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How vocational psychologists can make a difference in K–12 education

  • Justin C. Perry
  • Lisa Shannon
Article
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Abstract

In general, vocational psychologists have not been engaged in applied research that demonstrates how career interventions can improve educational problems that matter to relevant decision-makers and stakeholders. This article describes how vocational psychology can make a difference in K–12 education by embracing an interdisciplinary community-based approach. To illustrate this approach, a quasi-experimental evaluation of multiple after-school programs provided to a sample of Hispanic Americans is presented. This study offers a realistic example of how researchers in the field can induce change through the development of meaningful partnerships within the community.

Keywords

Career education Evaluation Youth development 

Résumé. Comment les psychologues conseillers en orientation peuvent faire la différence à l’école obligatoire

En général, les psychologues conseiller.ère.s en orientation ne sont pas inclus dans les recherches appliquées qui démontrent l’aide qu’une intervention d’orientation peut apporter aux problèmes de formation qui sont importants pour les décideurs et les personnes concernées. Cet article décrit la manière dont un.e psychologue conseiller.ère en orientation peut faire la différence dans la scolarité obligatoire, en appliquant une approche interdisciplinaire basée sur la communauté. Pour illustrer cette approche, une évaluation quasi-expérimentale de plusieurs programmes parascolaires destinés à un échantillon d’Hispano-Américain est présentée. Cette étude offre aux experts du domaine un exemple réaliste sur la manière d’induire du changement au travers du développement de partenariats significatifs dans la communauté.

Zusammenfassung. Wie Berufsberater in der Schule einschlagend handeln können

Im Allgemeinen sind Berufsberater und – beraterinnen nicht in angewandten Forschungsstudien involviert, die aufzeigen, wie berufsberaterische Interventionen Ausbildungsprobleme entscheidend verbessern können. Dieser Artikel beschreibt, wie Berufsberatung während der obligatorischen Schulzeit wirkungsvoll eingesetzt werden kann, indem sie sich auf einen interdisziplinären und gemeinschaftsorientierten Ansatz abstützt. Dieser Ansatz wird mit einer quasi-experimentellen Auswertung von mehreren ausserschulischen Aktivitäten veranschaulicht, welche einer Kohorte von Hispanoamerikanern angeboten wurden. Diese Studie ist ein realistisches Beispiel dafür, wie Forscher in der Praxis Veränderungen herbeiführen können, indem sie sinnvolle Partnerschaften innerhalb einer Gemeinde entwickeln.

Resumen. Cómo los psicólogos profesionales pueden marcar diferencias en el marco de la educación K–12

En general, los psicólogos profesionales no se han dedicado a la investigación aplicada que demuestra cómo las intervenciones de orientación para la carrera pueden mejorar los problemas educativos que son importantes para tomar decisiones. En este artículo se describe cómo la psicología profesional puede hacer una diferencia en la educación K–12 al adoptar un enfoque basado en la comunidad interdisciplinar. Para ilustrar este enfoque, se presenta una evaluación cuasi-experimental de múltiples programas después de clases proporcionadas a una muestra de los hispanos estadounidenses. Este estudio ofrece un ejemplo real de cómo los investigadores en el campo pueden inducir el cambio a través del desarrollo de asociaciones significativas dentro de la comunidad.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.School of EducationUniversity of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas CityUSA
  2. 2.Magnolia Consulting, LLCCharlottesvilleUSA

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