ERIC Number: EJ1232099
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1089-9995
EISSN: N/A
School Counselor Perceptions of the Geosciences and Career Exploration Activities Used in Their Schools
Sherman-Morris, Kathleen; Del Valle Martinez, Idamis; Justice, Cheryl A.; Hall, Kimberly R.
Journal of Geoscience Education, v67 n4 p446-458 2019
A sample of 43 Mississippi school counselors was surveyed regarding resources they use in career counseling, as well as resources they believe are effective in informing students about STEM careers, particularly the geosciences. Participants were asked a number of questions about their knowledge and perceptions about STEM majors and careers. The purpose of these questions was to determine what differences, if any, exist between perceptions about geoscience careers or majors (including geology, meteorology, and geoscience) and other STEM fields (including biology and engineering). As in previous studies, significant gaps were detected in participants' perceptions about geology and meteorology careers compared to biology and engineering careers. These included perceptions about whether a career offers opportunities to help people, help the environment, or make a lot of money, and whether it is easy to find a job in that field. Participants' self-assessed knowledge of geoscience careers was also lower than their self-assessed knowledge about biology and engineering careers. The results suggest that greater efforts are required to increase awareness of the geosciences at the high school level. Finally, participants indicated the best way to provide them information about geoscience careers was through guest speakers, followed by websites. To help determine how school counselors could help further efforts to enhance diversity in the geosciences, responses were explored based on the percentage of minority students at the participants' schools. The results indicated few differences could be explained by school demographics.
Descriptors: School Counselors, Counseling Techniques, Counselor Attitudes, STEM Education, Career Counseling, Earth Science, Knowledge Level, Counseling Effectiveness, Geology, Biology, Engineering, Meteorology, High Schools, High School Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Mississippi
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1107705