ERIC EJ839867: Career Exploratory Behaviors of Postsectondary Agriculture Students

2008·0.09 MB·English

by  ERIC

CAREER EXPLORATORY BEHAVIORS OF
POSTSECTONDARY AGRICULTURE STUDENTS

Levon T. Esters, Assistant Professor
Rachel E. McCulloh, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Iowa State University

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the extent of career exploratory behaviors of students
enrolled in Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Career exploration
was measured using the self and environmental exploration scales of the Career Exploration
Survey (CES; Stumpf, Colarelli, Hartmann, 1983). A MANOVA indicated significant main effects
for year in school for the environmental and self exploration scales. For both the environmental
and self exploration scales, seniors scored significantly higher than freshmen, indicating greater
use of these career exploration strategies in the career exploration process. Findings of this
study were consistent with theory and research suggesting that college students are primarily in
the exploration phase of career development. Recommendations and implications for students
enrolled in postsecondary programs of agriculture are presented.

Introduction Students in higher education frequently
perceive career development issues as
Career development has always been an paramount over academic or personal needs
important component of the postsecondary (Herr et al., 2004). However, goals for
educational experience (Hitch & Gore, career development in higher education
2005). Career development refers to the should be such that all types of career
lifelong psychological and behavioral concerns and needs are addressed. These
processes, as well as contextual influences, career needs range from exploration of job
that shape one’s career (Niles & Harris- opportunities related to majors, to
Bowlsbey, 2002). Hence, career development of job-seeking skills, to general
development involves an individual’s work issues of career preparation, decision-
values, choice of occupation(s), creation of a making, and choice. At the college level, it
career pattern, and decision-making style is likely that most students will have broad
(Herr, Cramer, & Niles, 2004). Agricultural and basic understandings of the occupational
education has long emphasized the role of structure. Many students, however, may
career development at the secondary level. need help in exploring specific segments of
For example, the popular teaching methods that structure in personally relevant
textbook, Handbook on Agricultural terms (e.g., What work is related to a given
Education in Public Schools (Phipps & major? What is the employment outlook
Osborne, 1988), considers helping students in a specific occupational field? What are
to make career decisions a vital component the diverse opportunities available within a
of managing an agricultural education single chosen field?) (Herr et al.).
program. However, the career development Moreover, it is important that students have
needs of students enrolled in post-secondary knowledge about themselves, their skills,
programs of agriculture w h a t i n t e r e s ts them, and what may
have been receiving greater attention in the fit their individual characteristics and needs
literature. This is primarily due to ( S m i t h & Fouad, 1999). Specifically,
concerns about high school students’ issues related to career exploration
decisions to pursue the agricultural are the driving force behind these types
sciences as an academic major and career of career concerns posed by college
option. students.
Journal of Agricultural Education 6 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008
Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
Career exploration has been widely 1983), develop effective job search skills
recognized and endorsed as a necessary next (Stumpf, Austin, & Hartman, 1984; Stumpf
step in an individual’s career development & Colarelli, 1981), and develop more
(Phillips, 1982). Presumed to occur realistic job expectations (Stumpf &
primarily during adolescence and young Hartman, 1984). Studies also have revealed
adulthood (Super, 1963), participation in a variety of life-development contexts
exploratory activities promotes an related to career exploration such as age
understanding of self and environment that (Ketterson & Blustein, 1997), gender
enables people to develop realistic (Blustein, 1988; Blustein & Phillips, 1988;
vocational goals (Sugalski & Greenhaus, Ketterson & Blustein; Taveira, Silva,
1986). Not only can exploratory behavior Rodriguez, & Maia, 1998), socioeconomic
have positive consequences in terms of conditions (Brown, Darden, Shelton, &
career development (Sharf, 2006), but it Dipoto, 1999), and education (Afonso &
builds on other exploratory behavior, which Taveira, 2001).
eventually leads to an increased likelihood A considerable amount of research has
of successful career planning. Hence, few examined issues related to career
would argue that career-related decisions development in agricultural education;
should be made without the benefit of prior however, most studies have focused on
exploration (Phillips). identifying students’ career perceptions,
The exploration stage is a crucial period aspirations, and choice. Considerably less is
in career development (Super, 1957) and is known about the extent of career exploratory
known as one of the cornerstones of behaviors of students enrolled in secondary
choosing an occupation (Raskin, 1985; or postsecondary programs of agriculture.
Vondracek, 1992). During this phase Understanding the importance of career
individuals initiate thoughts and behaviors exploration cannot be overemphasized. For
that will likely lead to a future career choice example, encouraging career exploration can
(Bartley & Robitschek, 2000). If individuals be an important activity prior to assisting a
do not successfully complete the tasks of student with career selection (Sharf, 2006).
this stage, they may flounder when it is time Further, although most scholars and
to enter and stabilize in an occupation. practitioners in career development would
While it is recognized that exploration agree that career exploration is a useful
occurs at all ages and stages of development, activity, research suggests there is much
it is considered to be most prominent during individual variation in the degree to which
the late adolescence/early adulthood period one explores (Jepsen, 1984). Given the lack
(Super, 1957, 1980). of research on career exploration in
Career exploration generally is defined agricultural education, this study represents
as those self-appraisal and external activities an exploratory approach to identify the
that provide individuals with information to extent of career exploratory behaviors of
foster progress in the selection of, entry into, students enrolled in postsecondary programs
and adjustment to an occupation (Blustein, of agriculture.
1989b; Jordann, 1963; Stumpf et al., 1983).
Behaviors define the process of exploration Conceptual Framework
(Stumpf et al., 1983). Career exploration is
thought to be particularly important because In the past 40 years, much has been
of its ostensible role in providing individuals written about career exploration, including
with the requisite levels of self-awareness both theory and research (Bartley &
and occupational knowledge needed to Robitschek, 2000). Jordaan (1963) is a key
foster progress in the commitment to a figure in the theorization of career
vocational choice (Blustein, 1989a). exploration. He and his team initiated a line
Research suggests that career of work which has had and continues to
exploration can help students learn more have a tremendous influence on career
about themselves and the world of work exploration thinking and research (Taveria
(Taylor, 1985), choose occupations to & Moreno, 2003). Specifically, Jordann
pursue (Greenhaus, Hawkins, & Brenner, theorized that exploration in general, and
Journal of Agricultural Education 7 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008
Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
career exploration in particular, would be 3. Describe the differences in the level
influenced by personal traits and of career exploration of students
environmental conditions. enrolled in a college of agriculture.
Building on these ideas, Stumpf et al.
(1983) proposed an interactive model of Methods/Procedures
vocational exploration, emphasizing three
discrete aspects of exploration: 1) The target population for this study
exploration beliefs (e.g., instrumentality and consisted of all freshmen and seniors (N =
preference), 2) exploration process (e.g., 1,284) enrolled in Iowa State University’s
where and how), and 3) reactions to College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. A
exploration (e.g., affect and stress). This purposive sample of freshmen students
model suggested that these three categories enrolled in freshmen orientation courses and
interact in a reciprocal manner, resulting in seniors enrolled in senior capstone/seminar
unique exploration experiences for each courses from eight of 15 academic
individual (Bartley & Robitschek, 2000). departments of the college were used in the
Stumpf et al. (1983) state that, “one can study. Because the college of agriculture in
gather career information from a variety of this study had recently expanded to include
sources, but two sources are major: the disciplines non-traditional to the field of
environment and oneself” (p. 192). Self- agriculture (e.g., biochemistry, biophysics,
exploration is an examination of one’s and molecular biology, genetics,
personal goals, values, skills, needs, and development and cell biology), the
interest (Werbel, 2000). It concerns researcher chose to survey students in
gathering information about the personal departments that are common to most
aspects related to making assessments of the colleges of agriculture (e.g., animal science,
person-environment fit of different horticulture, etc.). The final sample (n =
employment opportunities. The second 310) consisted of freshmen (n = 130) and
dimension of career exploration, senior (n = 180) students from the following
environment exploration, is concerned with departments: agricultural education,
gathering information about the personal agricultural and biosystems engineering,
aspects of person-environment fit that will agricultural economics, agronomy, animal
help to determine the job seeker’s degree of science, entomology, horticulture, and
interest in a given employment opportunity natural resources, ecology, and
(Stumpf et al., 1983, as cited in Werbel, management.
2000). It may include gathering information The instrument used to collect data for
to determine where different relevant job the study consisted of the Career
opportunities exist, demands of different Exploration Survey (CES; Stumpf et al.,
types of work environments, and the nature 1983) and items requesting demographic
of different types of organizational cultures. information such as grade point average,
race, home residence, and academic
Purpose/Objectives department. The CES is among the most
significant and widely used measures of
The purpose of this descriptive career exploration (Taveira & Moreno,
exploratory study was to examine the career 2003). The researcher measured both self
exploratory behaviors of students enrolled in and environmental exploration activities, a
Iowa State University’s College of strategy consistent with research and theory
Agriculture and Life Sciences. The in career development that has indicated a
objectives that guided this study were to: comprehensive definition of career
1. Describe the demographic exploration would need to incorporate self
characteristics of students enrolled in exploration and exploration of the external
a college of agriculture. educational and vocational environment
(Jepsen, 1984; Jordaan, 1963; Stumpf et al.,
2. Describe the level of career 1983, as cited in Blustein & Phillips, 1988).
exploration of students enrolled in a Specifically, career exploration was
college of agriculture. measured by the original five-item Self-
Journal of Agricultural Education 8 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008
Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
Exploration (SE) scale and the six-item variance (MANOVA) was used to describe
Environmental Exploration-Revised (EE-R) differences in the level of career exploration
scale (Blustein, 1989b) adapted from the by gender and year in school. The use of
original CES Environmental Exploration inferential statistics was based on the
measure. The Environmental Exploration assumption that students included in this
scale and the Self-Exploration scale is study were a time and place sample
comprised of six and five items, representative of past, present, and future
respectively, that respondents rate using a 5- undergraduate students of similar
point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 characteristics entering a college of
(little) to 5 (a great deal). Possible scores agriculture (Oliver & Hinkle, 1981). Effect
for environmental and self-exploration range sizes (partial eta squared) were interpreted
from 6 to 30 and 5 to 25, respectively. using Cohen’s (1988) criteria.
Higher scores indicate greater use of
respective career exploration strategies. Results/Findings
Blustein (1989b) noted this instrument
was originally developed with people who Objective 1: Describe the demographic
were looking toward relatively imminent characteristics of students enrolled in a
career transitions (e.g., graduate students, college of agriculture.
upper level undergraduate). The sample in Fifty-seven percent of the students in the
this study included students who were study were seniors while 43% were
generally at an earlier stage in the career freshmen. The majority of students were
decision-making process. Therefore, Caucasian (97%) and male (64%). Most
researchers used the versions developed by students (57%) grew up on a farm or in a
Blustein (1989b) with this population with rural community, 27% were from towns or
minor rewording of several original items. cities with populations of 10,000 or more
The Environmental Exploration scale was people, 9% were from small towns of less
revised by making minor modifications in than 2,500 people, and 7% were from towns
the wording of three of the original six of 10,001-50,000 people. Over half (51%)
items. For example, the phrase, “related to the students indicated they had a grade point
my anticipated career area” was added to the average of 3.00 or higher, 35% reported a
following item, ‘Obtained information on grade point average between 2.00 – 2.99,
specific jobs or companies.” Blustein and 14% reported grade point averages of
(1989b) reported internal consistency of .89 2.49 and below. Because data for this study
for the EE-R scale and a test-retest were collected during the fall 2005 semester,
reliability coefficient of .85. Stumpf et al. freshmen students had not established grade
(1983) reported internal consistency for the point averages. There were students
SE as .88. For the present study, internal representing each of the eight academic
consistency reliabilities were .84 (freshmen) departments. Eighteen percent of the
and .90 (seniors) for Environment students in the study were enrolled in the
Exploration-Revised and .81 (freshmen) and departments of agricultural economics and
.83 (seniors) for Self-Exploration. natural resource, ecology, and management
According to Blustein (1988), evidence of followed by agricultural biosystems
the construct validity of the CES scales can engineering and animal science with 15%,
be inferred from a factor structure consistent and 14% from the horticulture department.
with theoretical expectations and Ten percent of the students indicated their
relationships between CES scorers and majors were in the departments of
predicted outcomes. agricultural education and agronomy.
Data were coded and analyzed using the
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS version 15.0). Descriptive statistics Objective 2: Describe the level of career
including frequencies, percentages, means, exploration of students enrolled in a college
and standard deviations were used to address of agriculture.
objectives one and two. To address objective The second objective was to describe the
three, a factorial multivariate analysis of level of career exploration of students in a
Journal of Agricultural Education 9 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008
Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
college of agriculture. In this study, career (M = 18.26, SD = 5.77) scored higher than
exploration was measured using both freshmen (M = 16.06, SD = 4.38) on
environmental and self exploration scales of environmental exploration.
the Career Exploration Survey (Stumpf et Further, results show that females (M =
al., 1983). Table 1 summarizes the results 17.02, SD = 3.95) scored slightly higher
for males and females as well as for than males (M = 16.73, SD = 3.81) on self
freshmen and senior students. Overall, exploration, which also indicates a slightly
females (M = 17.50, SD = 5.62) scored greater use of this career exploration
higher than males (M = 17.26, SD = 5.18) on strategy. Similarly, across year in school,
environmental exploration indicating a seniors’ scores (M = 17.53, SD = 3.84) were
slightly greater use of this career exploration higher than freshmen (M = 15.87, SD =
strategy. Results also indicate that seniors 3.67) on self exploration.

Table 1
Means and Standard Deviations for Environmental and Self Exploration Factors (n = 310)

Environmental Exploration
Year in School
Gender Freshmen Senior Total
n M SD n M SD n M SD

Male 94 16.22 4.46 108 18.17 5.60 202 17.26 5.18

Female 38 15.71 4.22 75 18.40 6.03 113 17.50 5.62

Total 132 16.06 4.38 183 18.26 5.77 315 17.35 5.34

Self Exploration
Year in School
Gender Freshmen Senior Total
n M SD n M SD n M SD

Male 94 15.65 3.65 108 17.68 3.70 202 16.73 3.81

Female 38 16.42 3.70 75 17.32 4.05 113 17.02 3.95

Total 132 15.87 3.67 183 17.53 3.84 315 16.83 3.85
Note. Scores for environmental and self-exploration can range from 6 to 30 and 5 to 25,
respectively. Higher scores indicate greater use of respective career exploration strategies. Scale:
1 = Little; 2 = Somewhat; 3 = A Moderate Amount; 4 = A Substantial Amount; 5 = A Great
Deal.

Table 2 presents bivariate correlations strength of the relationships: .01-.09 =
among the career exploration scales, gender, negligible; .10-.29 = low; .30-.49 =
and year in school for the sample. The moderate; .50-.69 = substantial; and .70 or
following scale was used to describe the higher = very strong (Davis, 1971).
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Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
Relationships between environmental year in school ranged from negligible
exploration, self exploration, gender, and positive to moderate positive.

Table 2
Intercorrelations Among Career Exploration Scales, Gender, and Year in School (n = 310)
Variable 1 2 3 4

1. Gender --

2. Year in School .12 --

3. EE .02* .20* --

4. SE .04* .21* .42* --
Note. EE = Environment Exploration and SE = Self-Exploration
*p < .05.

Objective 3: Describe the differences in the small effect size (d = .20). At the univariate
level of career exploration of students level, significant main effects for year in
enrolled in a college of agriculture. school were observed for environmental
To determine the effect of gender and exploration, F(1, 311) = 13.093, p < .001, η2
year in school on the level of career = .04 and self exploration, F(1, 311) =
exploration, a factorial multivariate analysis 10.096, p < .05, η2 = .03 (Table 4).
of variance (MANOVA) was performed. Results further indicated that seniors (M =
The dependent variables were environmental 18.22, SD = 5.79) scored significantly
and self exploration, and the independent higher than freshmen (M = 16.08, SD =
variables were gender (two levels: male and 4.38; t = -3.743, p < .001) on environmental
female) and year in school (two levels: exploration indicating greater use of this
freshmen and seniors). (All eta-squared (η2) exploratory behavior. Additionally, seniors
results that are reported use the partial eta- (M = 17.53, SD=3.84) scored significantly
squared formula (SSeffect/(SSeffect + higher than freshmen (M = 15.87, SD =
SSerror)). Tabachnik and Fidell (1989) 3.67; t = -3.852, p < .001) on self
suggest that partial η2 is an appropriate exploration also indicating greater use of
alternate computation of η2. this exploratory behavior. Nonsignificant
Significant multivariate results were univariate main effects for gender were
obtained for the main effects of year in observed for environmental exploration, F(1,
school F(2, 310) = 8.294, p < .001, η2 = .05 311) = .048, p > .05 and self exploration,
(Table 3). Nonsignificant main effects were F(1, 311) = .204, p > .05. Nonsignificant
observed for gender F(2, 310) = .197, p > univariate main effects were also observed
.05 and the year in school x gender for the year in school x gender interaction
interaction F(2, 310) = 1.434, p > .05. None for environmental exploration, F(1, 311) =
of the partial η2 values for the MANOVA .340, p >. 05 and self exploration, F(1, 311)
analyses approached Cohen’s criteria for = 1.501, p > .05.

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Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
Table 3
Summary Data of MANOVA Results for Year in School, Gender, and Gender x Year in School
Interaction (n = 310)

Variable df Wilk’s Lambda F p Partial Eta2

Year in School 2 .949 8.294 .000* .051

Gender 2 .999 .197 .822 .001

Year in School 2 .991 1.434 .240 .009
x Gender
*p < .001

Table 4
Summary Data of Univariate Results for Year in School, Gender, and Gender x Year in School
Interaction (n = 310)

Partial
Independent Variable Dependent Variable df MS F p Eta2
Year in School Environmental 1 360.427 13.093 .000** .040
Exploration

Self Exploration 1 143.771 10.096 .002* .031

Gender Environmental 1 1.312 .048 .827 .000
Exploration

Self Exploration 1 2.909 .204 .652 .001

Year in School x Environmental 1 9.351 .340 .560 .001
Gender Exploration

Self Exploration 1 21.369 1.501 .221 .005
*p < .05 ** p < .001

Conclusions and Discussion agricultural education; agronomy;
entomology; and horticulture.
Due to sampling methods used in this Level of career exploration was
study, results are not generalizable to any measured using the environmental and self
larger population. Students in this study exploration scales of the CES (Stumpf et al.,
represented a variety academic departments 1983). Environmental exploration concerns
in Iowa State University’s College of an individual’s need to gather information to
Agriculture and Life Sciences which include determine where different relevant job
agricultural economics; natural resource, opportunities exist, demands of different
ecology, and management; agricultural and types of work environments, and the nature
biosystems engineering; animal science; of different types of organizational cultures.
Journal of Agricultural Education 12 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008
Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
Both males and females in this study activity as a function of person factors
indicated moderate levels of environmental (Jordaan, 1963; Stumpf et al., 1983; Taveira,
exploration behaviors. Similar observations et al., 1998). For example, the noted gender
were also true for freshmen and senior and grade level differences supports Super’s
students. (1957; 1963; 1980) self-concept theory that
The extent of career exploratory career exploration is a developmental
behaviors of students in this study was also process. In terms of grade level, differences
assessed by the self exploration scale of the between freshmen and senior students can
CES. Self-exploration is an examination of be attributed to the fact that many freshmen
one’s personal goals, values, skills, needs, enter college with limited information about
and interests. Specifically, it concerns career alternatives, which influences their
gathering information about the personal level of career exploratory behavior
aspects related to making assessments of the (Robinson, 1994).
person-environment fit of different
employment opportunities (Werbel, 2000). Recommendations and Implications
Both males and females in this study
indicated moderate levels of environmental Given that students in this study
behaviors. Again, similar observations were indicated only moderate levels of career
also true for freshmen and senior students. exploratory behaviors, a need might exist to
Finally, significant main effects for year emphasize the integration of various career
in school were observed for environmental development experiences across academic
and self exploration. For both environmental programs offered in this College of
and self exploration, seniors scored Agriculture and Life Sciences. For example,
significantly higher than freshmen indicating Jones and Larke (2003) noted that colleges
greater use of these career exploration of agriculture should seek to make a greater
strategies in the career exploration process. impact on students’ career choice and that
The findings of this study are consistent faculty should help ensure that students are
with career development theory and research aware of the numerous job opportunities
related to career exploration suggesting that, available and enlighten students on the
in general, college students are primarily in availability of competitive employment
the career exploration phase of career options. Jones and Larke also concluded
development. Super’s (1957) life stage of that the impact on the career choice process
exploration (ages 15 to 25), includes three could be made through teaching, mentoring,
substages: crystallizing, specifying, and and providing enhanced interaction with
implementing. Students in this study were leaders already in the career field.
classified as freshmen and seniors which Another recommended career
correspond most closely to the crystallizing intervention is the use of career courses.
substage of career development. Career courses are one of the most common
Crystallizing is the stage in which people strategies used to provide undergraduate
clarify what they want to do. They learn students with the necessary career
about entry-level jobs that may be development experiences needed to make
appropriate for them, and they learn what solid career decisions. Career courses also
skills are required by the jobs that interest have been identified as an effective means
them (Sharf, 2006). of helping students increase the frequency of
Overall, students in this study indicated career exploratory behaviors (Peterson &
moderate levels of environmental and self Burck, 1982). For example, King and
exploration behaviors. Specifically, the Kotrlik (1995) recommended that a course
findings document that students are on career development be added to the core
examining their personal goals, values, curriculum in Louisiana State University’s
skills, needs, and interests in terms of College of Agriculture to provide
various career opportunities related to the undergraduate students with a variety of
world of work. The findings of this study comprehensive career development
also support previous research that experiences. Because a willingness to
individuals may vary in their exploratory explore or look for information is a
Journal of Agricultural Education 13 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008
Esters & McCulloh Career Exploratory Behaviors…
fundamental concept of career exploration, career exploration with students from a more
which subsequently impacts career choice; diverse population.
evidence suggests that career exploration
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Journal of Agricultural Education 15 Volume 49, Number 1, 2008