what is e-guidance? issues, problems and solutions marcus offer, nicec

What is E-Guidance?What is E-Guidance?

Issues, Problems and Solutions

Marcus Offer, NICEC

Some relevant projects and reports, 2000-2004Some relevant projects and reports, 2000-2004

Careers Services: Technology and the FutureOffer, M., Sampson, J.P.,Watts, A.G. 2001 CSU

Services for Graduates. A national career development service .. Madahar, L, 2003, CSU (chat, email)

Managing e-guidance interventions within HE careers services Madahar, L., & Offer, M, Graduate Prospects 2004 (email)

Connexions Direct (web site, chat, email, telephone)

Learndirect (telephone helpline, web site, email)

E-guidance in Denmark – www.uddanelseogjob.dk(web site, email)

Apaja Centre, Helsinki, Finland (email, e-learning)

West of Scotland Graduate Careers Email Service (email)

Guidance media – the spectrum expandsGuidance media – the spectrum expands

Synchronous Telephone Face to face Group work/teachingAsynchronous Letter Book/video Distance learning

Face-to-face Videoconference Telephone Chat Email Text Message On-line discussion E-learning Web site Book, video

E-GuidanceE-Guidance

“Yes, but is it guidance?”

It may depend on…..It may depend on….. Definitions of “guidance” The design of the resource system How the service is managed and framed The advisers’ skill and understanding

of the medium

Definitions 1Definitions 1

An in-depth interview or other activity, conducted by a trained adviser, which helps clients to explore a range of options, to relate information to their own needs and circumstances and to make decisions about their career (i.e. their progression in learning and work). …. LSC Funding Guidance 2003/4 p3

Explore your options, relate information to your ownneeds and circumstances, and make decisions about your career. This could include helping you to setgoals for learning and workGuidance Council web site, information for the public

Definitions 2Definitions 2

A structured process or event (either in a one-to-one interview or in a group context) conducted by a competent adviser which assists a person to explore a range of options, relate information to their own needs and circumstances and to review decisions about future actions

Glossary of terms for the matrix standard ..a process of interventions designed to empower

individuals to make realistic and relevant decisions about work and learning which are right for them

Institute of Career Guidance

““Enhanced Services”Enhanced Services”

“In depth, structured support … helping..explore, clarify, assess and understand ... needs, skills and interests in relation to learning and work and how to meet them, together with the opportunities … open and how to access them … make realistic judgements … develop and move to the next stage … supporting them in dealing with providers … lobbying and negotiating...helping to construct a plan … bringing gaps and barriers to the attention of … providers…”

From: IAG management information categories

Most Frequent EnquiriesMost Frequent Enquiries

Further study [e.g. Middx 28%, Strath. 14%]

Job search & application [e.g. Bradford 30%, Middx 26%, ]

How to explore your options [Strath 17%]

Career choice [Middx 16%]Career change [Liv Hope 12%]

““Guidance”Guidance”

An umbrella term incorporating:Activities (e.g. informing, advising, counselling)

leading to

Outcomes (e.g. DOTS, FIRST)

using certain

Skills (e.g. non-verbal communication, prompting the user to identify the issues, interactive communication)

Guidance: Guidance: Activities, OutcomesActivities, Outcomes

Informing Advising Counselling Assessing Enabling Advocacy FeedbackUDACE, 1986, Challenge of Change

DOTS (Law & Watts)

FIRST (Bedford, T.)

Egan

Etc.

FIRSTFIRST (Bedford, T., 1982, Dept of Employment, (Bedford, T., 1982, Dept of Employment, Vocational Guidance InterviewsVocational Guidance Interviews))

FocusInformationRealismScope Tactics

In logical order?:

Focus/ScopeRealism (Self)

Realism (Labour

Market)

InformationTactics

Outcomes: Outcomes: National ServicesNational Services Local ServicesLocal Services

Focus 42%Tactics 41%Scope 36%Information 33%Realism 34%(Madahar,L., Service for Graduates,

2003, erratum) Based on users’ self-report.

Tactics 53% Information 44% Scope 29% Focus 15% Realism 5% [Decision making

7%](Madahar & Offer, Managing e-guidance

2004) Based on content analysis

It may also depend on:It may also depend on:

the design of the resource system

What role does Email play?What role does Email play?

EmailReception / Drop In?

Web SiteCareers Library? Drop-in?

Vacancy and CV databases

Employment services

Prospects PlannerOr other CAGS

Face to face interview??

On-line CMS ModuleCareers education or group guidance

Off-line services

Another way of doing it….Another way of doing it….

Web SiteReception

EmailFace-to-face, 121, mentoring, coaching,

personal advice and support

Vacancy/Employer/Courses

databaseEmployment and placing services

CAGS121 guidance??

CMS moduleCareers education or group

guidance,

Off lineservices

It may also depend on:It may also depend on:

how the service is managed and framed

Managing Email: the ChoicesManaging Email: the Choices

Filters – to identify needsLink - home page / or contextualisedRegistration – encourage seriousnessFAQs - for enquirer and adviserRelate to a person / to a system

Apaja, HelsinkiApaja, Helsinki

Personalised approachRegistration firstPicture of counsellorCould take 1-1.5 hours to deal withOne enquiry could mean up to 8 contacts

[compare Liverpool Hope]

Team Approach (1)Team Approach (1)

One query, one answer is normal One enquirer, interchangeable advisers Anonymous adviser No specialisation : generic advisers Advisers also deal with first level enquiries All can see each others responses Quicker response times[E.g. the National Services for Graduates]

Team Approach (2)Team Approach (2)

Select diagnostic category on registrationAllocated to appropriate person

accordinglySpecialisation possibleFollow-on assuredAll levels of staff can respondLonger response times needed[E.g. Strathclyde]

Team Approach (3)Team Approach (3)

Any team member can respond Any member can supplement the answerAll answers checked by an editorAny reader can add a supplement

(another student, or external counsellor)

[E.g. <www.uddanelseogjob.dk> Peter Føge]

And, lastly, it may depend on:And, lastly, it may depend on:

the advisers’ skill and understanding of the medium

New Skills Needed?New Skills Needed?

Technical fluency Ability to analyse a text Writing skills e.g.

• Conveying warmth

• “Emotional bracketing”

• “Descriptive immediacy”

 Empathy on-line

“Empathic people… construct their messages anticipating what it will be like for the recipient to read it. They write in a style that is both engaging and readily understood. With appropriate use of spacing, paragraph breaks and various keyboard characters …to serve as highlights and dividers, they visually construct the message so that it is easy and pleasing to read. They estimate just how long is too long. Essentially they are good writers who pay attention to the needs of their audience…”

Suler, J. E-Mail Communications and Relationships, http://truecenterpoint.com/ce/emailrel.html

Other writing skillsOther writing skills

Conversational style(speak it onto a tape first?)

Interactivity (e.g. incorporate parts of the enquiry?)

Layout(same rules as for a web page?)

Plain English(Test for reading level?)

What I haven’t dealt withWhat I haven’t dealt with

Ethics and Security!

References and ContactsReferences and Contacts

What is E-Guidance?

Giving Guidance by Email: an adviser’s checklist

Lucy Madahar, Graduate ProspectsL.Madahar@prospects.ac.uk

Marcus Offer, NICECmarcusoffer@postmaster.co.uk