Climbing the Ladder of Success A WebQuest for Middle School Students

1. Climbing the Ladder of Success A WebQuest for Middle School Students Designed by Kristi Nortonknorton@jgsc.k12.in.us

2. Introduction Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes You are employed at the JobsRus career center which helps people to find the career of their dreams. Otis Campbell has come into JobsRus looking for help. He has been working a variety of jobs since graduating from high school but has not found one he particularly likes. He wants a change even if it requires going back to school. Your supervisor has already administered a career survey to find out Otis’s strengths and interests. You and three of your colleagues have been assigned to his case. Your job is to find him the job of his dreams. Otis will be returning in a couple of days to hear your suggestions. Good Luck, his future is depending on you.

3. The Task Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Your “job” will include being assigned to work with a group of fellow employees to research prospective jobs for a client. Your group will find out in-depth information about a particular career, analyze that information from a particular perspective, and report back to the class using a multimedia platform.

4. The Process Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Prior to beginning the process, each member of your assigned group will have taken a career survey to find out your particular career interests. Your teacher will assign each group 4 careers based upon the results of each career survey. Now that your group has been given its assignments, the four of you must start looking at the career from different perspectives. Each of you will choose one of the roles listed and as you research your information, you will be looking at it as though you are the role that you are playing.

5. The Process Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Roles: • Educator--You realize that before you can even begin to think about your career, you need to find out how to get trained for it. What degrees will be necessary? Where are the degrees offered? How do you gain acceptance to the college that offers the degrees, and how much will it cost? If college is not necessary, what type of training is required, and what options are there for paying for the training? You see things very similarly to the Personnel Manager, but your focus is on how to get the education, not on what skills the education is supposed to give you. • Personnel Manager--What you want to find out is what each career requires to get in the door. What skills are going to be needed, how should a resume and/or job search letter be presented, what interview skills need to be developed, etc? Whatever it takes to get started in your chosen career, you want to know about it.

6. The Process Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes • Money Lover--All you want to know about your future career is what's in it for you. What are the average starting salaries, what kind of benefits are to be expected, does your career have strong inflation-fighting potential, (that is, does it offer an opportunity for consistent hefty raises), and how strong are the retirement plans that are typically offered. Your point of view is that if it's good for you, it must be good for the company. • The Self-Actualizer--You want to know what your career will be like on a day-to-day basis. What exactly is your job description? What will be expected of you by your superior, peers, and staff? What type of events and processes typically make up your day? Is the work day flexible and dynamic, or is it made up of simple, repetitive tasks? You are concerned more with the quality of your work environment then with the monetary remuneration.

7. The Process Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Once you've all chosen your roles, it's time to begin researching. You will use the resources provided to find out all you can about each career. Collect all the research you can, then analyze it from the perspective of your role. When all the research is collected, your group will get together to create a 5-10 minute Power Point presentation for the class. You will discuss the various aspects of each job and determine which job has the best potential for the future. Your group will design a power point presentation which will include an introduction, to let us know what the career is and why we should be interested in it, four sections looking at the career from each individual perspective, then a conclusion with an overview about the career and your groups’ feelings about the career as a future choice.

8. Evaluation Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes You are going to be evaluated in two areas; power point group presentation and collaborative work skills. The power point group presentationwill be evaluated by your teacher, according to the rubric. You will grade yourselves and each other based on the criterion included on the collaborative work skills rubric. Be honest with yourselves and each other; you know how much effort you put into it.

9. Evaluation Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes

10. Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Evaluation Rubric continued on the next slide

11. Evaluation Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes

12. Conclusion Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Successful career planning requires knowledge about the many careers that exist in today's world and insight into what your interests, abilities, and values. One of the points of the process was to open your eyes to all the possibilities out there for you. There are many opportunities available for you. You need to be aware that you have to set some goals in order to get there. Any future you want to achieve is going to be accomplished not just by dreaming about it, but by setting goals and working toward them.

13. Standards Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Indiana Career and Technology Programs Standards: 4.2 Curriculum activities help students apply appropriate English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies standards in work-related situations. 4.3 Local curriculum emphasizes the technical, academic, and employability skills needed for success. 4.11 Guidance activities are used to help students affirm or adjust career goals.

14. Resources Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes Occupation Outlook Handbook - http://www.bls.gov/oco/ Bureau of Labor and Statistics http://www.bls.gov/ Careers for kids who like certain subjects - http://stats.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm. Career Profiles - http://www.icpac.indiana.edu/careers/career_profiles/index.xml Indiana Workforce Development Career Clusters - http://www.icpac.indiana.edu/careers/clusters/index.xml US Department of Education Career Clusters - http://www.icpac.indiana.edu/careers/doe_clusters/index.xml Indiana Career and Postsecondary Advancement Center - http://www.icpac.indiana.edu/ Career Info Net. Informed Career Decisions - http://www.acinet.org/acinet/library.asp?category=1.2 Job descriptions and information - http://www.whatdotheydo.com/

15. Teacher Notes Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes This WebQuest was designed for middle school students to develop research and decision making skills.  Students should have an open mind about this topic.  Also, they will have to be familiar with Microsoft PowerPoint for their presentation.  Students should take a career survey prior to beginning the project . An online career survey website is listed below. Career Survey -http://www.careerkey.org/cgi-bin/ck.pl?action=choices

16. Teacher Notes Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes • Time and Resources - Students will be given Four(4) weeks to work on the WebQuest assignment  • First/Second week - research using internet, and library resources • Third week - work with group and debate • Fourth Week- work on presentations and present • Brainstorming - students will be asked to work together in order to make a choice on what type of job shows the greatest potential for the future.

17. Teacher Notes Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Standards | Resources |Teacher Notes • Responsibilities of teacher • to have the students take a career survey • determine the groups • provide possible resources on the internet • provide minimal direction • be available for help • Responsibilities of students  • complete tasks on time • equal group participation  • students will be grading each member of their group