UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ The Perceived Role of Technology and Social Media in Career Guidance among...

UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ

The Perceived Role of Technology and Social Media in

Career Guidance among practitioners who are experienced Internet users – Chances

and Challenges

ESRC Seminar

Raimo Vuorinen & Jaana KettunenThe Finnish Institute for Educational Research

University of Jyväskylä, Finland


Introduction

During the last years there has been increasing attention across the globe towards more diverse delivery modes in lifelong guidance services.

The current wider paradigm of guidance is recognized as a crucial dimension of lifelong learning, promoting both social and economic goals

The move from “education and training” to learning changes the focus from structures and institutions to development of individual lifelong career management skills (Watts, Sultana, & McCarthy 2010).

Practitioner perceptions of role of technology will have an impact on how their practice will evolve.


Introduction

Increased use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) highlighted as an essential component for widening access to lifelong guidance services

The increasing use of technology by key user groups of career services – especially young people – is placing new demans on individual career practitioners and on the organisations (Bimrose & Barnes, 2010; Sampson, J. P., Shy, J. D., Offer, M., & Dozier, V. C. )

A consensus has emerged that both the counsellor and ICT have an important role to play in the delivery of enhanced career guidance services within the Internet. (Vuorinen 2006).

Practitioner perceptions of role of technology will have an impact on how their practice will evolve.


Contextual changes in the use of ICT in Finland

In 2002, counsellors indentified use of ICT as one of the weakest competence areas in their practice (Kasurinen & Numminen 2003).

Actions taken:– Integration of ICT in the national core curricula as a compulsory

element in career education 2003

– National in-service training program for guidance practitioner

– 60 % of the career practitioners in general education completed a 40 hour training module in the use of ICT in guidance

A national study focused on whether or not there are differences in the perceptions in the use of ICT among practitioners in 2001-2002 and in 2010.


Summary of the similarities in the perceptions of practitioners in the use of

ICT 2001-2002 and 2010

Practitioners were motivated in their use of Internet in guidance

ICT was used in delivering career information rather than promoting career management skills from a lifelong guidance perspective

Lack of coherent strategies for the use of ICT Need for peer support and on-going in-service training Concern of equal access and ethical issues Existing career information is fragmented in Internet


Summary of the differences in the perceptions of practitioners in the use of

ICT 2001-2002 and 2010

Today students have better access to the Internet and better ICT literacy.

Increased ICT resources and services Internet has replaced printed materials as information source Perceived external pressure to increase the use of Internet and social

media Practitioners use Internet more extensively More advanced administration software Gap among students between low readiness and high readiness has

increased Need for differentiated service delivery mode is observed and

acknowledged Chanced nature of Internet due the social media and web 2.0


Defining the social media

“Social media is a process, where individuals and groups build up a common understanding and meanings with contents, communities and web 2.0 techology.”

Sources: Erkkola (2008)

Kangas et al. (2007) Ahlqvist et al (2010


Defining the social media

“form of communication which makes use of information networks and information technology and deals with content created by users in an interactive way and in which interpersonal relationships are created and maintained”

Source: Finnish Terminology Center (2010)


What is social media/ social web?

It is Participation (encourages contributions and

feedback from everyone who is interested) Openness (Most social media services are open

to feedback and participation. They encourage voting, comments and the sharing of information.)

Conversation (social media is better seen as a two-way conversation)

Community (communities can form quickly and communicate effectively. Communities usually share common interests.)

Connectedness

Source: Antony Mayfield, 2008: What is Social Media? E-book, iCrossing (v1.4 Updated 1.8.08); http://www.icrossing.co.uk/fileadmin/uploads/eBooks/What_is_social_media_Nov_2007.pdf


Experienced Internet users and social media


General

“We were and we still kind of are visitors on Internet. We read the materials and do not interactive with it too much. But now things are chancing… we are becoming a producers and active actors on Internet. We can create material and be part of that interactions which is going on there all the time”


Social media in IAG -Summary of the percveived chances and

challenges

Medium/ chanel for communication

better chance for more accessible service/ more outreach– Interacting, motivating,

More media-rich materia Games & virtual worlds

Peer support among students Professional network (locally,

nationally, globally)

24/7 – nine to five Which tool

– for whom

– for what

Screening?


Social media in IAG -Summary of the percveived chances and

challenges

Opportunity to create and co-product material/information

Easy to use, not depending on organizational beaurucrary

Realtime communication (chat) More transparent – voice of

users Brings practitioners closer Enables informal student

activity

Lack of time to adapt the new applications and pedagogical model


Barriers and restrictions

Lack of time to adapt the new applications and pedagogical model

Quality assurance Social Media acts as an effective tool to promote

inclusion but also exclusion (bullying) New web-based environments need new kind of skills

– Once written will stay on Internet

New need for time management Need to prioritase tasks Questions of privacy and security of information Copyright issues


Personal

Not public Public

Professional

A) Activities related to one’s professional role, not necessarily to one’s employer B) Activities related to one’s employer and one’s professional role

Source: Aalto, T & Uusisaari, M.Y (2010) Löydy – brändää itsesi verkossa


Discussion

Students use the Internet more than previously and this forces practitioners to change their communication channels

Gap between low and high readiness among the students has increased and the practitioners are seeing more clearly the need for differentiated service delivery modes (Sampson 2008).


Discussion

Despite the fact of national training programmes the on-going evolution of Internet necessitates the continuing in-service training of practitioners. Within initial practitioner training, the use of modern technology should be integrated in the methodology of training and not used only as a separate entity. The crucial role of ICT in creating a common conceptual framework for guidance provision.


Discussion

Need to distinguish the one’s personal role in work and private lives

IAG in written format/mode is perceived as a new necessary competence area

Need for additional time and support in applying ICT in guidance

Practitioners are worried about the quality assurance Shift from information to the development of individual

Career Management Skills


Thank you!

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Raimo VuorinenFinnish Institute for Educational Research University of Jyväskylä[email protected]

Ms. Jaana KettunenFinnish Institute for Educational Research University of Jyväskylä,[email protected]

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