The Separate and Combined Effects of SIGI or DISCOVER and a Career Planning Course on Undecided University Students

Abstract

Research to consider the effectiveness of computer-assisted guidance system (CACG) and credit career planning courses was conducted during the 1988 spring semester at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Virginia. The research inethodology included use of a four-group pretest-posttest design at each university. Group treatment conditions using undecided university students were the following: (a) CACG use by students enrolled in a career planning course, (b) students enrolled only in a career planning course without CACG use, (c) CACG use by students enrolled in an introductory business or psychology course, and (d) students enrolled only in an introductory business or psychology course. Participants (N= 112) were in first through fifth semester standing and were assigned randomly to CACG use conditions. Dependent measures were the Survey of Career Development, the SelfAssessment in Career Planning Confidence Questionnaire, and the Career Decision Scale. Almost all treatment conditions (CACG and/or career planning courses) produced significantly higher scores than the control conditions. Most comparisons of group means did not indicate, however, that the inclusion of CACG within a career planning class produced significantly higher gains on the measures than a career planning course only. Computer-assisted guidance systems have enjoyed widespread use in schools and colleges throughout the 1980s. Johnston, Buescher, and Jeffrey W.

The Social Influence of Two Computer‐Assisted Career Guidance Systems: DISCOVER and SIGI

“…Thus, we can infer that the involvement of a counselor in the career exploration process becomes exceedingly important to attain the desired "human" qualities of attractiveness and trustworthiness in social influence. The results of these contrasts support earlier findings that the optimal use of CACG systems occurs when they are employed as components in the overarching counseling process with competent counselors (Garis & Niles, 1990; Kapes, Borman, & Frazier, 1989;Sampson & Stripling, 1979).…”

“…Although questions or fears have been raised periodically over the past 20 years about computers replacing counselors, evidence increasingly accumulates that such feelings or concerns are largely unwarranted (Harris-Bowlsbey, 1983, 1985. A comprehensive review of research studies showed that most institutions use computer-assisted career guidance (CACG) systems as a component within a broader career counseling context (Sampson, Shahnasarian, & Reardon, 1987), and that the desired outcomes of career guidance using CACG systems are most likely to occur when they are used to augment the career counseling process (Garis & Niles, 1990; Kapes, Borman, & Frazier, 1989;Marin, 1984;Rozman & Kahl, 1984;Sampson & Stripling, 1979).…”

The Timing of Counselor Contact in the Use of a Computer Information Delivery System With Adult Career Counseling Clients

“…The proliferation of computer-assisted career guidance or information systems within educational institutions, governmental agencies, and private organizations has been well documented (e.g., Sampson, Shahnasarian, & Reardon, 1987). This proliferation of systems has led to an increase in research studies investigating their effectiveness (e.g., Garis & Niles, 1990;Sampson, Shahnasarian, & Reardon, 1988). In general, it has been found that computer use results in the acquisition of self and occupational information and in the facilitation of career decision making (Cairo, 1983).…”

The Effects of Interventions on Career Progress

“…In addition, Cooper (1987) crossvalidated the SCD with the My Vocational Situation (MVS) and found the SCD to be an effective index of vocational identity, as well as a measure of other vocational constructs, such as lack of information or training, or environmental or personal barriers. In a study of the concurrent validity of the SCD, a correlation of r = .51 {N = 79) was found between the SCD and MVS indicating some overlap in underlying constructs (Garis and Niles, 1990).…”