虽然这里有多方面的原因,但缺乏科学而明确的职业生涯规划是其中一个重要的原因.本文首先阐释了职业生涯规划的概念,然后就大学生如何进行职业生涯规划谈了些看法,提出职业生涯规划需要按照以下步骤来进行:自我剖析与评估,就业环境分析,职业定位,职业实践,评估和调整职业规划.     

Gender and Ethnicity Among Community College Students: The Relationship Between Adlerian Themes

This study explored the relationship between Adlerian themes, gender, and ethnicity. Results indicate significant differences between Hispanic and Caucasian (non-Hispanic) community college students in Belonging and Social Interest as measured by the BASIS-A. Differences between males and females in Going Along and Wanting Recognition are also explored. The findings are discussed in relation to college students, teaching, and classroom climates.