Teacher support for career development: an integrative review and research agenda
Career Development International
ISSN: 1362-0436
Article publication date: 6 April 2018
Issue publication date: 14 May 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review identified key features of teacher support and its influence on students’ career decision making and development. It also examines the types of research approaches to data collection and analysis in order to provide a more in-depth evaluation of this field of study.
Design/methodology/approach
The review examined 18 studies, the majority being quantitative in design. Cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of teacher support were investigated, and differences in teacher support relative to grade level and gender were considered.
Findings
Results indicated that since 2000, there has been an increase in the number of empirical studies of teacher support in the career development field, the majority involving middle and high school students. The most commonly cited frameworks that underpin the studies are the social cognitive career theory, the career construction theory and Super’s career development theory. The most frequently used instrument for data collection was the teacher support scale (Metheny et al., 2008).
Originality/value
The review will be beneficial to researchers, teachers and policy makers seeking to optimize support systems for students’ career development. The findings contribute to further theory development and have practical implications for the career guidance field. Recommendations for future research and practice are suggested.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper is based on the PhD research of the first author under supervision of the second and third authors at the Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education, Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong. The authors are grateful to four doctoral students, namely, Zi Chen from School of Education, Boston University, Mingchen Fu, Weipeng Yang and Jesus Alfonso D. Datu from the Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong, for their auditing of the 18 identified papers. Finally, the authors offer their gratitude to the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.
Citation
Zhang, J., Yuen, M. and Chen, G. (2018), "Teacher support for career development: an integrative review and research agenda", Career Development International, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 122-144. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-09-2016-0155
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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