Career Options: Which One Is Right For Me?

Published on AASL Learning4Life Lesson Plan Database

Career Options: Which One Is Right For Me?
Created by: Violet Harada
Title/Role: Professor
Organization/School Name: University of Hawaii
Location: Hawaii

Grade Level: 11
Type of Lesson: Lesson in a unit
Type of Schedule: Flexible
Collaboration Continuum: Moderate
Content Area:
Vocational education
Content Topic: Career exploration and readiness

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner
  Skills Indicator(s):
  1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital)
  in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
  2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real-
  world situations, and further investigations.
  2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that
  express new understandings.
  Dispositions Indicator(s):
  1.2.5 Demonstrate adaptability by changing the inquiry focus, questions, resources, or strategies when
  necessary to achieve success.
  Responsibilities Indicator(s):
  1.3.2 Seek divergent perspectives during information gathering and assessment.
  Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):
  4.4.3 Recognize how to focus efforts in personal learning.

Scenario: As part of the ?career and college readiness? initiative at the high school, students explore a
range of career options based on aptitudes, personal interests, and academic requirements. In this project
they gather and analyze information on different career paths and apply a decision-making model to
compare career choices against their interests, strengths and values. The LMS assists students in locating
a range of career information sources with a special emphasis on learning how to prepare for and execute
interviews.

Overview: In their career explorations, students assess the usefulness of a range of resources including
print, online, and human sources. They retrieve information from different sources including interviews and
workplace observations. Students address the following essential questions throughout the project: What
career paths have I explored? Which career appeals most to me and why? How can I find out more about
this particular career? How do I know if I am suited for this career?

Final Product: Each student creates a personalized career e-portfolio that includes the student?s goals,

information on the requirements of a specific career, a self-assessment of the student?s abilities and skills,
and evidence of personal accomplishments relating to career goals.

Library Lesson: Prior to this lesson, students have selected a career of interest, created questions about
the career, and engaged in preliminary research culling information from a range of print and online
resources. They are now ready to conduct interviews with community members in specific career fields.
This particular lesson focuses on the introduction of interviewing skills as part of the career research.
NOTE: This specific lesson has not been taught; however, variations of this lesson have been
implemented at several high schools including Kapolei High School in Hawaii.

Estimated Lesson Time: 90 minutes

Assessment
  Product: Students use a check-log (combination of a checklist and a learning log) to assess their
  interviews. The teacher and/or LMS review a summary of the interview to see whether the questions
  asked have been satisfactorily answered.

  Process: Students reflect on how they conducted their interviews in the log portion of the check-log. In
  informal conference sessions with the student, the teacher and/or LMS will ask such questions as: Were
  you able to have all of your questions answered? How did you prepare for the interview? What was easy
  for you during the interview? What was difficult? How would you improve on future interviews based on
  this experience?

  Student self-questioning: How did I prepare for the interview? Did my interviewee understand the
  purpose for my visit and my questions? What could I have done better?

Instructional Plan
  Resources students will use:
  Dataset (ie. lists, tables, databases)
  Moving Image (i.e. animations, movies, tv program, video)
  Interactive Resource (i.e. webpages, multimedia learning objects, chat services)
  Sound (i.e. music playback file, audio compact disc, recorded speech or sounds)
  Text (books, letters, poems, newspapers, etc.)
  Interactive Resource URL: http://www.livebinders.com/

  Resources instructor will use:
  Projector
  Laptop
  Smart board
  VCR/DVD player

Instruction/Activities
  Direct instruction: The LMS shows two short videos on ?good? and ?poor? interviewing techniques.
  [Note: She has previously worked with students in the school media club to enact the interviews and
  create the videos.] Students discuss the differences between the two video clips and identify behaviors
  that make for a successful and professional interview. In addition, the LMS addresses the importance of

the pre-interview preparation, the note-taking procedure during an interview, and the post-interview
  work. She distributes and explains the interview check-log that everyone will use to assess the
  interviews.

  Modeling and guided practice: The LMS and teacher role-play a mock interview. Using the interview
  check-log, students provide feedback on the mock interview. The instructors emphasize the importance
  of knowing how to spontaneously ask relevant follow-up questions during an interview.

  Independent practice: Using their own set of interview questions, students work in triads to role-play
  how they might conduct their interviews. While two students assume the roles of interviewer and
  interviewee, the third student observes the interaction and completes the check-log for the interviewer.
  Students continue this activity until all three members of a group have had the chance to serve as
  interviewer, interviewee, and observer. They provide advice and feedback to each other.

  Sharing and reflecting: Students reconvene as a class and share (1) their thoughts about their
  performances as interviewers, and (2) interviewing tips they have for one another. They will use the
  check-log to assess their actual interviews.

Have you taught this lesson before: No

Strategies for differentiation: Students have different sets of interview questions depending on the
careers they have chosen and on the individuals being interviewed. The instructors also allow considerable
flexibility in the content of the individual e-portfolios. They encourage customization in the portfolios so that
these products reflect students? personal voices and identities.

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Common Core: Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12
CC11-12, SL6: English Language Arts. Speaking and Listening: Presentation of Knowledge and
Ideas: 6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate. (4) Present information, findings, and supporting evidence
such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose. and audience.

Student

Person interviewed

                                Check-Log to Assess the Interview

Assessment criteria:
   • I prepare carefully before the interview.
   • I state the purpose for the interview.
   • I ask questions that reflect my research and thinking about this career.
   • I listen attentively and respectfully.

Note: The student interviewer uses this form to assess his/her own performance. The student can
also invite the interviewee to use the checklist. This checklist assumes that the student asked for
permission to tape the interviewee prior to the session.

                                        Interview Checklist

Interviewer did the following                                      Interviewer        Interviewee
                                                                 Yes      No         Yes      No

Tested the taping equipment before coming to the interview
to make sure that it was working properly.

Sent the interview questions in advance.

Upon arriving, introduced myself to the interviewee.

Explained the purpose for the interview.

Stated questions clearly.

Asked questions reflecting that research had been done
beforehand.

Generated additional follow-up questions based on
interviewee’s responses.

Asked politely for clarification when something was not clear.

Took occasional notes but mainly listened attentively.

Never interrupted or rushed the interviewee.
Asked permission to contact the interviewee after the
interview if additional questions surfaced.

Thanked the interviewee for the time spent.

Reflecting on the interview

What I did well:

How I could improve: