research report regarding career guidance

EDUCATION AND CAREER GUIDANCE LETS HELP THE STUDENTS CHOOSE A RIGHT CAREER! Reference No: 13-PR-04-DJ-RO,TR

A project co-financed by the European Commission Lifelong Learning Programme - Comenius Regio Partnerships

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RESEARCH REPORT REGARDING THE VOCATIONAL COUNSELING AND CAREER

GUIDANCE SERVICES OFFERED TO STUDENTS WITHIN THE EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND FROM DOLJ COUNTRY

conducted in the Comenius Regio Partership

Education and Career Guidance - Let's help the students choose a right career!

PROJECT PARTNERS:



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NAME OF PROGRAMME:

Lifelong Learning Programme - Comenius Regio Partnerships

NAME OF PROJECT: EDUCATION AND CAREER GUIDANCE LETS HELP THE STUDENTS CHOOSE A

RIGHT CAREER! Nr. ref: 13-PR-04-DJ-RO,TR

Authors Experts for study research:

Alina Marinela STNCULESCU Mirela Florentina ISUF

Serkan ATK Hamide YAAR KAVAS

Ahat BALAK Nejat ZDEMR

Coordinators:

Project manager: prof. tefan VASILE Asistant manager: prof. Elena Diana BRTUCU

Guideline expert: Elisabeta Ciocan Project manager: Kamil ELEBYILMAZ Asistant manager: Selim Burak KUHU

Published: April 2014

Publisher:

Casa Corpului Didactic Dolj

Mersin National Education Directorate

Contact: Contact: Str. Ion Maiorescu, Nr. 6,

Craiova, Dolj www.studentscareer.ro

www.facebook.com/studentscareer [email protected]

Dumlupnar Mah. Adnan Menderes Bulvar Yeniehir/ Mersin

www.studentscareer.ro www.facebook.com/studentscareer

[email protected]

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

This publication reflects the view of the author. The European Comission and its agencies cannot be responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein



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CONTENTS

1.CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................... 4

2.STAGES OF THE RESEARCH STUDY ....................................................................................... 5

2.1. Establishing the research problem ........................................................................................ 5

2.2. Stating the aim, the objectives and the research hypotheses ............................................... 5

2.3. Sampling .............................................................................................................................. 6

2.3.1. Students sample ............................................................................................................ 8

2.3.2. Education institutions representatives Sample ............................................................... 9

2.3.3. Parents Sample ........................................................................................................... 10

2.3.4.Teachers Sample .......................................................................................................... 10

2.3.5.Local community representatives Sample ..................................................................... 10

2.4.Establishing the research methods and techniques ............................................................. 10

2.4.1.The sociological questionnaire survey ........................................................................... 10

2.4.2.The focus-group ............................................................................................................ 11

2.5.Projecting and shaping the necessary instruments .............................................................. 11

2.6.Collecting the information .................................................................................................... 12

2.7.The results analysis ............................................................................................................. 13

2.7.5. Report on the results of the survey based on a questionnaire - Students ..................... 13

2.8.Drawing the conclusions and writing the research report ..................................................... 21

3.CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 22

4. RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................. 25

BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................... 27

APPENDIX 1. INTERVIEW GUIDLINES FOR FOCUS GROUPS ................................................ 28

Interview guideline for school managers .................................................................................... 28

Interview guideline for parents ................................................................................................... 28

Interview guideline for teachers ................................................................................................. 28

Inteview guideline for the local community representatives ....................................................... 28

APPENDIX 2. STUDENTS QUESTIONNAIRE ............................................................................. 29



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1.CONTEXT

The present research study is developing within the Comenius Regio partnership project Education and Career Guidance - Let's help students choose the right career! (Consilierea i educarea carierei S-i ajutm pe elevi s i aleag o carier potrivit!/ Eitim ve Kariyer Planlama rencilerin Doru Kariyer Seimine Yardmc Olalm!), reference no. 13-PR-04-DJ-RO,TR, cofinanced by The European Commision through the Lifelong Learning Programme, and taking place during the period August 1st 2013- July 31st 2015 in the Dolj County - Romania and the Mersin Province - Turkey under the government of the CCD Dolj ( Dolj County Teachers Department) - the partnership coordinator and the National Education Department of the Mersin Province - the regional coordinator, together with their national partners, namely ''Traian Vuia'' Highschool in Craiova, ''Traian'' Secondary School in Craiova, EduFor Craiova Association and The Vocational and Technical Highschool Mezitli, The Informatics Highschool in Mersin and The Education Burreau in the Bozyazi Region, respectively.

The main category of the target - group is represented by the teachers, but, at the same time, school managers, parents, students, local communities representatives will be involved.

The General Objective of the project is the improvement of education and career guidance services for students (students' ECG) in schools, in order to facilitate students' transition to higher levels of education or labour market.

Specific objectives: O1. Identifying the importance, relevance and quality of counselling and career guidance

services for students in schools, as well as the needs. Results: survey through questionnaires, 4 focus group surveys for: parents, teachers, local

community representatives, representatives of educational institutions of different levels (secondary school, college, university), electronic research study.

O2. Developing teachers skills for students ECG in Dolj County - Romania and Mersin

Turkey. Results: teachers` job shadowing activities in the partner regions: comparing the education

systems of the two partner regions, in terms of counselling and career guidance; content analysis of school programs and identifying opportunities offered by each discipline/ area for students career education; reports on shadowing period; elaboration of a guide for students ECG and support materials; elaboration of a blended learning training program for teachers, conducting the blended learning training program with a number of teachers from different subject areas and assess its impact on the target-group; accreditation of the training course.

O3. Reducing the distance between the school and the labou world, opening the schools

towards the community and identifying its opportunities for students career development, preparing them for future "transitions" in their career.

Results: - Focused interview with parents, business representatives/ local authorities (county

council, city council, work employment agency)/ associative structures in the community (volunteer centers, parents associations, village sons` associations, former school students` associations etc.), with the purpose of fostering the school-community partnership, establishing the modalities through which students could involve themselves in the private life, identifying the opportunities of getting them involved into the students career education, finding relevant examples in this respect, proposing real activities, involving the youngsters into the local decisions, facilitating students access to the information regarding the offer and evolution of the local/ regional labour market.

- Focused interview with the representatives of the higher levels education institutions (i.e. secondary schools, highschools, universities) in order to identify these ones` needs, requirements and offers and, thus, establishing in a set of activities for facilitating an experiential exchange and connecting students to a higher level of education they intend to follow.



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- Participation of the local community representatives` in the three conferences of the project.

O4. Increasing students' access to information for successful careers guidance. Results: a regularly and periodically updated website with useful information and materials

for both teachers and students, for an efficient students ECG activity; a discussion forum with sections dedicated to teachers and students and subsections for students' ECG and European projects/ programs; a promotional flyer to promote the project and website among students and teachers from each of the two partner regions; a e-newsletter every six months with the status of project, results and latest news.

This research is an evaluation research, whose aim is to make a real appreciation

regarding the importance, relevance and quality of the couselling and career guidance offered to students within the educational background, as well as the needs of all the stakeholders involved both directly and indirectly in this activity (students, teachers, principals, counsellors, parents, local community representatives) from the two partner regions.

2.STAGES OF THE RESEARCH STUDY

2.1. Establishing the research problem

The vocational counseling and career guidance services offered to students within the educational background.

2.2. Stating the aim, the objectives and the research hypotheses

Aim: appreciation of the current state regarding the importance, relevance and quality of the counseling and career guidance offered to students from the educational background, as well as the needs of all the stakeholders involved both directly and indirectly in this activity (students, teachers, principals, counsellors, parents, local community representatives) from the two partner regions, the Dolj County- Romania and the Mersin Province Turkey.

Objectives: by completing this study we intend: to identify students` perception and needs concerning the vocational counselling and career

guidance activity; to identify parents` perception and needs concerning students` vocational counselling and

career guidance activity; to identify both the school counsellors and teachers` perception and needs concerning the

students` vocational counselling and career guidance activity; to identify the principals/ education instututions representatives` perception and needs

concerning the students` vocational counselling and career guidance activity; to identify local community representatives` perception and needs (i.e. public authorities,

the private sector, the citizenry) concerning the students` vocational counseling and career guidance activity;

Research hypotheses:

The vocational counseling and career guidance services are considered important by most educational stakeholders/ factors; The concern about students` vocational counseling and career guidance becomes a priority aspect both to students, their parents and teachers, only during the finishing school years (i.e the

8th and 12th grades).



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2.3. Sampling Sociology usually resorts to selective researches, based on representatives samples. If the

representation is assured, then the conclusions drawn by studying the sample cand be extended to the whole population.

The sample is part of a whole, reproducing a scaled-down version of the studied society, more exactly, assuring a certain representation in relation to the variables considered relevant to the studied issue (gender, age, school studies, occupation, social background, nationality etc.).

A variable characterizing a certain population is a parameter. The same variable, measured to the sample level, is called estimation.

The estimation limitsare represented by a confidence interval, in which the value of the parameter is written in relation to the estimation.

By the margin of error we understand the equivalent deviate. The margin of error of +/-3% is considered acceptable. In order to have such a good measuring accuracy, the sample must include about 1,100 people, whose selection should be done by the principle of the equality of chances. For a 400 people sample, the margin of error is of aproximately +/- 5%.

Within the present study, the sample for the questionnaire survey included 400 students coming from Romania and 414 students coming from Turkey, belonging to the mass education.

The sampling itself assumes doing some different methodological operations, but tightly connected between them:

1. The spacial division of the research The research was carried in the Dolj County - Romania, as well as in the Mersin region -

Turkey. 2. Establishing the general colectivity We will take into consideration all the groups of the persons implied directly or indirectly in

the activity which makes the objective of our research- students` vocational counseling and career guidance:

Students - for the questionnaire survey Teachers, principals, school counsellors, parents, local community representatives - for

the target-groups. 3. The division or the grouping of the population/ school units in relation to the social

characteristics considered important for the studied issue (gender, age, occupation etc). The socio - demographic characteristics relevant within this context are: gender (masculine, feminine);

shool grade (3rd 12th); education level (primary, secondary, highschool); social background ( big urban- Craiova, small urban- other town in the Dolj County;

rural). The geographical location of theschool unit (central area/ peripherical area) 4. Selection of the samples on which the research is supposed to be done. Mainly, there are two sampling modalities: aleatory (presumable) sampling and quota

sampling. Concerning the aleatory (presumable) sampling there are three procedures: a) Frequent selection- a lottery procedure by reintroducing the extracted unit into the urn b) One-frequency selection- a lottery procedure without reintroducing the extracted unit into

the urn c) The mechanicselection - a list with all the people in a general collectivity is done, then a

statistical interval is considered, calculated by the following operation: k=N/n (N- the genaral colectivity, n- the sampling). E.g.: if N=1,000, and n=100, then k, i.e. the statistical interval/ measuring step is 10. A satrting number is extracted through the lottery procedure, which is smaller



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or equal to the measuring step/ statistical interval. If the extracted number is 4, then the sampling will contain the following numbers: 4, 14, 24, 34, ...

The quota sampling assumes establishing the sampling criteria and including the persons or social units in proportion to the survey universe structure within the sample, following the mentioned sampling criteria.

In the case of the questionnaire survey, the quota sampling will be used in order to select

the education units, and the aleatory sampling when selecting the students.

Education units sample: ROMANIA No crt

Name of the education unit

Social background Geographical location Number of classes and questionnaires

Urban big*

Urban small*

Rural central peripherical Cls. No

Level Quest.No

1. coala Gimnazial Filiai (structura Blta)

x x 6 3,4,5,6,7,8 30

2. Liceul Tehnologic de Transporturi Auto Craiova

x x 10 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 50

3. Liceul Traian Vuia Craiova

x x 5 8,9,10,11,12 50

4. coala Gimnazial Traian Craiova

x x 6 3,4,5,6,7,8 50

5. coala Gimnazial Segarcea

x x 6 3,4,5,6,7,8 40

6. Liceul Tehnologic "Constantin Ianculescu" Crcea

x x 10 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 30

7. Colegiul Naional Elena Cuza Craiova

x x 10 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 50

8. Colegiul Tehnic de Arte i Meserii C-tin Brncui Craiova

x x 4 9, 10, 11, 12 40

9. coala Gimnazial Coofenii din Fa

x x 6 3,4,5,6,7,8 30

10. coala Gimnazial Sf. Dumitru Craiova

x x 6 3,4,5,6,7,8 30

Education units sample: TURKEY

No crt

Name of the education unit

Social background Geographical location Number of classes and questionnaires

Urban big

Urban small

Rural central peripherical Cls. No

Level Quest.No

1 24 Kasm lkokulu x x 2 3,4 30 2 avulu lkokulu x x 2 3,4 32 3 Deirmenay lkokulu x x 2 3,4 21 4 Pirireis Ortaokulu x x 4 5,6,7,8 40

5 Alsancak Lions Ortaokulu

x x 4 5,6,7,8 42

6 Tarsus Dedeler Ortaokulu

x x 4 5,6,7,8 42

7 Dr. Kamil Tarhan Ortaokulu

x x 4 5,6,7,8 41

8 Yahya Akel Fen Lisesi x x 4 9,10,11,12 52

9 Nihal Erdem Ticaret Meslek Lisesi

x x 4 9,10,11,12 61

10 Gzne Lisesi x x 4 9,10,11,12 53



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*in the present study, we take into account Craiova as a big urban local community, and the other towns in the Dolj County are considered small urban local communities.

2.3.1. Students sample

400/ 414 students selected from the above mentioned school units (400 students from Dolj County - Romania and 414 students from Mersin Province - Turkey).

The number of the questionned students is different from one school unit to another, in relation to the whole number of the students that the school unit has, and the education level too.

Sampling procedure at the level of a school unit: the number of the questionnaires assigned to a school is divided to the number of the classes that the school unit counts on (grades

3rd 12th are taken into account); the result is aproximated and, thus, a sample per class will be obtained. The students selection in a class will be done by following a statistical interval/ measuring step of 7, starting with student no.3 in the students` register.

E.g.: a school unit can be assigned 30 questionnaires and it has got 15 classes. By dividing 30 questionnaires to 15 classes, the result is of 2 questionned students per class. In each class student no. 3 and no. 10 will be selected from the students register.

ROMANIA TURCIA

Distribution of students: Distribution of students: Distribution of students according to the gender variable Gen:

Masculine 44% Masculine 52%

Feminine 57% Feminine 48%

Distribution of students according to the class variable

Class: Percentage

III 10%

IV 10%

V 10%

VI 10%

VII 11%

VIII 13%

IX 10%

X 9%

XI 10%

XII 9%

Grade Number of students

Percentage

3 41 10%

4 42 10%

5 40 10%

6 43 10%

7 41 10%

8 41 10%

9 41 10%

10 40 10%

11 42 10%

12 43 10%



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Distribution of students according to the school origin variable:

urban - 83% urban - 51%

rural -17 % rural - 49 %

Distribution of students according to the student origin variable:

urban - 71% urban - 41%

rural - 29% rural - 59 %

2.3.2. Education institutions representatives Sample

5-8 education institution representatives selected in relation to the following criteria:

they must belong to 5- 8 different education institutions;

they must not take part in this project if the school managers have one of the following relationships: husband- wife/ relatives/ friends;

they must come from schools located in different areas (ideally: they should come from as many various areas as possible such as: cities, towns, villages or small villages; and, if this is not possible, they should come from both central and neighbouring/ peripherical zones of the same city);

if possible, there should be included 1-2 school managers within whose schools there is a Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet;



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there must also be at least 2 universitarian representatives;

they must have different experiences as managers, i.e. beginners and experienced;

they must come from schools having a different level of educational performance.

2.3.3. Parents Sample

5-8 parents selected in relation to the following criteria:

their children must come from 5-8 different schools;

they must not take part in the project if they have one of the following relationships: husband- wife/ relatives/ friends;

their children must be students coming from schools located in different areas (ideally: they should come from as many various areas as possible such as: cities, towns, villages or small villages; and, if this is not possible, they should come from both central and neighbouring zones of the same city);

their children must come from schools having a different level of educational performance.

2.3.4.Teachers Sample

5-8 teachers selected in relation to the following criteria:

they must come from 5-8 different schools;

they must not take part in the project if they have one of the following relationships: husband- wife/ relatives/ friends;

they must come from schools located in different areas (ideally: they should come from as many various areas as possible such as: cities, towns, villages or small villages; and, if this is not possible, they should come from both central and neighbouring zones of the same city);

they must teach in schools having a different level of educational performance.

2.3.5.Local community representatives Sample

they must be representatives of different institutions; they must not take part in the project if they have one of the following relationships:

husband- wife/relatives/friends; they must represent the public sector/ private sector for profit/ non-profit.

2.4.Establishing the research methods and techniques

2.4.1.The sociological questionnaire survey

This is one of the most complex methods of sociological research. It represents a research

method of the social reality, based on techniques of data production, obtained through the questiones asked by the researchers and the answers given by the subjects.

Mainly, there are two techniques used within the sociological survey: the interview and the questionnaire.

The sociological questionnaire, regarded as a research technique (i.e. questioning people in print) and a research instrument ( the sheet of paper on which the questions are written), is the most common modality used in the sociological researches.

The sociological questionnaire represents a set of questions, probably images too, ordered logically and psychologically, which determines answers immediately registered in print, in order to solve a scientific problem. It doesn`t represent a simple list of quetsions, but it has a logical order( all questions succeed themselves from the most general to the particular ones), as well as a



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psychological order ( beginning with the ''ice-breaking'' questions, meant to make the subjects answer the important questions about the topic research).

Questions of a questionnaire cand refer to four types of information: State-of-facts, i.e. the personal situation of the questionned individuals (age, sex, profession,

income), their background (living place, working conditions) or objective behaviours (leisure activities, relationships with neighbours/ relatives, their vote option at the last ellections, etc).

Opinions, namely judjements and appreciations that the individuals make in relation to their interests and problems. Their motivations, intentions and expectations fall into this category.

Attitudes (permanent mental structures that sustain one`s opinions). They are measured by an attitudes scale, with numerical values or qualitative intervals.

Knowlegde, i.e. the degree of knowing the problems or situations the questionned person interferes with.

2.4.2.The focus-group

This is a technique applied especially in the practical qualitative sociological research,

particularly developped after the WWII, in order to evaluate the audience`s answer regarding the radio programmes. It is defined as an interactive group of individuals, who have some common interests and characteristics, a group gathered by the moderator and used by its interactions in order to obtain the necessary information about a certain problem. It can also be considered as a variant of the structured of half-structured group interview. In this case, the target-group is associated to the observation, and in relation to the survey, it is logically and temporaly used within the pre-survey, co-survey and post-survey.

2.5.Projecting and shaping the necessary instruments Projecting and shaping the necessary instruments was conduct in November 2013. a students questionnaire; a target group- teachers/ school counsellors guideline; a target group- parents guideline; a target group- local community representatives guideline ( public authorities, private

background, the citizenry); a target group- representatives of different level education institutions guideline (secondary

schools, highschools, universities). The questionnaire has got 10 questions reflecting the following dimensions:

importance of the vocational counseling and career guidance services offered to students in schools, in order to succeed in life;

participation in counseling and career guidance activities; relationship between the vocational counseling and career guidance activity and the school

objects taught in schools; suitable persons who should carry the vocational couseling and career guidane activity in

school; impact of the vocational counseling and career guidance activities; students` needs to counseling and career guidance activities in schools.

The guideline destinned to the school managers as well as the university representatives has got 5 questions reflecting the following dimensions:


suitable persons who should carry the vocational couseling and career guidane activity in



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school; relationship between the vocational counseling and career guidance activity and the school

objects taught in schools; types of activities which could facilitate students connection to a higher level of education; students` needs to counseling and career guidance activities in schools.

The parents guideline comprises 5 questions reflecting the following dimensions: importance of the vocational counseling and career guidance services offered to students in

schools, in order to succeed in life; relationship between the vocational counseling and career guidance activity and the school

objects taught in schools; suitable persons who should carry the vocational couseling and career guidane activity in

school; suggestions regarding the well-functioning of the vocational counseling and career

guidance services within schools; needs in relations to students` counseling and career guidance activities in schools.

The teachers and school counsellors guideline contains 5 questions reffering to the following aspects:


relationship between the vocational counseling and career guidance activity and the school objects taught in schools;

suitable persons who should carry the vocational couseling and career guidane activity in school;

needs for enriching the students vocational couseling and career guidane activity in school. The local community representatives guideline has got 6 questions reffering to the following aspects:


the employers contribution to the enrichment of the vocational couseling and career guidane activity in school;

modalities of involvement/ familiarization of the students in relation to the working field; facilitating the students access to real information regarding the local/regional market offer

and evolution; yougsters involvement in the local decisions; experience of the institution that you represent in the vocational counseling and career

guidance services offered to students.

2.6.Collecting the information Collecting the information done during the period December 2013- January 2014

It is recommended that before starting the research itself, a pilot survey should be carried, where the validity of the used research instruments is tested. This because the social life is permanently changing, and the instrument with which we collect the information is destined every time to distinct populations, having their own problems, interests, opinions, motivations, expectations etc, and capacity of understanding the meaning of the questions in the questionnaires, interviews or tests. In the case of the questionnaire suvey, collecting the information is done by giving students quetsionnaires (distribution, instruction, filling-in). In the case of the target-group method, collecting the information will be done by:



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organising and taking-place target-group with teachers and school counsellors; writing a report on target-group with teachers and school counsellors; organising and taking-place target-group with parents; writing a report on target-group with teachers and school counsellors;

organising and taking-place target-group with local community representatives (public

authorities, private background, the citizenry); writing a report on target-group with local community representatives; organising and taking-place target-group with representatives from different levels

education institutions (secondary schools, highschools, universities); writing a report on target-group with representatives from different levels education

institutions.

2.7.The results analysis

2.7.5. Report on the results of the survey based on a questionnaire - Students

ROMANIA TURCIA

1. In general, do you consider that activities on vocational counseling and profesional guidance should be held in schools?

a. Yes 96% b. No 2% c. Don`t know/ No answer - 2%

a. Yes 68% b. No 17% c. Don`t know/ No answer - 15%

Most students who participated in the survey, 96%, believe that it is necessary to carry out counseling and career guidance in schools. 2% of students felt that these activities are not required, and 2% of students did not answer this question.

Most students who participated in the survey, 68%, believe that it is necessary to carry out counseling and career guidance in schools.

17% of students felt that these activities are not required, and 2% of students did not answer this question.

2. Which of the following sentences best describes your point of view on vocational counseling and profesionnal guidance activities within schools?

a. Vocational counseling is necessary only for

the 8th and 12th grades 14% b. Vocational counseling is necessary during

a Vocational counseling is necessary only for

the 8th and 12th grades 27% b. Vocational counseling is necessary during



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all the school years. 85% c. Vocational counseling is not necessary 1%

all the school years. 60% c. Vocational counseling is not necessary 13%

Most students who participated in the survey, that is 85% believe that the counseling and guidance activities should be conducted during all school years. Only 14% think that such activities are appropriate only in the final years, and 1% think that career counseling is not necessary.

Most students who participated in the

survey that is 27% believe that the counseling and guidance activities should be conducted during all school years. Only 60% think that such activities are appropriate only in the final years, and 13% think that career counseling is not necessary.

3. To which extent do you consider that vocational counseling and profesionnal guidance activities, offered to students within schools, are important?

a. To a very small extent 1% b. To a small extent 1% c. To a certain extent 26% d. To a large extent 36% e. To a very large extent 35% f. Don`t know/ No answer 2%

a. To a very small extent 49 12%

b. To a small extent 62 15%

c. To a certain extent 76 18%

d. To a large extent 95 23%

e. To a very large extent 113 27%

f. Don`t know/ No answer 19 5%

Regarding the importance of the

counseling and guidance activities provided in school for the purpose of a successful career and life, 36% of students considered that they are highly important, 35% felt that they are important to a great extent, 26% to some extent. And there is also a 1% who believes that these activities are important to a small extent, and also to a very small extent.

Regarding the importance of the

counseling and guidance activities provided in school for the purpose of a successful career and life, 27% of students considered that they are highly important, 23% felt that they are important to a great extent, 18% to some extent. And there is also a 12% who believes that these activities are important to a small extent, and also to a very small extent.



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4. In your vision, what connetion is there between vocational counseling and

profesionnal career education activity and all the school objects taught in schools?

a. There is no connection between them 8% b. School objects are more important, vocational counseling is just a support to them 56% c. Vocational counseling is more important, school objects supporting the latter 37%

a. There is no connection between them 19% b. School objects are more important, vocational counseling is just a support to them 53% c. Vocational counseling is more important, school objects supporting the latter 28 %

Regarding the relationship between the counseling and career education and school subjects, more than half of the students that is 56% answered that school subjects are important, the career counseling supports them, while 37% of students said that, on the contrary, counseling is more important and the school subjects support it. To note that a school population segment of 8% believe that there is not any connection between the two activities.

Regarding the relationship between the counseling and career education and school subjects, more than half of the students that are 53% answered that school subjects are important, the career counseling supports them, while 28% of students said that, on the contrary, counseling is more important and the school subjects support it. To note that a school population segment of 19% believe that there is not any connection between the two activities.

5. Who do you think should offer the vocational counseling and profesional guidance activity within a school?

a. Only the primary teacher/ form-teacher 12% b. Only the school counsellor (school psychologist) 34% c. Only the teachers who teach different school objects 5% d. All categories of teachers above mentionned 49% e. None of the above mentionned categories 1%

a. Only the primary teacher/ form-teacher

36 9%

b. Only the school counsellor (school psychologist)

93 22%

c. Only the teachers who teach different school objects

73 18%

d. All categories of 175 42%



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teachers above mentionned

e. None of the above mentionned categories

37 9%

Almost half of the students surveyed, that is 49%, believes that every teacher is able to conduct counseling and guidance activities. In second place with a share of 34%, lies the view that only the school counselor teacher may perform such activities, and 12% of the students reserve this responsibility for the form teacher. Only 5% of students attribute this responsability to different school subject teachers and 1% of the students consider that teachers do not have the task of carrying out vocational training and guidance activities in schools.

42%, of the students believe that every teacher is able to conduct counseling and guidance activities. In second place with a share of 22%, lies the view that only the school counselor teacher may perform such activities, and 9% of the students reserve this responsibility for the form teacher. Only 18% of students attribute this responsability to different school subject teachers and 9% of the students consider that teachers do not have the task of carrying out vocational training and guidance activities in schools.

6. In which of the following situations do you consider you need vocational counseling and professional guidance? Put them in order of your importance.

- To get to know myself better (tests of interest, tests of skills, tests of personality)

- To get to know myself better (tests of interest, tests of skills, tests of personality)

Most important - 55%, Important - 17%, Less important -12%, The less important - 17%

Most important 166 - 40%, Important 106 - 26%, Less important 69 - 17%, The least important 73 - 18%

The need for self-awareness is considered to be the most important by 55% of students, important by 17%; it is also considered to be less important by an equal percent, 17%, and the least important, 12%.

The need for self-awareness is

considered to be the most important by 40% of students, important by 26%; it is also considered to be less important by an equal percent, 17%, and the least important, 18%.



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- Information about highschools, faculties, professions

- Information about highschools, faculties, professions

Most important - 14%, Important - 31%, Less important -37%, The less important - 19%

Most important 135 - 33%, Important 131 - 32%, Less important 60 - 14%, The less important 88 - 21%

The need of information on the school

offer and the labour market is considered less important by 37% of the students, important by 31%, the least important by 19% and most important by 14%.

The need of information on the school

offer and the labour market is considered less important by 33% of the students, important by 32%, the least important by 14% and most important by 21%.

- Support when writing a covering letter, a CV or preparing for an interview

- Support when writing a covering letter, a CV or preparing for an interview

Most important - 6%, Important - 12%, Less important - 32%, The less important - 50%

Most important 136 33%, Important 133 32%, Less important 86 21%, The least important 59 14%

The need to develop personal

promotion skills is seen by half of the students surveyed as being the least important, least important by 32% of them, important by 12% and most important only by 6%.

The need to develop personal

promotion skills is seen by 14% of the students surveyed as being the least important, less important by 21% of them, important by 32% and most important only by 33%.

- Support when making a decision regarding your future highschool/ faculty/

profession

- Support when making a decision regarding your future highschool/ faculty/ profession

Most important - 25%, Important - 41% Less important -20%, The less puin important - 14%

Most important 141- 34%, Important 110 - 27% Less important 58 - 14%, The least important 105 - 25%



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The need of assistance in making the

choice on the school / college / profession is rated as important by 41% of the students, the most important by 25%, a little important by 20% less important and least important by 14%.

The need of assistance in making the

choice on the school / college / profession is rated as important by 27% of the students, the most important by 34%, a less important by 14% less important and least important by 25%.

So, in terms of the expressed needs of the students on counseling and guidance, it appears that the most important is the need for self-knowledge, appreciated by 55% of students, followed by the need of support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (25%), the need of information about the school offers the labour market (14%) and the development of skills for personal promotion-6%.

The ranking of guidance and

counseling needs considered important: the need to have support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (41%), the need for information on school offers and the labour market (31%), the need for self-knowledge (17%) and the need to develop the skills for personal promotion (12%).


counseling needs considered less important: the need for information on school offers the labor market (37%), the need to develop personal promotion skills (32%), the need to have support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (20%) and the need for self-knowledge (12%).


counseling needs considered the least important: the need to develop personal promotion skills (50%), the need for information on school offers and the labor market (19%), the need for self-knowledge

So, in terms of the expressed needs of the students on counseling and guidance, it appears that the most important is the need for self-knowledge, appreciated by 40% of students, followed by the need of support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (34%), the need of information about the school offers the labour market (33%) and the development of skills for personal promotion-33%.


counseling needs considered important: the need for information on school offers and the labour market (32%), the need to develop the skills for personal promotion (32%), the need to have support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (27%) and the need for self-knowledge and (26%).


counseling needs considered less important: the need to develop personal promotion skills (21%), the need for self-knowledge (17%), the need to have support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (14%) and the need for information on school offers the labor market (14%).


counseling needs considered the least important: the need to have support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (25%), the need for information on school offers and the labor market (21%), the need for self-knowledge (18%) and the need to develop personal



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(17%) and the need to have support in making a decision concerning the choice of school / college / profession (14%).

In conclusion, the studentsunderstand

that the need for self-knowledge is the most important, followed by the need to have support on career decision making, and the need for information on school offers the labor market and the need to develop the skills for personal promotion.

promotion skills (14%). In conclusion, the students understand

that the need for self-knowledge is the most important followed by the need to have support on career decision making, and the need for information on school offers the labor market and the need to develop the skills for personal promotion.

7. What kind of vocational counseling and professional guidance activities were offered in your school?

a. Debates on professions during the formroom classes or other school objects- 57% b. Meetings with experts from different domains of activity 8% c. Testing professional skills and interests in Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school practice tests 2% d. Support to making a decision concerning your future highschool/ faculty- 7% e. Study/ Vocational counseling visits to differrent highschools/ faculties/ companies 1% f. Counseling meetings within the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school 3% g. Voluntary activities 5% h. Training practice internships within a company or institution 2% i. Other activities (which ones?) 1%

a. Debates on professions during the formroom classes or other school objects- 130 - 11% b. Meetings with experts from different domains of activity 187 16% c. Testing professional skills and interests in Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school practice tests 210 18% d. Support to making a decision concerning your future highschool/ faculty167 - 14% e. Study/ Vocational counseling visits to differrent highschools/ faculties/ companies 105 9% f. Counseling meetings within the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school 154 13% g. Voluntary activities 151 13% h. Training practice internships within a company or institution 50 4% i. Other activities (which ones?) 15 1%

We note that most educational and

vocational guidance activities consist in fact in discussions about professions during counseling classes and other disciplines - 57 % . This percentage goes down significantly to 8% for meetings with experts from different fields, followed by a support in decision making regarding the high school/ faculty choice -7% .

We note that most educational and vocational guidance activities consist in the testing professional skills and interests in Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school practice tests 18%. This percentage goes down to 16% for meetings with experts from different domains of activity followed by a support in decision making regarding the high school/ faculty



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A 5% is allocated to voluntary activities , 3% for counseling sessions at CSAP , 2% for psychological testing to CSAP , 2% for practical training sessions at a company or institution , and only 1 % for study visits / guidance to schools / colleges / companies. Note that most of the guidance and counseling activities are conducted in schools , in the classroom and the real contact of students with the labor market is very low. Relating to students' responses to the previous question , there is a major gap between the expressed needs of pupils on educational and vocational orientation and the range of activities offered by the school.

choice - 14% . A 13% is allocated to voluntary activities and Counseling meetings within the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school, 11% for debates on professions during the formroom classes or other school objects, 9% for Study/ Vocational counseling visits to differrent highschools/ faculties/ companies, 4% for training practice internships within a company or institution and only 1 % for other activities.

8. Have you participated in vocational counseling and profesional guidance activities in your school?

a. Yes - 83% b. No - 17%

a. Yes 285 - 69% b. No 129 - 31%

Most students surveyed said they had

participated in counseling and guidance activities during schooling; 17% gave a negative answer to this question.

Most students surveyed said they had

participated in counseling and guidance activities during schooling; 31% gave a negative answer to this question.

9. In both personal and professional terms, can you specify what kind of impact have the vocational counseling activities had upon you?

a. A positive impact - 92% b. A negative impact - 3%

c. NS/NR - 5%

a. A positive impact 268 - 65% a. A negative impact 85 - 20% b. NS/NR 61- 15%


activities of educational vocational guidance and counseling that is 92% felt a positive impact; only 3% said they had a negative impact on them, and 5% did not answer this


activities of educational vocational guidance and counseling that is 65% felt a positive impact; 20% said they had a negative impact on them, and 15% did not answer this



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question. question.

10. Who offererd the vocational counseling and profesional guidance activities you took part in?

a. Only the form-teacher/ other teachers of the class 39% b. Only the school counsellor (school psychologist) from the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school 20% c. Both categories of teachers mentionned above 35% d. None of the categories of teachers above mentionned - 6%

a. Only the form-teacher/ other teachers of the class 69 16% b. Only the school counsellor (school psychologist) from the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school 164 40% c. Both categories of teachers mentionned above 143 35% d. None of the categories of teachers above mentionned 38 - 9%

39% of students said that counseling

and guidance activities they had attended were organized by their form teacher / classroom teachers, 35% through collaboration between form teachers and counselors, and 20% of the teachers counselors. To note that students came from both schools where there was a CSAP, but also from schools where there wasn not a CSAP.

40% of students said that counseling and guidance activities they had attended were organized by their form teacher / classroom teachers, 16% through collaboration between form teachers and counselors, and 35% of the teachers- counselors.

2.8.Drawing the conclusions and writing the research report Drawing the conclusions and writing the research report was conducted during February-

March 2014. Upon completion of this study we confirmed the hypothesis that guidance and counseling services are seen as important by most educational factors. Regarding the assumption that the concern for school and professional orientation of students is a priority only during the final grades for both students, parents and teachers, it appears that the majority of students stated that counseling and guidance activities are required throughout the school years, but the focus group analysis, it appears that they are carried out sporadically, possibly some more in the final years of high scool.



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3.CONCLUSION The importance of vocational counseling and professional guidance activities for a

successful life Counseling and guidance activities are regarded as very important by all participants in the

survey, students, parents, teachers, representatives of educational institutions and the local community. Equally important are the services for the reorientation of high school students in career and parents guidance about their children's educational choices. The importance of these activities has meaning for students, their parents, and in the long term, for the entire social community; thus it was expressed the idea that it is necessary to counsel decision-makers in the socio-educational field since the effectiveness of the professional guidance is conditioned by the socio-economic context.

Specialists who should conduct the vocational counseling and professional

guidance activities in schools The vocational counseling and guidance should be conducted by competent specialists

with a solid pedagogical training, as they can conduct various activities including the testing of students skills, interests and personality (the psychological profile). The specialists must constantly work with teachers and the students families. Teachers may also carry out this activity if we consider desirable skills. Teachers can discover their pupils abilities regarding the subject they teach and can guide them or, where appropriate, refocus students for a different career. It was produced an ideea referring to the fact that it should no longer be put pressure on the form teacher, who shpould only be a coolaborator of the trained professionals. The students perception on this issue is that there should be a close collaboration between all teachers involved in the educational process

The connection between the vocational counseling and professional guidance and

school subjects They are related. Teachers must identify the students skills, knowledge, availability to be

capitalized. Each school subject has its own role in forming certain specific capabilities and skills. Teachers should have a close communication with the professionals. The opinions of the surveyed students are divided as follows: some believe that school subjects are important and career counseling support them, while others consider that, on the contrary, counseling is important andschool subjects support it.

Necesitatea funcionrii Cabinetelor colare de Asisten Psihopedagogic The need to have functional School Offices for Pedagogical Assistance

All the representatives of the educational institutions consider it appropriate to have functional School Offices for Pedagogical Assistance in each school unit as they provide specialized services that can not be filled by the teachers who carriy on teaching activities.

Activities which would connect students to a higher level of education:

- visits organized in high schools/universities so that the students could get aquainted to the profiles and specializations of the high school / college; - Flexible partnerships between schools and businesses facilitationg visits to employers, observation of practical activities, activities such as job shadowing, work experience or part-time employment; - Events such "Open Days"; - Presentations conducted by successful professionals in front of children; - Volunteering; - documentary films about various fields of activity for the Ministry of Education to be watched during classes;



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- Educational projects with EU funds; - Digital information, online educational activities in valuing IT specialists; - Focus on non-formal education;

Vocational counseling and professional guidance activities conducted in schools:

-We note that most educational and vocational guidance activities consist in fact in discussions about professions during the counseling classes or other disciplines; - The percentage diminushes significantly if we refer to meetings with experts from different fields, followed by a support in making a decision on choosing the high school / college; - A small percentage is alloted to volunteering, self-knowledge, practical training, internship at a company or institution and study visits / guidance activities at schools / colleges / companies. - to note is that most of the guidance and counseling activities are conducted in schools, in the classroom and the actual contact with the labor market is very low.

The participation to vocational counseling and vocational training activities and their

impact on the students Most students surveyed said they had participated in counseling and guidance activities

during schooling, and this had a positive impact on them. Ways of employers involvement in the students counseling and career guidance:

- Firstly, a basic problem is that the number of employers is incresingly diminishing; - Paid internships; - Mobility for internships in other countries organized in projects with European funding; - Projects and partnerships; - Contracts of employment during schooling. Students have often, unrealistic expectations: although they are poorly trained, they demand high wages; - Part-time jobs for students; - Inviting specialists into the classroom; - Organized visits to different employers; - Providing information about the labor market from Romania and other countries

Modaliti de familiarizare a elevilor cu domeniul muncii: -Using systems of reward - punishment in children's education; - Using a diverse range of rewards, verbal, emotional, financial, material; - Volunteering; - Though non-formal education activities are more attractive, they cannot replace the formal education; it remains most important for educational and vocational guidance to students; - Any occupation requires at least a minimum level of general education;

The facilitation of the students access to information regarding the local /regional labor marketThe involvement of young sters:

-AJFOM-ISJ partnership that would promote job opportunities / statistics about the labor market in the school environment; - sites surfing;

Implicarea tinerilor n deciziile locale The involvement of youngsters in local

decisions: - Educating youth in the spirit of accepting the consequences of their decisions, develop self-confidence, acceptance of social hierarchies, self-determination; - Young people need to learn that the possibility of involvement in community decisions clearly depends on the level of training;



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The needs of school representatives concerning the students vocational counseling and professional guidance: - The presence of a professional counselor; - The training of the teaching staff; - Rethinking the school curricula; - More practical training.

Parents needs concerning the students vocational counseling and professional

guidance: parents lectures on the topic of vocational counseling for their children The needs of the teaching staff and the school counselor for improving the

vocational counseling and profesional guidance services offered to students within schools: -Changing the legal framework so as to allow time for form teachers for administrative issues , more counseling classes, thus avoiding the overloading of teacher responsabilities ; - during university years, future teachers to pay more attention to the psychological and pedagogical studies ; - Funding for career counseling, for non -formal education activities, generally the advertisement for financing activities ; - Partnerships and projects of social organizations regarding the education field, which to financially support students' participation in non-formal education activities ; - Attracting European funds and the existence of more European experts within these projects ; they should not necessarily be teachers because that can lead to the overloading of teachers responsabilities ; - Reducing the number of students in class because school classes overcrowding affects the quality of education and thus the career guidance activities ; - Teachers need counseling, in their turn, this requires more counselors and advisers. - it is needed more negotiation and flexibility in the Romanian education system

The students needs concerning their vocational counseling and professional guidance:

The students understand that the need for self-knowledge is the most important, followed

by the need to support career decision making, and the need for information on school offers, the labor market and the need to develop the personal promotion skills.



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4. RECOMMENDATIONS

ROMANIA TURCIA

The great importance of counseling and vocational guidance is given by the fact that it brings multiple educational and social benefits, that is increases educational motivation, reduces absenteeism and dropout, increases academic performance, the results of the national exams, increases school adjustment and socio-professional integration and improves the citizens' satisfaction with life in general.

Starting from the idea that education is the social system interface, we expect more support from society in general and the following recommendations are required: The support to standardize pedagogical practices in as many schools as possible; - Equipping school guidance offices with CSAP tests ; - Amending the legislative framework on the number of students that a school counselor should work with; - Thematic meetings with students included in their curricula ; - Teachers working with specialists in career guidance activities; - Rethinking school curricula for various subjects so as to enable the prioritization of training / skills development in relation to the assimilation of knowledge and career guidance ; time budget allocation in each subject , material, educational and vocational guidance programmes ; - Rethinking counseling syllabus - excluding topics that can not be addressed by form teachers ; - Provision in educational departments of classes of formal and non-formal education respectively optional programs conducted with groups of 10 students. These options could be real opportunities for students to choose subjects / areas they want to study ; - Organizing lectures with parents about career counseling for their own children; - Early onset of counseling and career guidance activities , since the first years of school and its intensification iat the secondary level . The systematic pursuit of these activities is necessary . - The development of the children citizenship

General Overview: - The guidance and psychological counseling services in Turkish education system integrates educational, Vocational and personal/social guidance services. Vocational guidance services at schools are thus mainly provided by the schools guidance and psychological counseling service. Provincial Guidance and Research Cetre in cities undertake coordination responsibilities with respect to guidance services, including vocational guidance services. The Provincial Directorate for National Education Special Education and Guidance Services Branch, the Provincial Directorate for National Education, are the structures that ensure provision of these services. As a summary ,Guidance and psychological counseling services in non-formal education cover: orientation to a job or career; preparation for working life; and support for individual and social development. Specific Comments and proposals: - Ministry of Education employs guidance teachers as school counselors and defines their basic role and function as helping the students to choose a major and job which fit for them. However, the number of the school counselors are not enough yet. -There are considerable new trends/changes in the perception of career counseling that must be internalise by all schools/responsible teachers such as Building of career path and planning the career for person is an old perception but Creating own career narrative and a Holistic life-construction is a new trend.Making a career construction is on the agenda now instead of choosing a vocation . -More and effective school visits can be organized for schools,workshops and laboratories can be shown allowing quite enough time for the students,seminars,



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and career orientation is important , because they actually choose what they offer ; - Assuming the role of education, the parents together with the state . Parents stressed and tired negatively influence academic motivation and therefore career guidance to students. Counselling parents is as important as advising students regarding career guidance; - The media overwhelmingly affects students and their professional orientation by promoting excessive artistic professions. Therefore, it should be established a working partnership between the Ministry of National Education and the National Council of Audio -Visual . - Measures to reduce the gap between urban and rural areas; - Activities of educational and professional work environment, not only at school; - Avoid overloading the role of the teacher; - Reducing the number of pupils in classrooms; - As the teacher training is concerned, we recommend carrying out personal development programs for teachers; - Ensuring consistent funding for the education system ; - Teachers and Romanian counselor teachers, both young and those who are approaching retirement have great ideas , but they are not considered or are not implemented in reality. For each school it is suggested to establish an initiative group . - Increasing the motivation of school students in connection to an increased professional motivation of teachers which is an essential condition to achieve a suitable educational and vocational guidance programme.

conferences and symposiums can be organized to explain the relationship of vocational and technical education to the workforce and to employment,visits to vocational and technical education fairs can be arranged, the career fields can be introduced with child/youngster frindly posters, pamphlets and audio-visual educational tools, that questionaires can be applied to discover the vocational tendencies of students. - Some targeted projects /partnerships on either vocational counseling and profesional guidance services or on training,work placements or short/long term mobilities can be implemented byinstitutional/local/regional/national/international level by making use of Erasmus+ and smilar programmes. - All information resources should be made directly available to individuals on an open-access, self-service basis in schools or other institutions related to vocational counseling and profesional guidance services. - More meetings with parents should be arranged by the class teacher and the school counsellors aiming at enabling parents to adopt more conscious approaches in helping their children in career choices.



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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Agrabian, Mircea, Sociologie general, Ed. Institutul European, Iai, 2003; Agrabian, M., Millea,V., Parteneriate coal-familie-societate, Ed. Institutul European,

Iai, 2005; Boudon, R., Besnard, P., Cherkaoui, M., Lecuyer, B.P., Dicionar de Sociologie

Larousse, Ed. Univers enciclopedic, Bucureti 1996; Cauc, I., Manu, B., Prlea, D., Goran, L., Metodologia cercatrii sociologice, Editura

Fundaiei Romnia de Mine, Bucureti, 2007; Chelcea, Septimiu, Iniiere n cercetarea sociologic, Ed. Comunicare.ro, Bucureti,

2004;

Culic, Irina, Metode avansate n cercetarea sociologic,Ed. Polirom, Iai, 2004; Hatos, A., Sociologia educaiei, Ed. Polirom, Iai, 2006; Ilu , P., Valori, atitudini i comportamente sociale, Ed. Polirom, Iai, 2004; Krueger, R.A., Casey, M.A.,trad. Popa, C., Metoda focus-grup. Ghid practic pentru

cercetarea aplicat, Ed. Polirom, Iai, 2005; Marshall, Gordon, Dicionar de Sociologie Oxford, Ed. Univers enciclopedic, Bucureti

2003;

Mihaileascu, I., Sociologie general. Concepte fundamentale i studii de caz, Ed. Polirom, Iai, 2003;

Popovici, D., Sociologia educaiei, Ed. Institutul European, Iai, 2003; Usaci, D., Imunodeficiena psihoafectivn i comportamental n raport cu HIV/SIDA,Ed.

Polirom, Iai, 2003; A Study on the identification of the needs and perceptions of the students attending final

years at school regarding the vocational counseling and vocational guidance services conducted within the PODRU project CONSEL Students counseling for an easy transition to the labor market, conducted by SCLMMCO A reserch society in Leadership, Management, Marketing and organizational culture



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APPENDIX 1. INTERVIEW GUIDLINES FOR FOCUS GROUPS Interview guideline for school managers

1. To which extent do you consider that vocational counseling and profesional guidance

services, offered to pupils within schools, are important for their future success? 2. Who do you think should offer the vocational counseling and profesional guidance

activity within a school? 3. In your vision, what connetion is there between vocational counseling and profesionnal

career education activity and all the school objects taught in schools? 4. In your opinion, what kind of activities could facilitate students` connection to a superior

level of education? 5. As representatives of education institutions, what are your personal needs towards

students` vocational counseling and profesional guidance?

Interview guideline for parents

1. To which extent do you consider that vocational counseling and profesional guidance services, offered to pupils within schools, are important for their future success?

2. Who do you think should offer the vocational counseling and profesional guidance activity within a school?

3. In your vision, what connetion is there between vocational counseling and profesionnal career education activity and all the school objects taught in schools?

4. Please enumerate few suggestions concerning the well-functioning of the vocational counseling and profesional guidance services offered to students within schools.

5. As a parent, what are your personal needs regarding students` vocational counseling and profesional guidance offered within schools?

Interview guideline for teachers

1. To which extent do you consider that vocational counseling and profesional guidance

services, offered to pupils within schools, are important for their future success? 2. Who do you think should offer the vocational counseling and profesional guidance

activity within a school? 3. In your vision, what connetion is there between vocational counseling and profesionnal

career education activity and all the school objects taught in schools? 4. In your opinion, what kind of activities could facilitate students` connection to a superior

level of education? 5. As a teacher/ school counsellor what are your personal needs for improving the

vocational counseling and profesional guidance services offered to students within schools?

Inteview guideline for the local community representatives

1. To which extent do you consider that vocational counseling and profesional guidance services, offered to pupils within schools, are important for their future success?

2. In your opinion, how could the employers contribute to the improvement of the vocational training and professional guidance activity?

3. What kind of experience does the institution you represent have regarding the vocational counseling and profesional guidance activity for students?

4. Which ones do you think should be the modalities of involving in/ familiarizing students to the working field?

5. How do you consider that the students` access to the information regarding the local/ regional labour market could be facilitated?



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6. How do you consider that the youngsters could be involved within the local decisions?

APPENDIX 2. STUDENTS QUESTIONNAIRE Would you please answer the following questions regarding your personal opinion on vocational counseling and profesionnal guidance services. This questionnaire stays anonimous, and all your answers will definetely be interpreted in a general context, not individually. 1. In general, do you consider that activities on vocational counseling and profesional guidance should be held in schools? (only one answer) a. Yes b. No c. Don`t know/ No answer 2. Which of the following sentences best describes your point of view on vocational counseling and profesionnal guidance activities within schools? (only one answer)

a. Vocational counseling is necessary only for the 8th and 12th grades. b. Vocational counseling is necessary during all the school years. c. Vocational counseling is not necessary. 3. To which extent do you consider that vocational counseling and profesionnal guidance activities, offered to students within schools, are important? (only one answer) a. To a very small extent b. To a small extent c. To a certain extent d. To a large extent e. To a very large extent f. Don`t know/ No answer 4. In your vision, what connetion is there between vocational counseling and profesionnal career education activity and all the school objects taught in schools? (only one answer) a. There is no connection between them. b. School objects are more important, vocational counseling is just a support to them. c. Vocational counseling is more important, school objects supporting the latter. 5. Who do you think should offer the vocational counseling and profesional guidance activity within a school? (only one answer) a. Only the primary teacher/ form-teacher b. Only the school counsellor (school psychologist) c. Only the teachers who teach different school objects d. All categories of teachers above mentionned e. None of the above mentionned categories 6. In which of the following situations do you consider you need vocational counseling and professional guidance? Put them in order of your importance. (use 1-4: 1= maximus, 4=minimus) - To get to know myself better (tests of interest, tests of skills, tests of personality) - Information about highschools, faculties, professions - Support when writing a covering letter, a CV or preparing for an interview - Support when making a decision regarding your future highschool/ faculty/ profession 7. What kind of vocational counseling and professional guidance activities were offered in your school? (you can choose more than one answer) a. Debates on professions during the formroom classes or other school objects b. Meetings with experts from different domains of activity



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30

c. Testing professional skills and interests in Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school practice tests d. Support to making a decision concerning your future highschool/ faculty e. Study/ Vocational counseling visits to differrent highschools/ faculties/ companies f. Counseling meetings within the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school g. Voluntary activities h. Training practice internships within a company or institution i. Other activities (which ones?) .... 8. Have you participated in vocational counseling and profesional guidance activities in your school? (only one answer) a. Yes b. No 9. In both personal and professional terms, can you specify what kind of impact have the vocational counseling activities had upon you? (only one answer) a. A postivie impact b. A negative impact 10. Who offererd the vocational counseling and profesional guidance activities you took part in? (only one answer) a. Only the form-teacher/ other teachers of the class b. Only the school counsellor (school psychologist) from the Pedagogical Advisory Cabinet of your school c. Both categories of teachers mentionned above d. None of the categories of teachers above mentionned Gender: a. masculine b. feminine Class: ............ Social background of the school: a. urban b. rural Student`s social background: a.urban b. rural

research report regarding career guidance

Documents

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project co

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research study