Shari L. Peterson

The Component Structure of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy for Underprepared College Students

Following the successful application of Banduras (1977) theory of self-efficacy to the treatment of career indecision (Betz & Hackett, 1981; Hackett & Betz, 1981), Taylor and Betz (1983) developed the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) scale. CDMSE identifies the extent to which students have confidence (self-efficacy) in their ability to engage in educational and occupational planning and decision-making. The Taylor and Betz (1983) study identified five sub-scales: Self-Appraisal, Occupational Information, Goal Selection, Planning, and Problem-Solving. Each sub-scale consisted of ten items. Using principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation, the total variance accounted for by factor scores of the five sub-scales equaled 52%. However, it was noted that since most of the items had relatively large loadings on more than one factor, the structure was not clear-cut, and therefore, the scale potentially represented a single and rather large general factor. Research has provided support for the validity of the CDMSE instrument (Betz & Hackett, 1986; Robbins, 1985; Taylor & Popma, 1990), and the concept has been widely adapted (Brown, Lent, & Larkin, 1989; Lent, Brown, & Larkin, 1984, 1986, 1987; Lent, Larkin, & Brown, 1989; Nevill & Schlecker, 1988; Peterson, 1993a, 1993b; Rotberg, Brown, & Ware, 1987; Shelton, 1990; Stumpf & Brief, 1987). However, the nature of career decision-making self-efficacy, as a construct is still being explored.

Effects of career-decision-making self-efficacy and degree utility on student persistence: A path analytic study

A path model was constructed mapping the effect of career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and degree utility on persistence of underprepared college students. The path model accounted for 21 percent of the variance in intent to persist and 27 percent of the variance in student persistence. The final structural model adds to the literature on student persistence in several ways. First, it suggests the importance of Degree Utility for this population: Students who believed college would provide employment opportunities and better careers were more likely to persist. Second, it confirms that CDMSE has a direct effect on social and academic integration and an indirect effect on persistence. Implications for research include developing and testing interventions to enhance CDMSE. Implications for practice include providing career counseling and advising that identifies the connection between employment opportunities and academic course, program, or degree completion and engaging in practices that increase CDMSE.

Coaching Scales A Review of the Literature and Comparative Analysis

The Problem Given the relevance of scales for selecting managers, Peterson and Little called for an examination of scales used to measure coaching. However, there are few options from which to select validated scales used to measure coaching. Consequently, there appears to be a knowledge gap—little is known about the coaching scales that are available and how they have been validated and tested. The Solution A proposed solution to the issue is to (a) present a comprehensive review of the literature, identifying coaching scales; (b) analyze those scales, providing information on scale item development, reliability, and validation of available scales; and (c) compare and clarify the efficacy of those scales. The Stakeholders This literature review will benefit academic scholars, practitioners, and scholar-practitioners by supporting and encouraging their research. Identification and clarification of the existing scales, their focus, and validation processes can bridge the research/theory–practice gap.

Professional fulfillment and satisfaction of US and Canadian adult education and human resource development faculty

This comparative study explored the professional fulfillment and job satisfaction of US and Canadian college and university faculty in the fields of Adult Education and Human Resource Development. In Autumn 2001, we disseminated electronically The Adult Education and Human Resource Development Faculty Survey to a selected sample of Canadian and US faculty from across the continent. Results showed few differences between the US and Canadian faculty in terms of sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, suggesting a commonality among members of the profession. However, within Canada, there were some differences between male and female faculty and between the fields. Specific aspects of professional fulfillment, responsible for overall career satisfaction, varied somewhat between Canadian and US faculty. Overall, faculty members were relatively satisfied with their careers and would choose the same careers if they had it to do over again. However, ‘change is in the air’ in academia, and declining job satisfaction may become an important issue for US and Canadian college and university administrators who will soon face the challenge of replacing a wave of baby‐boom professorial retirements with a predicted shortage of new PhD graduates. This study advances our understanding about the need to improve organizational climates in order to build on an already satisfying profession.

A Case Study of Academic Programme Integration in the USA: Andragogical, Philosophical, Theoretical and Practical Perspectives.

The landscape of higher education is being transformed as challenges for greater efficiency, accountability, and economic viability challenge administrative and programmatic structures. Programmatic, administrative, and organizational realignment has emerged as one response to the challenge. This paper presents a case study which describes andragogical, philosophical, theoretical, and practical perspectives surrounding the restructuring and integration between Adult Education and Human Resource Development faculty of a large mid-western doctoral granting research institution, and the curricular development that resulted. Programmatic integration between compatible faculty units can result in efficient and effective design and delivery of curriculum that addresses the concerns of faculty, meets the changing needs of students, and responds to the demands of the changing landscape of higher education. In this case, realignment created an opportunity for the revitalization of faculty, programmes, and students.

Turnover intention: the effects of core self-evaluations, proactive personality, perceived organizational support, developmental feedback, and job complexity

Despite extensive examination of predictors for turnover and turnover intention, most studies have focused on attitudinal and behavioural aspects of individual employees. Based on a study of knowledge workers in a Korean conglomerate, we investigated the effects of personal (i.e. core self-evaluations and proactive personality) and contextual factors (i.e. perceived organizational support, developmental feedback, and job complexity) on turnover intention. There were modestly negative but significant correlations between the contextual factors and turnover intention. In addition, core self-evaluations were found to be negatively related to turnover intention. Managers and human resource development professionals could play a pivotal role in retention of these knowledge workers by building better practices related to organizational culture, providing job redesign, and engaging in other employee developmental practices such as coaching.

The nature of faculty work: A Canadian and US comparison

Abstract Results based on 187 responses to an electronic survey from Canadian and US faculty in human resource development and adult education identified career paths of faculty, the nature of the job (i.e. how faculty divide their time between teaching, research and service), the nature of their programmes, and the key changes, issues and trends in their respective fields. There were few differences between the two countries. Where possible, findings also are compared to two previous studies. Identifying what drew faculty to academia and how they spend their time may enhance understanding of how they derive meaning and satisfaction from work. This understanding could help identify ways to mitigate faculty turnover.

Measuring coaching: behavioral and skill-based managerial coaching scales

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is two-fold: to identify the reliability and content validity of two popular managerial coaching scales – the Ellinger Behavioral Scale and the Park Skills-based Scale – to determine the extent to which the construct, coaching, is more accurately measured as a behavioral construct or a skill-based construct from the perspective of the coach, and from that of his or her direct reports using a single data set. Design/methodology/approach – This research utilized survey research which tested the reliability and validity of two existing coaching scales. Analyses included correlation matrices, principle axis factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Findings – Results of this research indicate that neither scale is perfectly reliable and valid. However, given the results of the analysis, the authors recommend the Park scale for leaders and the Ellinger scale for team members. Research limitations/implications – This research indicates that investment in valid scales...

The nature of peer coaching: definitions, goals, processes and outcomes

Purpose The purpose of this research is to create a definition of peer coaching using literature from various and disparate organizational and educational contexts. This research is intended to clarify what constitutes peer coaching overall, and guide the ever-growing practice of peer coaching. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a combination of inductive and deductive qualitative approaches through the implementation of qualitative content analysis (QDA). The research used a data reduction process with 87 existing scholarly articles in the area of peer coaching, in which the researchers focused on selected aspects of the data and followed the practice of staying close to manifest artifacts within the data. Findings The results of the qualitative data analysis indicated that five themes emerged within the literature. Themes were as follows: program structure, purpose and goals of peer coaching, peer coaching processes and mechanisms in which peer coaching is conducted, outcomes of peer coaching and relational contexts and functions of peer coaching relationships. Originality/value While there is an increase in peer coaching, research on this type of coaching is scarce with few empirical studies on the topic: what has been conducted has not been particularity reliable (Hagen and Peterson, 2014); and most of the published research is limited to education, nursing, other medical contexts and non-profit organizations. This research helps to clarify the nature of peer coaching and create a cogent definition that defines formal peer coaching within all peer coaching contexts.