This study investigated differences and similarities among school personnel and economic sector groups drawn from school districts of differing population profiles upon responses to a statewide career education needs assessment. / Data were 548 responses from 67 Florida school districts within five occupational categories: principals, teachers, counselors, district coordinators, and business people. Seven demographic characteristics were used to further participation samples into three population profile groups. Given 20 career education student behavior statements, respondents estimated student proficiency and ranked items for program importance. A needs index was generated through multiplication of proficiency by importance for each case item. Group responses were compared using measures of association, distribution, and ordinal displacement. Magnitude measures were applied to proficiency ratings. Results were interpretively related to three program planning principles: programs should meet pupil needs, be community responsive, and have goal consensus among implementing personnel. / Differences were more related to occupations than population profiles. Differences between occupations within profiles tended to be greater than between profiles within occupations. Educators rated pupils more proficient than did business persons. Principals rated pupils higher than others and highest in larger districts. Business persons rated pupils lowest in larger districts. Educators tended to place most importance upon skills. Teachers ranked attitudes higher than did other educators. Business groups ranked attitudes highest and career knowledge lowest. The needs index tended to follow the same patterns as importance rankings. Smaller districts were more concordant and intermediate districts less concordant than larger districts. Primary sources of discord for "intermediate" and "metropolitan" areas were district coordinators and counselors. Business groups were concordant across population profles (.918), as were teachers (.941). / Coordinated and clearly defined community responsive career education programs that meet pupil needs may not exist throughout Florida schools. Differences among educators indicated need for program goal clarity. Differences between educational program planners and business persons suggested a lack of systematic incorporation of community values into career education. Pupils might be better served by entering careers from programs more focused upon the work ethics and attitudes valued by potential employers. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-06, Section: A, page: 1790. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74860 |
| Contributors | WUTHRICH, ZACK ALLEN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 174 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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