Date

4-2016

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw

Keywords

Adolescents, Career Exploration, Career Self-efficacy, College-going Self-efficacy Middle School, Semi-rural

Disciplines

Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Methods | Educational Psychology | Other Education

Abstract

This study examined the effect of a college workshop on the college and career self-efficacy and college intent of eighth grade students in a semi-rural setting. The study aimed to fill the gap in the literature by examining college and career self-efficacy and college intent for middle school students in semi-rural areas in the United States as they move to high school. Two groups of eighth grade students from two middle schools in a school district in West-Central Florida participated in the study. The study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest non-equivalent waitlist control group design. Students in the treatment group participated in a week-long online career exploration workshop followed by a visit on the campus of a large suburban Florida state college. Students in the waitlist control group took the pretest and posttest after data had been collected; however, they did not receive the treatment until after the posttest. The study answered the research questions whether participation in the college workshop affected participants’ posttest scores regarding college and career self-efficacy as well as college intent. Pretest and posttest used the College-Going Self-Efficacy Scale for Middle School Students and the Career Self-Efficacy Scale–Short Form, as well as a College Intent Question, which inquired about students’ intent to attend college. Data analyses included a chi-square of independence and analyses of covariance. Results showed that students who participated in the college workshop had higher levels of college-going and career-decision self-efficacy than students who did not. However, college intent was not affected by participation in the college workshop.

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