Motivated Behavioral Choices of Young Technological Talents - From Adolescence to Career Success

Abstract

Technical abilities are fundamental to human existence. At each stage within the cycle of life, humans continuously strive to acquire new skills or to refine existing ones in the hope that productivity and quality of life are enhanced. Despite the fact that skilled behavior underlines nearly every human activity, our understanding about the factors that contribute to the attainment of expertise in technology education is far from complete. Not to mention, that we do not really know what is needed in career success for technological professions. This article builds on earlier research that defined and assessed technical abilities among adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine determinants of technological competence and try to predict student potential for career success. It tracks the students whose technical abilities were assessed in a study twenty five years ago. The follow-up study was carried out as a qualitative case study. Although, we must be cautious about final conclusions because of the limited number of research subjects, the study shows that it is possible to predict student potential for career success in the technical professions. However, the process in making motivated behavioral choices in the area of technology seems to be much more complicated for technologically talented females than for males.

Keywords

• Motivated behavioral choices,Technological talent,Career success

References

1. Autio, O. & Hansen, R. (2002). Defining and Measuring Technical Thinking: Students’ Technical Abilities in Finnish Comprehensive Schools. Journal of Technology Education, 14 (1), 5-19. Baruch, G., Barnett, R. & Rivers, C. (1983). Life prints. New York: McGraw-Hill. Betz, N. & Hackett, G. (1986). Application of self-efficacy theory to understanding career choice behavior. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 4, 279-289. Brainard, S. G. & Carlin, L. (1998). A six-year longitudinal study of undergraduate women in engineering and science. Journal of Engineering Education, 87(4), 369–375. Byman, R. (2002). Voiko motivaatiota opettaa? [Can we teach motivation?]. In Kansanen, P. & Uusikylä, K. (Eds.) Luovuutta, motivaatiota, tunteita (25-41). Jyväskylä: Gummerus. Eccles, J. (2008). Agency and Structure in Human Development. Research in Human Development 5 (4), 231-243. Eccles, J. (2009). Who Am I and What Am I Going to Do With My Life? Personal and Collective Identities as Motivators of Action. Educational Psychologist 44(2), 78-89. Flyvbjerg, B. (2006). Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study. Research Qualitative Inquiry 2006 (12), 219-245. Hill, A., Corbett, C. & St.Rose, A. (2010). Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. AAUW: Washington. Kracke, B. (2002). The role of personality, parents and peers in adolescents’ career exploration. Journal of Adolescence, 25, 19-30.. Mortimer. J., Zimmer-Gembeck. M., Holmes, M. & Shanahan, M. (2002). The process of occupational decision making: Patterns during the transition to adulthood. Journal of Vocational Behvior, 61(3), 439-465. Ratelle, C.F., Larose, S., Guay, F. & Senecal, C. (2005). Perceptions of parental involvement and support predictors of college students’ persistence in a science curriculum. Journal of Family Psychology 19, 286-293. Reeve, J., Bolt, E., & Cai, Y. (1999). Autonomy-supportive teachers: How they teach and motivate students. Journal of Educational Psychology 91, 537-548. Shane, J. & Heckenhausen, J. (2012). Career-related goal pursuit among post high school youth. Motivation and Emotion, 36(2), 159-169. Stake, R. (1995). The Art of Case Study Research. California: Sage Publications. Vida, M. & Eccles, J. (2003). Gender differences in college major and occupational choices. In Eccles, J. (2008) Agency and Structure in Human Development. Research in Human Development 5 (4), 231-243. Vogt, C. M., Hocevar, D., & Hagedorn, L. S. (2007). A social cognitive construct validation: Determining women’s and men’s success in engineering programs. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(3), 337–64. Wigfield, A. & Eccles, J. (1992). The development of achievement task values: A theoretical analysis. Devel. Rew. 12, 265-31