Defined Learning launches new career pathways solution to empower educators to strengthen students future-readiness skills.
November 11, 2020 (CHICAGO, IL)—To support students and teachers with in-person, hybrid, or virtual learning settings, Defined Learning, a K-12 EdTech company specializing in project based curriculum, announces Defined Careers™, a comprehensive career exploration solution for students in grades 5-14.
Exposing students to career-based education helps shape their interests and proficiencies while granting them the ability to explore their curiosities and self-select the classes and pathways to support their future ambitions. Defined Careers™ is a targeted career exploration component intended to bridge the gap between on-site work-based learning, career guidance tools, and classroom project-based learning.
Bridging the Gap
In one study, 40 percent of college students nationwide take at least one remedial course. First-time undergrad students who take just one remedial course are also 74 percent more likely to drop out. There's a disconnect between what students are assuming to have mastered during high school and what college courses are requiring in advance of career readiness.
A career-based learning path provides students with career guidance and real-world projects which align with their interests, personality traits, and prepares them for the future. Defined Careers™ is the next step in project based learning by offering a multi-dimensional career assessment in combination with personalized real world projects across all career pathways.
Assessment—A Multi-Dimensional Approach
While there are many aptitude tests on the market, the Defined Careers™ Assessment focuses on the student holistically by combining three main factors where many traditional assessments focus on one or two.
- Interest Inventory—six areas of interest include artistic, conventional, enterprising, investigative, realistic, and social
- Values Inventory—six areas of value include achievement, independence, recognition, relationships, support, and working conditions.
- Study Preferences—students participate in a process to assist them in ranking preferred areas of study.
Post-assessment, students work through career-focused performance tasks to explore the ins-and-outs of each career path. The 16 career clusters and related pathways in Defined Careers™ provide learners a constellation of jobs that best fit their academic and career interests. Such exploration can lead to the study of specific jobs of interest, identification of job characteristics, and engagement to personal preparation areas/activities to successfully pursue provided careers.
The Missing Link: Application
“Project based learning offers the perfect opportunity for students to explore their recommended pathways through real-world experiences,” explained Joel Jacobson, CEO of Defined Learning. “The missing link is the application of the subject matter itself—the transfer of knowledge. We want students to be engaged in subject matter and careers of interest; practical application of real-world knowledge and experience is how to make a lasting impact.”
Defined Careers™ offers career clusters and related pathways to present students with constellation of jobs that best fit their academic and career interests. From here, exploration will lead students to specific job interests, characteristics, and areas of engagement. It's invaluable firsthand knowledge of a particular career field or fields, culminating with over 300 career-focused projects that adds rich context and application to the experience.
For more information regarding Defined Careers™ and how to introduce this solution to your school, connect with our team.
About Defined Learning
Defined Learning is a transformative K-12 EdTech company that combines technology, creativity, and curriculum expertise to provide useful and relevant online content to students, teachers, and administrators. Since 2009, Defined Learning has been helping school districts bring real world experiences that are connected to today's careers into the classroom through its web-based platform.
Media Contact
Julia Brolin
Public Relations Specialist
320-640-4303
julia@vye.agency
