Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Management Sciences in Administration and Information Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / The secretarial/administrative profession is faced with the challenge of rapid advancement in office technology, organisational restructuring and changes in the global economy. This challenge does not only affect employees who are already working as secretaries/administrative staff in the workplace, it also affects institutions of higher education and students who are studying towards an administrative profession. This requires both the institutions of higher education and industry to better prepare students to meet the requirements of the workplace. Given this background, this study examines the current status of the Office Management and Technology curriculum to discover whether it meets the demands of the workplace. The study also investigates learning opportunities offered to Office Management & Technology (OMT) students during Work-integrated Learning (WIL) and the implications for the curriculum, with the aim of improving both classroom learning and workplace learning, and to suggest improvements in the OMT curriculum in Universities of Technology (UoTs). This study investigates and provides information on the skills, attributes and competencies OMT graduates are required to possess in the 21st century world of work. It therefore provides the departments of office technology in UoT’s with an in-depth study of the strengths and weaknesses of their current curriculum so that improvement can be implemented wherever necessary. This study is a case study that involves Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and Durban University of Technology (DUT). The method used was very largely a quantitative method because it was based purely on questionnaires, however, there was a small qualitative element which grew up on the open ended questions. The qualitative questions were used to provide participants with an opportunity to express their own opinions and to clarify the quantitative data within the questionnaire. The study utilised two sets of questionnaires which were distributed to two different groups within the targeted population – to industry supervisors who supervise OMT students at DUT and MUT, and to third year OMT students from MUT who underwent work integrated learning in 2015. The study shows that the current OMT curriculum is reasonably well in line with core industry needs. However, there was evidence that improvement is needed in both classroom learning and in workplace learning. The study also revealed new skills and attributes that need to be incorporated in OMT curriculum in order to be more responsive and relevant in the 21st century world of work. The study recommends that the Office Management and Technology curriculum should be reviewed regularly and that both university and industry should play a significant role in better preparing students to meet the requirements of the workplace. / M

M.A. (Psychology) / The problem The technology of the modern society changes rapidly and the complexities that confront individuals, necessitate responsible adult guidance in the form of guidance programmes. Research that covers the evaluation of such programmes and more specifically the programmes concerning the enhancement of the career maturity of coloured adolescents has been neglected. The aim- It is against this background that the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme towards effective career maturity enhancement amongst a minority group. Research method- The subjects came from a Coloured High School in one of the sub-economic areas in Johannesburg, namely Westbury. A biographic questionnaire was compiled to ascertain the needs of the subjects. The subjects were assigned to an experimental and control group. A second control group was also formed to minimalize test retest influences. The experimental group took part in an extensive career maturity enhancement programme and the first control group took part in a communication programme. The groups were compared according to the measure of the Crites Maturity Inventory (Attitude Scale). The programme made use of individual and group guidance as well as self-evaluation through the completion of assignments in the form of worksheets. The programme consisted of 12 sessions of 1 hour duration for three months. Results the major findings of the study were: the career education programme succeeded in bringing about a positive change in the attitudinal career maturity of the Westbury pupils; the attitudinal career maturity of the subjects in the present study compared unfavourably with that of other pupils in ordinary situations (not minority situations) and no difference was found between the end results of males and female with regard to their level of career maturity after completing the programme, unlike reported by other researchers. Recommendation-In conclusion it is recommended that the programme for the development of career development should form an integral part of the ordinary school guidance syllabus and that the guidance service should be extended to meet the needs of both pupils and counsellors at schools.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine the sustainability of professional development--teacher utilization of the Science-in-CTE pedagogical model and science-enhanced CTE lessons--one year following the Science-in-CTE Pilot Study. This study included 27 teachers (15 experimental CTE and 12 science) who participated in the Pilot Study in 2009-2010. This study was a partial replication of the Math-in-CTE Follow-up Study and data were collected using a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were obtained from online questionnaires and qualitative data were collected from personal and telephone interviews. Data found that a majority of the CTE and science teachers voluntarily incorporated portions of the seven-element pedagogical model and 15 science-enhanced lessons into their curricula one year later. Findings suggest that collaborative professional development is an effective method of integrating science content into CTE curricula to enhance student CTE course achievement without reducing the intent of the CTE program.

The diploma thesis deals with the psychological context of career counselling and education in adolescence. Today, only a minimal amount of research interest in the Czech Republic is devoted to career counselling and education, while in several developed countries of the world it is an important social science field. The aim of the diploma thesis is to provide recommendations for career education at secondary schools and to design intervention programs for career counselling for a group of secondary school students. The research questions seek to answer what variables play a role in high school career decision-making, what high school students expect from career guidance and education in schools, and the benefits of sharing a career decision-making process among peers. The qualitative research was chosen to answer the given research questions. Data were collected by the focus group method. The research project involved 29 students from three Prague grammar schools and one secondary vocational school. The results show that high school students' career decision-making is primarily influenced by their values, abilities and skills, interests, personality traits, perceived obstacles and barriers, and social effect. High school students expect guidance, information, acquaintance, a realistic perspective,...

This study aimed at exploring the grade nine learners' experience of career counselling at school in order to determine their ability to make informed subject and career choices. The literature review explored career education programmes and the changing world of work in South Africa. The importance of knowledge about career possibilities, personal values, personality traits and individual interests and abilities was highlighted. Qualitative research involved grade nine learners and Life Orientation teachers in individual and focus group interviews. Data analysis led to the following conclusions: Life Orientation teachers are not adequately informed about the purpose and aim of the career counselling process. Most teachers do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to support learners to make informed subject and career choices. Career counselling in grade nine does not meet the needs of the learners. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(Psychology of education)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In light of recent South African literature that shows that most adolescents from previously disadvantaged communities have until recently not had access to career guidance interventions, it was decided to do an investigation into the career interests of a group of learners from such a community. It was decided to specifically focus on sex role stereotyping and parental role models, with the purpose of gaining relevant information that can be used in the planning of career guidance curricula. Socio-economic and cultural variables were also considered. The investigation was done with the coloured communities of the Cape West Coast area. Learners from grade nine of 11 senior secondary schools were visited and requested to rank the ten interest fields of the MB 10 interest questionnaire from 1 to lOon grounds of preference. Statistical calculations were used to compare the boys' and girls' fields of interest. The learners were also requested to make a provisional career choice. This information was then compared to their parents' careers in order to ascertain what role parental role models have in their conditional career choices. From the investigation the following become evident: • There is a statistical relevant difference (p<O.O1) between the sexes' interest on al ten MB 10 fields of interests together. • There is a statistical relevant difference (p<O.OI) between the sexes' interest in the following fields: People as individualsIin small groups (In), People in groups or public appearance (Gr), Linguistic (L), Artistic (A), Practical (P) and Animals, biological sciences (Z). • Parental role models do not seem to have a powerful influence on the participants' declared career choices. • Socio-economic and cultural influences seem to playa role in the participants' declared career choices. An attempt was made to contribute to the process of career development of adolescents through making recommendations regarding the development of career guidance curricula. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die lig van resente Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur wat dit duidelik maak dat die meeste adolessente uit histories benadeelde gebiede tot onlangs min en selfs geen toegang tot beroepsvoorligtingintervensies gehad het nie, is besluit om 'n ondersoek te doen na die beroepsbelangstellings van so 'n groep leerders. Daar is besluit om spesifiek op geslagsrolstereotipering en ouerlike rolmodelle te fokus, met die doe Iom sodoende relevante inligting in te win wat in die beplanning van beroepsvoorligting kurrikula 'n rol kan speel. Sosio-ekonomiese en kulturele veranderlikes is ook in ag geneem. Die ondersoek is onder die bruin gemeenskappe van die Kaapse Weskusstreek uitgevoer. Graad nege leerders van Il senior sekondêre skole is besoek en versoek om die tien belangstellingsvelde van die MB 10 belangstellingsvraelys op grond van voorkeur van 1 tot lOte rangorden. Die seuns en meisies se belangstellingsvelde is deur middel van statistiese berekeninge met mekaar vergelyk Die leerders is ook gevra om 'n voorlopige beroepskeuse te maak Hierdie inligting is toe met hulouers se beroepe vergelyk om sodoende vas te stel watter rolouerlike rolmodelle in hul verklaarde beroepskeuses speel. Uit die ondersoek blyk die volgende: • Daar is wel 'n statisties beduidende verskil (p<O.OI) tussen die geslagte se belangstelling op al tien die MB 10 belangstellingsvelde gesamentlik. • Daar is statisties beduidende verskille (p<O.OI) tussen die geslagte se belangstelling in die velde: Mense as individue/in klein groepies (In), Mense in groepe of openbare optrede (Gr), Linguïsties (L), Artisties (A), Prakties (pr) en Diere, biologiese wetenskappe (Z). • Ouerlike rolmodelle blyk nie 'n kragtige invloed op die deelnemers se verklaarde beroepskeuses te hê nie. • Sosio-ekonomiese en kulturele invloede blyk wel 'n rol te speel in die deelnemers se verklaarde keuses van beroep. Daar is gepoog om die proses van beroepsontwikkeling van adolessente aan te spreek deur aanbevelings rondom die ontwikkeling van beroepsvoorligting kurrikula te maak

"The first part of the study is devoted to a comparison of those graduates who stay in Denton with those who move away. The marital status of each group, where they live, and why they chose the cities in which they live are shown in this section. A study is made to determine if those graduates who have moved away choose cities larger or smaller than Denton. The second aspect of the problem is developed by making a comparison of the quality of work done in high school and amount of education of the two groups. To make this comparison, a study is made of the quartile rank in high school ; the number that attended college in each group; the schools they attended; and the number that graduated from college. The third part of the problem is a comparison of the degree of success attained by each group. the occupations of the graduates, the number who have their own businesses, the financial success of each group, and the relationship of education to financial success attained are shown. The fourth division of the problem is the presentation of suggestions given by the graduates for improving job opportunities in Denton. It is hoped that this study will show whether or not Denton is losing its potentially more valuable citizens to other communities."-- leaf 2.

Diante das velozes transformações no mundo do trabalho em um contexto de instabilidade e incertezas na carreira, tornam-se imperativas iniciativas de políticas que despertem nos indivíduos a capacidade de gerenciar o seu próprio desenvolvimento profissional. Nesse contexto, estratégias de Educação para a Carreira podem colaborar no desenvolvimento de carreira dos indivíduos ao longo da vida. Visando levantar pistas para esse tipo de intervenção, o presente trabalho objetivou analisar interesses profissionais e maturidade vocacional de estudantes do ensino médio regular e técnico, em função da procedência escolar, sexo e nível socioeconômico familiar. Investigaram-se também as principais necessidades de Educação para a Carreira desses alunos e possíveis relações entre o Teste de Fotos de Profissões (BBT-Br) e o Questionário de Educação para a Carreira (QEC). Participaram da pesquisa 220 adolescentes, entre 16 e 20 anos, sendo 147 do sexo feminino e 73 do sexo masculino, provenientes do último ano de duas escolas públicas de ensino médio, uma regular e outra técnica, de uma cidade do interior do estado de São Paulo. Os instrumentos, a saber, o BBT-Br, o QEC, o questionário de identificação e o Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil (CCEB) foram aplicados coletivamente em sala de aula. Os dados foram inseridos em bancos de dados e submetidos a testes de estatística descritiva e inferencial (t de student). Com relação à maturidade vocacional, não foram encontradas diferenças significativas em função do sexo, procedência escolar e nível socioeconômico. Em relação às necessidades de Educação para a Carreira, verificou-se que os alunos pareceram necessitar de mais informações sobre mercado de trabalho e algumas questões de pesquisa e conservação de emprego. As principais fontes de informação profissional são os pais e a internet. Discutiu-se a necessidade de incluir os pais nos programas de Educação para a Carreira e de desenvolver ferramentas na internet que forneçam informações profissionais relevantes. Outras fontes de informação profissional são menos utilizadas e futuras intervenções devem incentivar a busca por fontes mais variadas. Dentre as atividades que podem auxiliar no desenvolvimento de carreira, os resultados indicam que têm sido pouco exploradas. Com relação aos interesses profissionais, foram encontradas diferenças entre homens e mulheres que evidenciam questões de estereótipos de gênero. Entre as mulheres houve diferenças significativas nos índices de produtividade entre as alunas do ensino médio regular e do ensino técnico e a principal diferença foi a preferência dessas últimas pelo radical V possivelmente relacionada à escolha pela formação em carreira técnica. Para o sexo masculino também houve diferença no radical V na estrutura primária negativa e nos radicais W e Z com médias maiores entre os alunos do ensino médio regular. Não houve diferenças significativas dos interesses em função do nível socioeconômico. Foram encontradas relações entre os índices de produtividade do BBT-Br e o nível de maturidade. Alunos com maior maturidade realizaram mais escolhas positivas e menos escolhas negativas e neutras, denotando que o nível de maturidade influencia no processo de escolha do BBT-Br. Por fim, são sugeridas algumas pistas para auxiliar em intervenções em Educação para a Carreira. / Given the fast changes in the world of work in a context of instability and uncertainty in career, it becomes mandatory policy that initiatives stimulate individuals in their ability to manage their own professional development. In this context, strategies for Career Education can collaborate with career development of individuals throughout life. Aiming to discover clues to this type of intervention, the current study is focused on analysing professional interests and career maturity of students in regular secondary and technical education, in relation to their school of origin, sex and family socioeconomic status. Investigations were also carried out in regards to the main students needs of Career Education and possible relationships between Berufsbilder Test (BBT-Br/ Teste de Fotos de Profissões) and the Career Education Questionnaire (QEC/ Questionário de Educação para a Carreira). Participated in the survey 220 adolescents between the ages of 16 and 20, 147 females and 73 males, selected last year from two public high schools, one regular and another technical, based in a city in the state of São Paulo. The instruments, BBT-Br, QEC, the identification questionnaire and Brazil Economic Classification Criterion (CCEB/ Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil) were applied collectively in the classroom. The data were entered into databases and subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics tests (t -student). With regard to vocational maturity, no significant differences by gender, socioeconomic status or school origin were found. To the needs of Career Education, it was found that students seemed to demand more information about the labor market, research issues and pursuing employment. The main sources of professional information are from parents and the internet. Therefore, the need to include parents in Career Education programs and to develop tools on the internet that provide relevant professional information was discussed. Other sources of professional information were less used and future interventions should encourage the search for more varied sources. The results indicated the activities that can assist in career development have been little explored. With respect to professional interests, differences between men and women are related to gender stereotypes. Among women there were significant differences in productivity levels between the students of the regular high school and technical education and the main difference was the preference of the technical students for the radical V, possibly related to their choice for technical careers. For males, there was also a difference in the radical V in the negative primary structure and the W and Z radicals with higher averages among students from the regular high school. There were no significant differences of interests depending on socioeconomic status. A relation between productivity ratios BBT-Br and maturity level were also found. Students with greater maturity choices made more positive choices rather than negative or neutral choices, indicating that the level of maturity has influences on the choice of the BBT -Br process. Finally, some evidences are discovered to assist in future interventions for Career Education.

A Educação para a Carreira foi um movimento surgido nos Estados Unidos na década de 1970, que propunha uma reforma na educação americana, desde o ensino elementar, fundamentada na ideia de que a educação escolar deveria ser socialmente útil, desenvolvendo no indivíduo habilidades que pudessem ser aproveitadas futuramente, quando ingressasse no mundo do trabalho. Embora essa concepção estivesse presente no pensamento educacional americano desde os primórdios da formação do Estado, sua retomada pelo movimento da Educação para Carreira num momento de declínio econômico, em que as indústrias buscavam novas estratégias de enfrentamento, abrindo espaço para a emergência do toyotismo, favoreceu a obtenção do apoio ostensivo de um grande número de associações civis e profissionais, além dos próprios educadores. A Educação para a Carreira se expandiu para outros países que viviam uma situação semelhante, sendo que, no Brasil, permanece sendo uma prática pouco conhecida, uma vez que há, no campo da orientação profissional, uma preponderância no uso da abordagem clínica nos atendimentos, mesmo aqueles desenvolvidos no contexto escolar. Há muitos estudos realizados em escolas que indicam o quão a orientação profissional favorece os jovens que se encontram em momento de escolha. Entretanto, paradoxalmente, a orientação profissional permanece ocupando um lugar marginal dentro deste contexto. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi buscar conhecer a realidade concreta de uma escola pública técnica do Estado de São Paulo, procurando compreender as possibilidades e a viabilidade de uma proposta de Educação para a Carreira, em formato de disciplina integrada à grade curricular dos alunos, tornar-se uma prática sistematizada no cotidiano da mesma, no intuito de superar essa posição marginal. Para tanto, a pesquisa desenvolveu-se em duas etapas. Na primeira, a partir da abordagem etnográfica, foi realizado um mapeamento do contexto escolar e suas sobredeterminações, no sentido de melhor compreendê-lo. Na segunda parte, tratou-se da construção, da implementação e da avaliação da prática interventiva em educação para a carreira no formato de uma disciplina integrante da grade curricular da escola. Frente aos resultados obtidos, é possível afirmar que esta pesquisa teve relevância não só porque proporcionou aos alunos um espaço de reflexão sobre seus estudos e projetos profissionais futuros, mas, principalmente, porque demonstrou que este espaço pode ser instituído na escola, fazendo parte do projeto políticopedagógico da mesma, ainda que não haja políticas públicas específicas na área que tragam essa obrigatoriedade. Foi possível constatar que o arcabouço legal proporcionado pela LDBEN de 1996, que permite à escola diversificar parte de seu currículo, somado a uma postura mais ativa do orientador profissional junto à mesma, pode promover, ali, a existência de um espaço de reflexão sistematizado para o jovem se preparar adequadamente para a transição escola-trabalho / The Career Education was a movement that emerged in United States in the 1970s which proposed a reform in American education, from elementary school, based on the idea that schooling should be socially useful, developing the individual skills that could be used in the future, when they would enter in the labor market. Although this idea had presented in American educational thoughts since the beginning of states formation, its resurgence by Career Education at a time of economic decline when industries were seeking to new strategies to continue in the market, opening a space to the emergence of Toyotism, brought a great support of a large number of civil and professional associations and educators themselves. The Career Education expanded to other countries that lived a similar situation. In Brazil, the Career Education remains a practice poorly known because there is a preponderance of clinical approach in the career guidance practice, even those developed in the schools. There are many researches in schools that indicate how career guidance helps young people who are in the moment of choice. However, paradoxically, the career guidance remains occupying a marginal place in this context. The aim of this study was try to know the reality of a technical public school in São Paulo, trying to understand the possibilities and feasibility of a career education proposal, as curriculum subject, to turn it into a systematic practice in the daily one of the school with the objective to overcome this marginal position. Therefore, this research was conducted in two stages. At first, from the ethnographic approach, we were mapped the school context and over determinations in order to understand it. In the second part, we built, implemented and evaluated the intervention practice as a curriculum subject. As results we can say that this research had relevance because it gave to students a space for reflection about their studies and future professional projects and because it demonstrated that this space can be set up in the school as part of their political-pedagogical project, although there is no specific public policies in the area that bring this obligation. It also was possible to see that the legal framework provided by LDBEN of 1996, which allows the school to diversify part of their curriculum, coupled with a more active attitude of the counselor, can promote a systematic reflection space for the young people be properly prepared for a school-work transition