مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - An Analysis of High School Students’ Career Values

Abstract :

There are two objectives of the present study. The first objective is to develop a measurement tool to be used in determination of career values of high school students. The second objective of the study is to determine the levels and to rank high school students’ career values based on gender and professional areas they want to choose in the future. The study was conducted with 1736 (female = 801, male = 935) high school students. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the construct validity of the inventory. As a result of exploratory factor analysis, the inventory included 35 items and 9 sub-dimensions (financial gain, leadership, independence, aid, use of physical properties, work health, creativity, friendship and teamwork) and explained 65% of the total variance, the eigenvalue of the inventory was 22.58. Factor load values for the inventory items varied between .53 and .82. The construct obtained as a result of confirmatory factor analysis was assessed for χ2/sd ratio, GFI, RMSEA, RMR / SRMR, CFI fit indices and it was determined that index values were good for model fitness. Coefficients of internal consistency calculated to identify the reliability of sub-dimensions of the inventory varied between .70 and .83. Test-retest reliability analysis conducted to determine the consistency level of the inventory revealed inventory sub-dimension consistency levels between .61 and .82. Thus, it was identified that Career Value Inventory was a valid and reliable measurement tool to determine career values of high school students. Results of the present study demonstrated that aid career value was the leading career value among female students, while friendship career value was the most prominent among male students. Levels and ranks between career values based on the professional areas that students wanted to select in the future were examined and the results are discussed.