Experiential Learning Curricular Development Model for Stimulating Student Interest in Green Collar Careers

摘要

Green jobs are in high demand, yet there is lack of a trained workforce for the green industries. Early exposure to green careers can stimulate future employment interest among students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an experiential learning unit of instruction designed to expose students to and develop knowledge about the green collar workforce. The study used a mixed method research design. A purposive sample of 101 (n=101) secondary students in career development type classes were given a pre-test, treatment, and post-test that involved both quantitative and qualitative responses. The findings revealed that the developed curriculum did increase student awareness of, and knowledge about the green collar workforce. Educators interested in career guidance and work force preparation may adopt the curriculum examined, or choose to develop their own based off the same experiential learning theory principles used in the development of the green collar workforce curriculum.