<p> This study examined the influences the Early Childhood Education Pathway (ECEP) had on secondary students' career choice and postsecondary decisions. ECEP's with onsite laboratory settings or off campus practicum were utilized in the study. The hands-on experiences in a secondary setting provided students with authentic work experiences. Students' knowledge of the Early Childhood Education and Care profession was measured using the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Early Childhood Education and Care Basic assessment. A dependent t test calculated the difference between the pretest and posttests. Eighty-six students participated in this assessment. There were 100 participants who completed the GA College 411 Interest Profiler. A Wilcoxon Signed Rank test calculated the differences in ranks of how students' career interest profile ranks changed from the eighth grade to the students' experience in the ECEP. Lastly, interviews were conducted to determine if perceptions of the education profession changed and if the student planned to continue a career in education or working with children. The results indicate that the ECEP does significantly influence students' knowledge about the profession. The findings of this study suggest that the ECEP does help students to make career decisions and postsecondary choices. Keywords: secondary education pathway, onsite laboratory school, early childhood education pathway, secondary education training, child development, career preparation</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10246107 |
| Date | 20 January 2017 |
| Creators | Sims, Selena |
| Publisher | Piedmont College |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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