CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The review of relate literature was carried out under the following headings.
1. Theoretical framework on career
2. A changing workplace
3. Lack of career knowledge
4. Career development
5. Challenges in the field of guidance and counseling
6. Supporting a comprehensive counseling and guidance system
7. Effective career development intervention
8. Research on career development
2.1 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ON CAREER
Donald Super’s (1990) theory view career development as a lifelong process encompassing developmental task for the individual as he or she negotiates the personal construction of self and the self’s relationship to the world. (Herr, et. al. 2004). Super posited that individual progresses through five states of career development: growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance and disengagement. (Brown & Lent, 2005, Lapan 2004). The elementary school years encompass developmental tasks in the growth stage. They include;
1. Recognizing and increasing personal control over one’s life, that is Locus of Control (LOC)
2. Becoming concerned about the future, learning to plan for the future and acquiring competent work habits and a positive attitude achievement in school and work.
Super maintained that positive development across nine dimensions would help children accomplish the necessary task in career development and develop a self concept that embodied the capacity for good problem solving and decision making. According to Super (1990), the nine dimensions associated with accomplishment of required task for the career development of elementary students are:
1. Information: A recognition of the importance of career information and knowledge of where to acquire such information.
2. Curiosity: The need to learn more about the world.
3. Exploration: A drive to engage in experience that will teach the individual about self and the environment.
4. Interest: Knowledge/awareness of an individual likes and dislikes.
5. Locus of control: The degree to which an individual maintain a sense of control over choices in the immediate environment, the present and the future.
6. Key figures: role models and significant persons who influences an individual’s development.
7. Time perspective: An understanding of how the past, present and future affect the choices and consequences of behavior.
8. Planning: Knowing the importance of planning
9. Self concept: An identity encompassing roles and behaviors within the contexts of relationships. (Schultheiss & Stead, 2004; Super 1990).