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EDCP 611: Career Development Theory and Programs

General Overview:

The class is a three-semester hour graduate course based on providing you with information and experiences related to the successful selection of a career. The twist for the class is the opportunity to use the web, your study groups, lectures, readings and guided experiences to bring the field of career counseling alive!

Instructor: Wm. Huffman, Ph.D. NCC

Whuffman@ed.umuc.edu

1002 Wedgewood Circle

Bryan, Texas 77801

See Biography section for further information

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide students with exposure to research and theory related to career and educational decisions. We will also address programs of career awareness and activities designed to enhance career decisions. One aspect of each of these objectives requires that all parties in a communication triad be present and actively involved in the process of Life Planning.

Policies, procedures, and evaluation for this course will be based on the following criteria:

Active Participation: You have to be present to experience the event! Active participation requires posting contributions to the weekly conferences. The success of the class depends on everyone contributing in a timely fashion. Please wait until you have sufficient time to complete the class if your life is currently too challenging. I urge you to contact me if you must miss any leg of the journey of Life Planning.

Late Submissions: Please submit all assignments on time. As in life, you will receive a lower grade if you are late with an assignment. Please contact me if you are unable to submit an assignment for any reason. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but to be fair to the other students in the class I will need sufficient justification to provide an exception.

Group Assignments: You will receive two grades for a group assignment. One grade will be based on your group product and each member of the group will receive the same grade. The other grade will be based on your contribution to the group product. Correspondence for group assignments should be posted in the "Study Group Conference Room". I will monitor your contributions, the timing of the contributions and award a grade based on these entries. Please use the conference rooms to receive full credit for your work.

You are on a journey in this class. Your group is part of the process to provide you with assistance, feedback and support as you explore the world of career and life planning. Please work together to make this the best class possible!

Course Goals and Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will be expected to:

·Understand, compare and contrast the different theories of career development through their own life and through the journey of others.

·Understand and apply the process of career assessment to individual career development processes by the completion of a career life plan.

·Understand cultural and cross-cultural issues related to career development and career counseling by an analysis of social expectations on life plans.

·Identify resource information systems for career guidance and counseling, including on-line computer resources.

·Develop appropriate entry level skills and strategies to assist individuals in their decision making regarding educational, occupational, and career objectives.

·Develop appropriate entry level competencies in acquiring, evaluating, and programming for the dissemination of career information.

·Understand the role of current research that refines, and updates theories and applications of career development.

Course Materials:

Textbook:
The text for this course is the Sixth Edition of "Career Counseling, Applied
Concepts of Life Planning". You should have received this book and hopefully
reviewed the basic outline for the text. The book is a classic in the field. I
think you will enjoy Vernon Zunker's perspective on the field of career
counseling.

Attitude:
To get the most out of this course, you will need to adopt an attitude of
exploration and expectation for challenge. The course is designed to encourage
you to impart a sense of excitement in your clients in the exploration of their
possible life goals. We will have an opportunity to conduct intake interviews,
self-assessments, life planning and decision-making strategies as well as the
theoretical underpinning for our profession.

During this term, I expect all of us to make some mistakes with the technology,
databases or in the submission of our work. Please adopt an attitude that we
are explorers and not experts...

Grading Information

Student Evaluation:

Student performance will be based on a percentage of the total possible points
obtained for the assigned projects of the course. A student will need to obtain
a minimum of 91% of the total course points to achieve an "A". A student will need to obtain at least 81% of the points for a B and at least 71% of total possible points for a C. Students are advised to seek a withdrawal from the class if their performance is not in the expected ranges for a graduate course. The following course tasks will
include:

·Exam (2 total; 20% of total points). There will be two examinations that will
cover the assigned reading for the course. The midterm exam will contain
application items and essay items. The topics for the questions will equally
address the information presented in text and in the assigned readings. The
Final Examination will be a take home/open book examination addressing the appropriate intervention for a suggested client seeking assistance in career planning.

Personal career plan and work-up of volunteer (2 total; 30% of total points).
Students will complete a personal career plan for their own personal journey
and a career plan/case study for a volunteer. Both assignments will include a
list of questions provided by the instructor to facilitate the case study. A 5
page, double-spaced paper summarizing the highlights of each case study must be
submitted in the student's Assignment Folder by the end of the 11th week of
class. The student should supply a plan of action and assessment of the plan
for each case study. The instructor will supply a template for the paper.

Paper (1 total; 20% of total points). Students will select either their own
career plan or that of their volunteer. The student will present highlights of
one of the theories presented in the text on career decision-making and
vocational planning. The student will illustrate significant passages of the
theory with material gained from the career plans of either the volunteer or
their own career plan. The student is expected to also list limitations of the
theory and how the case study may support or negate key assumptions of the
theory.

Student Group Presentation (1 total; 15% of total points). By the end of the
fourth week, students will be placed in teams of 4. Each team will be provided
information about an issue from topics in the Study Group section. Students
will prepare a collaborative document that will require a synopsis and
synthesis of class readings and research to identify the relevant issues for
career and vocational counseling. A good response would acknowledge the
application of theory in understanding human behavior and decision making. The
group presentation should focus on how best to assist the client. The group
will also provide a presentation of best practices on how to provide an
appropriate intervention for such a client.

Please review the class discussion on Tips for Collaborative Writing and Peer
Reviewing Assignments by Cynthia Whitesel. The entire article from the Guide
to Writing and Research is found in the Course content section of our webtycho
page.

Participation (Weekly assignments; 15% of total points): Participation is
essential. Your regular participation will be recorded by your input into our
weekly assignments within the Conference areas. The grade for the
participation will be determined by both the frequency of your interactions and
by the quality of your participation. Late assignments will not be accepted
without penalty unless the instructor gives prior approval.

Summary of Grading Scale:

Weekly Participation: 15%
Midterm examination: 10%
Group Project: 15%
Two case studies (career plans): 30%
Paper: 20%
Final Examination: 10%

Distant Education Calendar Term 3:

The following Information from the Distant Education Calendar will be helpful in planning your term.

Course Dates: 21 January - 10 May 2002

Break: 9 - 22 March 2002

WebTycho Student Course Evaluation Window: 20 April - 3 May 2002

Last Day for 75% Refund: 1 February 2002

Last Day for 25% Refund: 15 February 2002

Last Day for Withdrawals: 3 May 2002

Final Exam Week: 5 - 12 May 2002

Grades Due at Headquarters: 20 May 2002

Our Course Schedule:

Week	Module	Readings/Assignment(s)	Due Date
Week 1	Module 1 Introductions and Overview	Chapters 1-2 History and Theory Scavenger Hunt; Library Activity	Jan 28
Week 2	Module 2: Theories of Career Development	Chapter 3 Which Career is Right for you?	Feb 4
Week 3	Module 3: Career Counseling Models	Chapter 4 and 5 Intake interview: Self	Feb 11
Week 4	Module 4: Case Studies and Assessment	Read Chapters 6 and 7 Queensdom Activity Counseling Interview with Partner	Feb18
Week 5	Module 5: Self Assessment and Computer Resources	Read Chapters 8 and 9 Write Assessment Report	Feb 25
Week 6	Unit 6: Special Populations	Chapters 10-12 Hiring Activity Review for Midterm	Feb 14
Week 7	Midterm Prep	Prepare for Midterm Read 13-15 for Week 8	Feb 21
Week 8		Midterm	Feb 28
Break	Break	Break	9-22 March
Week 9	Module 7: Disabilities	Hiring Activity Part 2 Chapters 16-17	March 30
Week 10	Unit 8: Educational Settings	Read Chapter 18 Comparison of Job Tasks Developmental Counseling Activity	April 6
Week 11	Module 9: Work EAPs	"Violence in the Workplace"; "Age Discrimination"; "Childcare Articles" Chapter 19Cluster Activity Group Project Due!!!	April 13
Week 12	Module 10: Job	Job and Life Satisfaction Handouts Assessment of Environmental Concerns	April 20
Week 13	Module 11: Career Transitions	Read Chapter 20 Basic Coping Skills Activity	April 27
Week 14	Module 12: Career Development	Read Chapter 21 Final Paper Due	May 4
Week 15	Module 13: Home Stretch	Final Examination Week	May 5-12