An exploration of focus groups as a means of investigating career thinking and exploration in a sample of black learners in an under- resourced school.

Abstract

Much of the research on career development of black secondary school learners (Hickson

& White, 1989, Ntshangase, 1995) has been focused on black learners in relatively

affluent black areas, particularly townships. The aim of this study was to investigate

career development and exploration in a sample of black learners from an under-resourced

school in Pietermaritzburg. They were generally of a low socio economic status.

In order to assess the learners' career maturity, a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental

design was used. The central aim of this research project was to undertake focus group

discussions. In order to facilitate career development, the discussions were learner-driven.

These discussions were run over five sessions and allowed for an investigation of

contextual influences on career development.

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of data collected was conducted, in order to ascertain

the effect of the focus group discussions on the learners' career maturity levels. The

analysis showed a marked improvement in total career maturity scores of the experimental

group as was measured by the Career Development Questionnaire. No significant changes

were observed in the total maturity scores of the comparison group. Qualitative analysis of

the discussions showed that. the learners gained a great deal from one another and together

they discovered and shared career information and life skills.

The results of this study showed the extent to which black learners from under-resourced

areas are marginalized. They do not get the same exposure as their urban, suburban and

township counterparts. The results further highlighted the plight of these learners whose

contextual realities affect their career development.

These findings have implications for policy makes at the level of the school, the

government and community in order to reduce uncertainty and to promote career maturity

in these learners. It is suggested that curriculum packages include grass-roots, community

based programmes, that are sensitive to contextual realities which impact on the career

development of rural black learners.