Learning Theory of Career Counseling
At the heart of Krumboltzs thinking is Banduras Social Learning Theory (SLT). Bandura identified a total of three types of learning experiences which include
The Instrumental learning experience
This results from direct experience when an individual is positively reinforced or punished for some behavior and its associated cognitive skills
Associative learning experience
Results from direct experience together with reinforcement when an individual associates some previously affectively neutral event or stimulus with an emotionally laden stimulus.
The Vicarious learning experience
Here is where people learn new behaviors plus skills through observing behaviors of other individuals or even through the media.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY OF CAREER DECISION-MAKING (SLTCDM)
This particular theory aims at informing clients career decision making options at the same time utilize the triadic reciprocal interaction concept. The role of instruments and associative learning is also emphasized. The practitioners tools are therefore reinforcement and modeling. The application of this theory to practice involves the practitioners effort to categorize and correct any wrong beliefs held by the client regarding th process of decision making.
It was developed to answer the following questions
why people enter particular educational course or jobs
why they may modify course at some stage in their lives
Why individuals may show various desires for different activities during different points in their livelihood.
The following are identified as influential in these processes
1.1 Influential factors
Krumboltz examines the impact of four different groups of factors
1. Genetic Endowment and Special Abilities
race
gender
Physical looks and traits
People differ both in their capacity to gain from learning experiences and to get access to various learning experiences as a result of such types of hereditary qualities.
2. Environmental Conditions and Events
Social, cultural political
Economic forces
Natural forces resources.
They are normally out of every persons control. Their influence can be planned or unplanned.
3. Learning Experiences
Each individual has a unique history of learning experiences that results choice of profession. They often dont recall the specific trait or series of these learning experiences, but they also recall those general conclusions from them (e.g. I love animalsworking with children). The two main kinds of learning experiences as mentioned in this theory are
Instrumental learning experience
It consists of
Preceding circumstancesstimulus
Behavioral responses (overt covert)
Consequences.
Associative learning experience
This is where individuals perceive an association involving two or more sets of stimuli in the surrounding. However, this in most cases could result to occupational stereotypes.
4. Task Approach Skills
Interactions with learning experiences, hereditary characteristics, and finally ecological influence result in the improvement of task approach skills.
These include
personal standards of performance
work habits
Emotional reactions
Formerly acquired task approach skills applied to a new undertaking or problem both influence the outcome of that task or hitch may they themselves be modified.
1.2 Resulting cognitions, beliefs, skills actions
As a result of the complex interaction of these four types of influencing factors (i.e. genetic endowment, environment, learning and task approach skills), people form generalizations (beliefs) which represent their own reality. These beliefs about them plus the world of work influence their method of approach towards learning new skills and finally affect their ambitions as well as their actions. . The SLTCDM refers to peoples beliefs about themselves as either
Observation of the Generalizations
An overt or covert statement evaluating ones own performance or assessing ones own benefit and principles. Involves a constant assessment of our own performance
View of the World Generalizations
Observations about our environment which is used to forecast what will happen in the future and in other surrounding (e.g. the caring professions).
1.2 Resulting cognitions, beliefs, skills actions
As a result of the complex interaction of these four types of influencing factors (i.e. genetic endowment, environment, learning and task approach skills), people form generalizations (beliefs) which represent their own reality. These beliefs about them plus the world of work influence their method of approach towards learning new skills and finally affect their ambitions as well as their actions. The SLTCDM refers to peoples beliefs about themselves as either
Observation of the Self Generalizations
An overt or covert statement evaluating ones own performance or assessing ones own benefit and principles. Involves a constant assessment of our own performance
4 Possible problems associated with Professional practice
Several types of problems may arise because of erroneous world view and self observation overview. Krumboltz states that it is so that people might
Not be in a position recognize that a problem exists
fail to make a decision or solve a problem
eliminate a potentially satisfying alternative for inappropriate reasons
choose poor alternatives for inappropriate reasons
Be nervous to achieve goals..
LEARNING THEORY OF CAREERS CHOICE COUNSELLING
Krumboltz and Mitchell (1996) state that this theory provides a coherent clarification of an individuals career course after it occurs but that it doesnt explain what an occupation counselor may do in order to assist individuals figure out paths. So, LTCC therefore was developed to provide help to practicing career counselors who want to know what they can do now to aid individuals bothered with a number of career related concerns.
2.1 Summary
Krumboltz and Mitchell (1996) identify four fundamental trends with which people should handle while making career choices in contemporary society and with which careers practitioners must assist.
a) People need to increase their potential as well as their interests
The practitioners should assist clients to find fresh activities instead of diverting them on the basis of precise interests that show inadequate past experiences.
b) People need to prepare for changing work tasks
Learning new talents for the varying labor market can be very demanding for clients. The practitioners have a role to play in helping them to help them manage stress as they discover how to develop new skills on a continuing basis
c) People need to be give power to be able to take action
Many issues pertinent to career decisions are often overlooked in regulation practice (for example, a familys reaction to taking a particular job). This may cause fear of the process of decision making (referred to by Krumboltz as zeteophobia) or cause delay in making a decision. Practitioners need to be prepared to assist with these matters as well as providing useful support during the process of exploitation.
d) Career Practitioners need take up the extended role
Career and personal counseling must be incorporated. Things like burnout, career change, peer relationships, obstacles to career development are good examples of probable tribulations that should draw the support of the career practitioners
Evaluation and Application of the LTCC
Krumboltz discusses the increasingly important questions of measuring the outcomes of guidance and evaluating practice.
a) New Outcome Measures
Two favorite measures in careers practice are
Indecision a major goal for practice has been overcoming decision. However, in the new labor market, being open minded will be an increasingly attractive quality.
Congruence work environments are becoming increasingly fluid. Job descriptions are becoming fewer tasks orientated and more outcomes orientated. Trying to match individuals to congruent environments assumes that both individuals and environments will remain constant.
b) Emerging Criteria
The LTCC would put more emphasis on practitioners asking questions like these
How successful have my interventions been in inspiring novel learning when it comes to my clients
How well have my interventions helped my clients cope will a continually varying world of work
How much progress are my clients making in informing a fulfilling life for themselves
HAPPENSTANCE IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE
Most recently, Krumboltz has been developing his thoughts around sustaining (even encouraging) career indecision (Mitchell et al., 1999 Krumboltz Levin, 2004). He promotes the idea that not only is indecision rational and attractive, but that customers can make and gain from unplanned events.
Key ideas from this new development of the theory are
The ultimate objective of counseling is creating satisfying lives, not just making a decision
Tests should be made use of in order to stimulate learning, not just to match
Practitioners should get clients to be par of probing action
An individuals liberalism should be celebrated, not discouraged
Benefits should be maximized from unplanned events and
Lifelong learning is essential.
Some of the repercussions for practitioners for this particular new dimension of the theory are discussed and include
Career counseling should be a lifelong process, not a one time event
The distinction between career counseling and personal counseling should disappear
Transitional counseling is more appropriate than career counseling
Professional training should be expanded to ensure practitioners are properly supported when playing their roles.
He also lists down some implications for practitioners for this new dimension which include
Career counseling should not be taken as a one-off-event but should be taken seriously as a lifelong process.
The difference between personal counseling and career counseling should be eliminated.
Transitional counseling is more suitable compared to career counseling.
There should be the expansion of professional training in order to support practitioners in this extended role.
According to Worthington Krumboltz (1999), the ultimate objective of career counseling and of the school-to-work movement should be to aid the learning of skills, interests, beliefs, values, work habits, and personal qualities which enable participants to create a satisfactory life in a rapidly changing work environment. Looking at it from this viewpoint, the school-to-work movement needs more than human capital theory as the base for preparing youth for the workforce as HCT supports a somewhat naive economic notion that by simply investing time, money, and energy will produce the desired outcomes. Looking at it in another view, theories in the tradition of vocational psychology have often been disapproved for their lack of practical utility and inattention to some essential realities faced by individuals in the midst of career exploration, transition, and decision making. Learning theory is capable of offering specific insights into distinct methods of human capital investment targeting optimal learning activities which are designed to assist the skill acquisition and learning motivation of youth from a various backgrounds.
From a learning perspective, thinking about the school-to-work shift offers three main ideas for our future work when it comes to career development
We will be in a position to make use of assessment instruments for motivating new learning, not just for matching existing characteristics to current environments.
We will also be able to expand the range of educational interventions in career development to incorporate methods for achieving emotional and performance outcomes as well as cognitive outcomes.
We will be in a position to measure success by the scope of which clients continue to be engaged in learning activities toward the creation of satisfactory lives for themselves, and not simply by measures of decisiveness and congruence.
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