Author(s): Caren Van Slyke and Karen Lamb

Institutional affiliation/Agency/Program: Women Employed

Publication date or date of most recent update: 2008

Number of pages: 174

Website URL: http://www.womenemployed.org/index.php?id=143

Type of product (lesson plans, curriculum, training product): curriculum guide

Target population: Instructors

Skill levels of instructional materials (lessons, curricula): ABE Intermediate Low (NRS Educational Functioning Level 3); ABE Intermediate High (NRS Educational Functioning Level 4); ASE Low (NRS Educational Functioning Level 5); ASE High (NRS Educational Functioning Level 6); High Intermediate ESL (NRS Educational Functioning Level 5); Advanced ESL Literacy (NRS Educational Functioning Level 6)

Training required: The Introduction (pages 1-7) provide a thorough overview of the curriculum design, purpose of activities, elements of the curriculum, flexible instructional delivery, adapting to different settings, principles of adult learning and different learning activity types. This section serves as a "self-training" for practitioners.

Abstract: This thorough, concise, and well-organized career development curriculum is appropriate for instructors and other service providers who work with mid- to higher-level adult learners in the process of choosing a career, changing a career, or exploring education options that match their goals. The range of activities helps learners make smart decisions early on in training or education. The curriculum content presents a logical sequence of topics: 1) Understanding the importance of education to career development; 2) Using personal values, interests, skills and lifestyle needs to evaluate potential career choices; 3) Exploring potential careers to find a good fit; 4) Setting educational goals; 5) Researching and evaluating different schools or training programs; 6) Making a customized career plan; 7) Learning about financial aid; 8) Managing time; and 9) Making short- and long-term plans. The guide provides direction to adapt the curriculum into 16- 8- or 4-class programs.

Each lesson includes key concepts, classroom materials, websites, learning objectives, lesson set-up, adaptations, and extensions. The activities cover a wide range of learning styles and materials; many of the lessons require online searches of websites such as O*NET and Women Employed. These web searches could be customized and include relevant state or local workforce development and one-stop websites.

What the experts say: The Curriculum Guide is very clearly laid out as a training tool that is flexible and adaptable for various audiences, purposes, and timeframes. The Curriculum Guide appears as a link from the Women Employed website at www.womenemployed.org. The Notebook that students use appears on a linked website at www.thebeehive.org in which one must only register to use. The authors of the Curriculum Guide acknowledge that the product is based on the Holland model presented in the O*NET Career Exploration Tools (DOL/ETA). Holland, J.L. (1973). Making vocational choices: A theory of careers. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

The Curriculum Guide is an excellent resource to help job seekers develop skills and produce tools (e.g., career plans, educational plans, links to resource persons, portfolios) they can use to gain appropriate employment. The activities promote active participation by the learners in a series of tasks designed to help develop basic skills (e.g., research, communication, computer) as well as career and educational planning. Please also see the following resource on which many of the concepts are based: Colette, M., Woliver, B., Bingman, M.B., & Merrifield, J. (1996). Getting there. Knoxville, TN: Center for Literacy Studies, University of Tennessee at Knoxville.