Identifying the Drivers of Academic and Career Guidance among Upper Secondary School Students
Keywords:
Academic guidance, career guidance, thematic analysis, upper secondary education, driving factorsAbstract
The objective of this study was to identify the key drivers shaping academic and career guidance for upper secondary school students in Tehran Province. This study employed a qualitative exploratory design using thematic analysis. Participants included university experts and educational practitioners with specialized experience in academic and career guidance. Using purposive and snowball sampling, 24 participants were interviewed through semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed and coded in MAXQDA and analyzed based on Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis framework. Data trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability criteria. The analysis resulted in 5 overarching themes, 16 organizing themes, and 74 basic themes. The overarching themes included individual enablers, environmental enablers, human enablers, structural enablers, and curriculum-based enablers. These themes encompassed components such as students’ abilities and interests, cultural attitudes toward occupations, family conditions, labor market considerations, parental awareness, teacher and counselor competencies, the necessity of revising guidance programs, the role of technological tools, redesigned policies, revised content, and improved assessment mechanisms. The final thematic network demonstrated that effective academic and career guidance requires the coordinated interaction of individual, social, structural, and curricular factors. The findings highlight that systematic attention to the identified drivers can enhance the quality of academic and career guidance and support students in making informed and realistic educational and occupational choices aligned with their abilities, interests, and labor market needs.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Reza Shirzadi, Fakhrodin Ahmadi, Hamid Shafizadeh (Author)
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