It is important to develop and assess student learning outcomes in order to determine whether academic department goals and standards are being reached. One aspect of this process involves alignment of learning outcomes with stakeholder criteria (expectations, beliefs) for assessment. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University has not previously developed a program assessment of student learning outcomes. However, a survey has been administered to undergraduate students enrolled in a mandatory class, Conservation and Management (WFSC 201). Among other questions, the survey asked students to provide information about their curriculum choice, agreement with value statements about wildlife and conservation issues, career interests, graduate school plans, and importance of issues related to wildlife and fisheries management and conservation. To evaluate alignment of student choice of curriculum with expectations and beliefs related to their choice of career, I tested the student responses to curriculum choice for relationships to responses to survey questions about career interests, gender, and graduate school plans for surveys administered in 2000 and 2008. For these same surveys, I also tested responses to value statements for relationships to responses for importance of issues, in addition to career interests, gender, and graduate school plans. Similar percentages (24%) of the total variation in curriculum choice and in agreement with value statements were explained: Career interests explained 18% of the variation related to curriculum choice and 8% of variation related to value statements. Year and gender combined explained only 2% of the variation in either dependent variable. Responses to important issues explained 11% of the variation in responses to value statements. Choice of curriculum was most strongly related to career interests and graduate school plans. Students who chose the teaching curriculum option were interested in careers in public school education and planned on attending graduate school. Students who chose curriculum options in aquaculture and fish ecology and management were interested in careers in aquaculture and as government fisheries biologists and conservation officers and planned on attending graduate school. Students who chose the curriculum options in wildlife ecology and management and other options were interested in a broad range of careers and were undecided about graduate school. Although importance of issues and career interests explained 19% of the variation in student agreement with value statements, this relationship was not statistically significant. Issues of greatest importance to females were endangered species, habitat destruction, water availability, loss of biodiversity, and water pollution. Females in 2000 tended to choose careers in public school education and as government wildlife biologists, and in 2008 chose careers in nature center education and as urban wildlife biologists. Issues of greatest importance to males were landowner rights to resources, such as high fences to enclose wildlife, access to rivers, water availability, and hunting of wildlife. Males in 2000 tended to choose careers as conservation officers, and in 2008 chose careers in ranch management, private consulting, and as government fish biologists and urban wildlife biologists. This data provides the Wildlife and Fisheries Department at Texas A&M University with information about its students and how they responded to curriculum options, career interests, value statements, and important issues.

abstract: Problems with recruiting and retaining older volunteers have resulted in less than one-quarter of older adults participating in volunteer activities (BLS, 2016). Much emphasis on volunteer motivations have been placed to enhance volunteer engagement among late-midlife and older adults (e.g., Davis et al., 2003). Although career motivations have not been shown to predict late-midlife and older adults’ volunteer participation (Planalp & Trost, 2009), there is some empirical evidence supporting the relevance of career domains in later life (Greller, 2006). By reframing volunteering as a compensatory strategy, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate factors, including career-related interests, that affect volunteer satisfaction and commitment among late-midlife and older volunteers. A series of hypotheses were posited to examine contributions to volunteer satisfaction and to future volunteer commitment, including volunteer motivation and congruence between career interests of volunteers and characteristics of the volunteer activities (volunteer-activity congruence). The online survey contained measures for study variables, including the Volunteer Functional Inventory (volunteer motivations) and Personal Globe Inventory (career interests). Participants (N = 167) were recruited from community and government volunteer programs with the average age of volunteers being 68.65 years old (SD = 9.36; range 50 to 90 years). The majority of volunteers were female (54.5%), White or Caucasian (90.4%), married (58.2%), reported some college experience (96.5%) and were retired (68.9%). Results from the current study indicated that time volunteering, volunteer motivations, and volunteer-activity congruence did not significantly predict volunteer satisfaction, accounting for 9.2% of the variance. In contrast, the final model did significantly predict volunteer commitment and accounted for 13.1% of the model variance, with altruistic values remaining a significant contributor to volunteer commitment. Findings from the current study highlight inconsistencies noted in previous research regarding volunteer motivations, satisfaction, and commitment. Possible generational influences on altruistic values and volunteerism were also noted. Although volunteer-activity congruence alone was not predictive of volunteer satisfaction or of commitment, results from the study warrant additional investigations in career interests and volunteering among late-midlife and older adults. Limitations of the current study and implications for volunteer recruitment and retention were also discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Counseling Psychology 2016

Although more people are transitioning into environmental sustainability careers, there is still a demand. This presents an opportunity for undergraduate engineering students to satisfy the demand for environmental sustainability professionals. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to explore environmental sustainability learning experiences, from small in-class experiences to internships, and future career choices. By utilizing the social cognitive theory (SCCT) as a theoretical lens, this study explored participants' environmental sustainability interests, learning experiences related to environmental sustainability and their interest in pursuing a future career in environmental sustainability. This research addresses a gap in the existing literature by exploring how undergraduate engineering students' environmental sustainability learning experiences impact their decisions to pursue careers in this field, framed by the SCCT. The perspectives of twenty-five undergraduate engineering students in various engineering disciplines at Virginia Tech, an R1 public university in Blacksburg, Virginia. The participants were enrolled in ENGR3124, Introduction to Green Engineering, during the Fall 2022 semester and were interviewed for the study. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted via Zoom, allowing students to provide detailed information about their learning experiences and future career plans. Data was analyzed to (1) identify students' interest in pursuing a career in environmental sustainability (2) determine if students' interests have changed since they began their undergraduate studies (3) explore how learning experiences have impacted the students' future career choice. The findings discover that exposure to environmental sustainability learning experiences plays a meaningful role in impacting students' interests in pursuing careers in sustainability. Results reveal that factors such as personal values and salary considerations inspire career choices. Outcomes from this research suggest that promoting a connection between engineering education and environmental sustainability can inspire future engineers to actively pursue environmental sustainability careers and find solutions to sustainability issues. This underscores the significance of integrating sustainability experiences, such as a current events discussion in class or projects with an environmental sustainability element, into undergraduate engineering education. This research contributes to addressing the growing demand for people to address environmental sustainability issues, highlighting the role of learning experiences in shaping students' career interests. Further research in this area will be necessary for further developing strategies to encourage students to pursue sustainability-related careers and contribute to environmental sustainability initiatives. / Doctor of Philosophy / Experts are transitioning into environmental sustainability careers, though a gap exists between supply and demand. This presents an opportunity for undergraduate engineering students to fulfill the demand as environmental sustainability professionals. This qualitative exploratory study investigated environmental sustainability learning experiences and future career interests in environmental sustainability. The social cognitive theory (SCCT) was utilized as a theoretical lens, exploring participants' environmental sustainability interests, associated learning experiences and their interest in pursuing a future career in environmental sustainability. Twenty-five undergraduate engineering students in various engineering disciplines were interviewed for this study. Data was analyzed to (1) identify students' interest in pursuing a career in environmental sustainability (2) determine if students' interests have changed since they began their undergraduate studies (3) discover how learning experiences have impacted the students' future career choice. The findings conclude that exposure to environmental sustainability learning experiences is impactful and plays an important role, impacting students' interests in pursuing careers in sustainability. Results unveil that elements such as personal beliefs and salary considerations inspire career choices. This research contributes to addressing the demand for people to tackle environmental sustainability issues, emphasizing the role of learning experiences in shaping students' career interests.

Em momentos de mudanças velozes e de instabilidade do mundo do trabalho, investigações sobre constructos, como a autoeficácia e os interesses profissionais, são relevantes, objetivando maior entendimento no que se refere ao desenvolvimento de carreira de jovens e adultos. No âmbito dos modelos sóciocognitivos da carreira de Lent, Brown e Hackett (1994), este estudo visa analisar a relação entre interesses e crenças de autoeficácia, bem como estudar os interesses e a autoeficácia em função da procedência escolar, sexo e nível socioeconômico familiar. Os participantes da pesquisa foram 241 alunos, de ambos os sexos, do terceiro ano do ensino médio, regular e técnico, com idades entre 16 a 20 anos, provenientes de duas instituições públicas de ensino, de uma cidade do interior do estado de São Paulo. Os instrumentos aplicados coletivamente foram: (a) Questionário de Identificação; (b) Inventário de Autoeficácia em Desenvolvimento da Carreira (CD-SEI) - versão brasileira e (c) Avaliação dos Interesses Profissionais (AIP). Os resultados não apontaram diferenças significativas na percepção da autoeficácia em desenvolvimento da carreira em relação à procedência escolar e ao sexo; no entanto, em relação ao nível socioeconômico familiar verificou-se que alunos de condições socioeconômicas mais elevadas se percebem mais capazes de lidar com questões relativas ao desenvolvimento da carreira que alunos do nível socioeconômico mais baixo. No que se refere aos interesses profissionais, não foram identificadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas em função da variável nível socioeconômico, porém, verificou-se que os estereótipos de gênero ainda predominam na formação dos interesses dos adolescentes e que os alunos provenientes do ensino médio técnico possuem interesses mais claros que alunos do ensino médio regular. Foram verificadas correlações baixas, mas estatisticamente significativas entre as dimensões e escore total da autoeficácia e as escolhas reais em alguns campos de interesses. Estes resultados indicam pistas para intervenções baseadas no referencial da Teoria Social Cognitiva de Carreira, que visem o trabalho da autoeficácia em desenvolvimento de carreira, principalmente, com estudantes de níveis sociais e econômicos mais baixos e que contemplem também questões relativas às diferenças de gênero, no que se refere aos interesses profissionais. No futuro será indicado o estudo das variáveis investigadas em diferentes amostras e inclusão de outras variáveis consideradas importantes para perspectiva da Teoria Social Cognitiva de Carreira, tais como as expectativas de resultado, os objetivos, o desempenho escolar, dentre outras. / At moments of fast changes and instability in the world of work, investigations about constructs such as self-efficacy and career interests are relevant, aiming at a better comprehension of young peoples and adults career development. According to Lent, Brown and Hacketts socio-cognitive models of career (1994), this study aims at examining the relationship between interests and self-efficacy beliefs, as well as studying the interests and self-efficacy, according to school type, sex and family socioeconomic status. The subjects were 241 students, male and female, aged between 16 and 20 years old, attending the 3rd grade of high school and 3rd grade of technical schools in two public schools located in a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The instruments applied collectively were: the Identification Questionnaire (Questionário de Identificação), the Career Development Self-Efficacy Inventory - CD-SEI- Brazilian version (Inventário de Autoeficácia em Desenvolvimento de Carreira) and the Evaluation of Professional Interests - EPI (Avaliação dos Interesses Profissionais- AIP). The results have not shown any significant differences between selfefficacy in career development related to the type of school or gender. However, the study pointed that higher socio-economic level students consider themselves more capable to deal with career development issues than lower socio-economic level students. Regarding career interests, significant differences were not identified when considering the socio-economic level variable; however, gender stereotypes were still found to prevail with the teenagers interest development, and the results also showed that technical school students have their interests better defined than regular high school students. Low but statistically significant correlations were verified between the dimensions investigated and the total score of selfefficacy and true choices in some fields of interests. The results suggest clues to interventions based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory that aim at the development of self-efficacy, especially with lower social and socio-economic level students, as well as regarding gender differences issues concerning career interests. Future studies are suggested that include other variables which are considered important in the Social Cognitive Career Theory, such as: outcomes expectations, goals, school performance, among others, in different samples.

Em momentos de mudanças velozes e de instabilidade do mundo do trabalho, investigações sobre constructos, como a autoeficácia e os interesses profissionais, são relevantes, objetivando maior entendimento no que se refere ao desenvolvimento de carreira de jovens e adultos. No âmbito dos modelos sóciocognitivos da carreira de Lent, Brown e Hackett (1994), este estudo visa analisar a relação entre interesses e crenças de autoeficácia, bem como estudar os interesses e a autoeficácia em função da procedência escolar, sexo e nível socioeconômico familiar. Os participantes da pesquisa foram 241 alunos, de ambos os sexos, do terceiro ano do ensino médio, regular e técnico, com idades entre 16 a 20 anos, provenientes de duas instituições públicas de ensino, de uma cidade do interior do estado de São Paulo. Os instrumentos aplicados coletivamente foram: (a) Questionário de Identificação; (b) Inventário de Autoeficácia em Desenvolvimento da Carreira (CD-SEI) - versão brasileira e (c) Avaliação dos Interesses Profissionais (AIP). Os resultados não apontaram diferenças significativas na percepção da autoeficácia em desenvolvimento da carreira em relação à procedência escolar e ao sexo; no entanto, em relação ao nível socioeconômico familiar verificou-se que alunos de condições socioeconômicas mais elevadas se percebem mais capazes de lidar com questões relativas ao desenvolvimento da carreira que alunos do nível socioeconômico mais baixo. No que se refere aos interesses profissionais, não foram identificadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas em função da variável nível socioeconômico, porém, verificou-se que os estereótipos de gênero ainda predominam na formação dos interesses dos adolescentes e que os alunos provenientes do ensino médio técnico possuem interesses mais claros que alunos do ensino médio regular. Foram verificadas correlações baixas, mas estatisticamente significativas entre as dimensões e escore total da autoeficácia e as escolhas reais em alguns campos de interesses. Estes resultados indicam pistas para intervenções baseadas no referencial da Teoria Social Cognitiva de Carreira, que visem o trabalho da autoeficácia em desenvolvimento de carreira, principalmente, com estudantes de níveis sociais e econômicos mais baixos e que contemplem também questões relativas às diferenças de gênero, no que se refere aos interesses profissionais. No futuro será indicado o estudo das variáveis investigadas em diferentes amostras e inclusão de outras variáveis consideradas importantes para perspectiva da Teoria Social Cognitiva de Carreira, tais como as expectativas de resultado, os objetivos, o desempenho escolar, dentre outras. / At moments of fast changes and instability in the world of work, investigations about constructs such as self-efficacy and career interests are relevant, aiming at a better comprehension of young peoples and adults career development. According to Lent, Brown and Hacketts socio-cognitive models of career (1994), this study aims at examining the relationship between interests and self-efficacy beliefs, as well as studying the interests and self-efficacy, according to school type, sex and family socioeconomic status. The subjects were 241 students, male and female, aged between 16 and 20 years old, attending the 3rd grade of high school and 3rd grade of technical schools in two public schools located in a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The instruments applied collectively were: the Identification Questionnaire (Questionário de Identificação), the Career Development Self-Efficacy Inventory - CD-SEI- Brazilian version (Inventário de Autoeficácia em Desenvolvimento de Carreira) and the Evaluation of Professional Interests - EPI (Avaliação dos Interesses Profissionais- AIP). The results have not shown any significant differences between selfefficacy in career development related to the type of school or gender. However, the study pointed that higher socio-economic level students consider themselves more capable to deal with career development issues than lower socio-economic level students. Regarding career interests, significant differences were not identified when considering the socio-economic level variable; however, gender stereotypes were still found to prevail with the teenagers interest development, and the results also showed that technical school students have their interests better defined than regular high school students. Low but statistically significant correlations were verified between the dimensions investigated and the total score of selfefficacy and true choices in some fields of interests. The results suggest clues to interventions based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory that aim at the development of self-efficacy, especially with lower social and socio-economic level students, as well as regarding gender differences issues concerning career interests. Future studies are suggested that include other variables which are considered important in the Social Cognitive Career Theory, such as: outcomes expectations, goals, school performance, among others, in different samples.

No description available.

Text in English with abstracts and keywords in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu. Translated titles in Afrikaans and isiZulu supplied. / The research focused on individual–organisational career path congruence and the development of an integrated measure (I-PIA-M) constituting individual variables (i.e. career anchor preferences, career interests and abilities) which are recognised as influencing individuals’ perceptions of fit with the organisation. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach: (1) principles and constructs of person–environment (P-E) fit were applied, both to develop the I-PIA-M and empirically test the measure for reliability and validity; and (2) a qualitative study (career intervention) was conducted in which the empirically tested measure was applied in a career counselling context, to assess and guide career path congruence in an authentic work setting. The quantitative study involved a randomly selected sample (N = 270) of predominantly working adults in the economic and management sciences fields. The qualitative study involved five respondents in a career construction interview, along with the administration of the empirically tested I-PIA-M measure. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the multi-dimensionality of the I-PIA-M, and the reliability and construct validity of the scale. The results showed that race and gender significantly explain individuals’ self-perceived career anchor preferences and career interests, but not their self-perceived abilities. Age did not significantly explain individuals’ self-perceived career anchor preferences, career interests or abilities. The qualitative study corroborated the multi-directionality of individuals’ career paths and the notion of guiding person–organisation career path congruence by means of the I-PIA-M. The research contributed to career psychology and career counselling practice through the empirical testing and application of the I-PIA-M in the contemporary work context. Various limitations and recommendations for further research were also highlighted in this thesis. / Die navorsing het gefokus op individuele-organisatoriese-loopbaankongruensie en die ontwikkeling van 'n geïntegreerde maatstaf (I-PIA-M) bestaande uit individuele veranderlikes (bv loopbaanankervoorkeure, loopbaanbelangstellings en vermoëns) wat erken word as faktore wat individue se persepsies van passing met die organisasie beïnvloed. Die navorsing het 'n gemengdemetode-benadering gevolg: (1) beginsels en konstrukte van persoon-omgewing is toegepas om sowel die I-PIA-M te ontwikkel en die maatstaf empiries vir betroubaarheid en geldigheid te toets; en (2) 'n kwalitatiewe studie (loopbaanintervensie) is onderneem waarin die empiries getoetsde maatstaf in 'n loopbaanberadingskonteks gebruik is om die loopbaanpadkongruensie in 'n outentieke werksituasie te evalueer en te lei. Die kwantitatiewe studie het 'n ewekansig geselekteerde steekproef (N = 270) van oorwegend werkende volwassenes op die terrein van ekonomiese en bestuurswetenskappe betrek. Die kwalitatiewe studie het vyf respondent in 'n loopbaankonstruksie-onderhoud betrek, saam met die aanwending van die empiries getoetste I-PIA-M maatstaf. Verkennende faktoranalise en bevestigende faktoranalise het die multidimensionele aard van die I-PIA-M bevestig, en die betroubaarheid en konstrukgeldigheid van die skaal. Die resultate het getoon dat ras en geslag beduidend individue se self-vermeende loopbaanankervoorkeure en loopbaanbelangstellings verklaar, maar nie hul self-vermeende vermoëns nie. Ouderdom het nie beduidend individue se self-vermeende loopbaanankervoorkeure, loopbaanbelangstellings of vermoëns verklaar nie. Die kwalitatiewe studie het die multidireksionele aard van individue se loopbaanpaaie en die idee dat persoon–organisasie-loopbaanpadkongruensie deur middel van die I-PIA-M gerig word, gestaaf. Die navorsing het tot loopbaansielkunde en loopbaanberadingspraktyk bygedra deur die empiriese toetsing en toepassing van die I-PIA-M in die kontemporêre werkkonteks. Verskeie beperkings en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing is ook in hierdie tesis uitgelig. / Ucwaningo lugxile kuhlelo olufanayo lobizo lomsebenzi olulandelwa umuntu ngamunye–yinhlangano kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwendlela ehlangene yokwakha izimpawu zomuntu ezahlukahlukene (I-PIA-M) (zona yilezi ukwenyulwa kobizo lomsebenzi oluyinsika, ubizo oluthandayo lomsebenzi kanye namakhono okwenza umsebenzi) ezithathwa njengalezo ezinomthelela phezu kwemiqondo yomuntu ohambelana ncimishi nenhlangano. Ucwaningo lwamukela ingxubevange yezindlela zokwenza ucwaningo: (1) imigomo kanye nezakhiwo zesizinda somuntu (P-E) zisetshenziswe, kabili, ukwakha i I-PIA-M kanye nokuhlolwa ngendlela ephathekayo izinga lokwethembeka kanye nokulunga; kanye; kanye (2) nocwaningo olusebenzisa amagama lwenziwa, lapho isinyathelo sokuhlola esiphathekayo sasetshenziswa kuhlelo ngaphansi kwesizinda sokululekwa ngokobizo lomsebenzi, ukuhlola ikhono kanye nokukhombisa umfundi indlela yobizo lomsebenzi ehambisana naye angayilandela ngaphansi kwesimo sangempela somsebenzi. . Lesi sifundo socwaningo besixuba isampuli yokukhethwa ngokungahleliwe kwabantu abadala (N = 270) abasebenzayo emikhakheni yezesayensi yezomnotho kanye nezokuphata. Uhlelo locwaningo olusebenzisa amagama luye lwaxuba abaphenduli abahlanu kunhlololwazi lokuzakhela ubizo lomsebenzi, kanye nokuqhutshwa kwesinyathelo sokuhlolwa okuphathekayo kohlelo lwe-I-PIA-M. -. Uhlelo lokuhluza oluvumbululayo kanye nohlelo lokuhluza oluqinisekisayo aye aqinisekisa ukwehlukahluka kwe-I-PIA-M ngokwezigaba, nokwethembeka kanye nohlelo lwesakhiwo esifanele sobukhulu. Imiphumela iye yakhombisa ukuthi ubuhlanga kanye nobulili zichaza kahle kakhulu ubizo lomsebenzi olukhethwa, ubizo lomsebenzi othandwayo noma amakhono omsebenzi athandwayo, kodwa hayi ngokuzikhethela komuntu ngokwamakhono anawo. Unyaka awuzange ucacise kahle ukwenyula ubizo lomsebenzi, ukuthanda ubizo lomsebenzi kanye namakhono omsebenzi ngokuzazi komuntu ngokwakhe. Unyaka, ubuhlanga kanye namaqembu obulili akhombise umehluko omkhulu mayelana nobizo lwemisebenzi abalwenyulayo, ubizo lwemisebenzi abayithandayo kanye namakhono omsebenzi abawaqondayo ngokuzazi kwabo. Ucwaningo olususelwa kumagama lusekela uhlelo lwezindlela eziningi lwezindlela zobizo lomsebenzi ezilandelwa ngabantunkanye nombono wokuholela umuntu-inhlangano endleleni efanayo yobizo lomsebenzi ngokusebenzisa uhlelo lwe-I-PIA-M. Ucwaningo luye lwaba negalelo kusayikholoji kanye nasemisebenzini wokweluleka ngokobizo lomsebenzi ngokusebenzisa uhlelo oluphathekayo lokuhlola kanye nokusetshenziswa kohlelo lwe-I-PIA-M kwisimo sanamuhla sasemsebenzini. Kuye kwavezwa imingcele eyahlukahlukene kanye nezinqumo ezimayelana nokwenza olunye ucwaningo oluqhubekayo kuye kwavezwa kule thesisi. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)