Using O-NET to Identify Personal Interests, Aptitudes, and Abilities
Using O-NET to Identify Personal Interests, Aptitudes, and Abilities
Grade Levels
Course, Subject
Rationale
Vocabulary
- Data descriptors - Categories of occupational information as found on O-NET. The data descriptors describe interests or abilities required for specific occupations.
- Interests - Activities or experiences which are of particular importance to an individual
- Abilities – Individual strengths
- Values - Relative worth, strength or importance (ex. money, making the world a better place, animals, health and wellness)
- Occupation - Means of earning a living, vocation
- Careers - An occupation or profession, especially one that requires specialized training
Objectives
Objectives |
Method of Summative Evaluation |
1. Students will complete a priority list of data descriptors in www.onetonline.org with 80% accuracy as determined by teacher observation. |
Completed graphic organizer – teacher observation |
2. Students will compare and contrast data descriptors in all subsets (abilities, interests, knowledge, skills, work activities, work context, work values) and will compile a list of two-five data descriptors per subset that describe the student providing a rationale for the data descriptors chosen with 90% accuracy as observed by the teacher. |
Completed graphic organizer – teacher observation |
3. Students will develop a resume highlighting the data descriptors which best enhance their interests, abilities, skills, and values with 90% accuracy on the rubric. |
Product evaluation - rubric |
Lesson Essential Question(s)
What career pathway best fits my unique interests, aptitudes, and abilities?
Duration
Three 45-minute class periods
Materials
Resources
1. Website - O-NET OnLine
2. Website - Pennsylvania Statewide Career Coach
3. Graphic Organizer - Personal Attributes
Using O-NET to Identify Personal Interests, Aptitudes, and Abilities - Resource 3.doc
4. Graphic Organizer - Data Descriptors
Using O-NET to Identify Personal Interests, Aptitudes, and Abilities - Resource 4.doc
5. Rubric - Resume Rubric
Using O-NET to Identify Personal Interests, Aptitudes, and Abilities - Resource 5.doc
Equipment/Materials/Software
- Computer with internet access
- Data projector and screen
- Student computers with internet access and writing software
Suggested Instructional Strategies
W |
The students will know where they are going because the initial work on www.onetonline.org and the guided discussion will lay out the course for the activity, the value and importance of the activity, and the supports available as needed. The directions and guided discussion will continue to keep the students understanding where they are going. The students’ responses to the questions posed in the bell ringer will help the teacher know where they are coming from. |
H |
The students will be hooked during the lesson by the personal emphasis of the information being discussed and the autonomy of the career exploration opportunities available and necessary on www.onetonline.org. By merging the student contributions with data, the purpose and goal of the lesson, along with the students’ increased self-awareness, will also emerge through inquiry based discussion. |
E |
Students will be engaged through the primary focus on self-assessment and developing a new and more complex way of evaluating strengths, interests, skills, etc. Knowing that they will be able to use this new found information in the pursuit of their career will give them additional incentive. |
R |
Reflection takes place during the lesson by its focus on reviewing, comparing and contrasting data descriptors, and selecting descriptors that fit the student. Students will not be successful during the activity if they are unwilling to do reflection. Students will also have an opportunity to revise the resume they developed based off the evaluation feedback. |
E |
Student understanding is captured through the use of the graphic organizers and the successful completion of the homework assignment. The first graphic organizer assists the student in prioritizing chosen elements of the data descriptors, helping to make the extensive information more manageable for the student. The second graphic organizer helps the student to develop a list of personal attributes they possess, which will be utilized in the creation of a professional resume, the homework assignment, and culminating activity. |
T |
The personal nature of this activity lends itself to students with various abilities. Opportunities to modify the assignment and provide adaptive assistance are available as needed. This lesson will be delivered in accordance with students’ individual education plans and is able to be adjusted for all student backgrounds and needs. |
O |
The organization of this lesson is designed to first demonstrate all of the information available via www.onetonline.org of the data descriptors in key work areas. As students explore the extensive information, they are encouraged to hone in on key elements, thus making the information relevant to his/her abilities, interests, and values. The intent of the activity is to ensure that students understand that they bring something to the table, besides a degree, and that there is a connection between their personal attributes and a good career fit. |
Instructional Procedures
Strategy |
Outline |
Resources/Materials |
Related Skills |
Objective 1 - Students will complete a priority list of data descriptors in www.onetonline.org with 80% accuracy as determined by teacher observation. |
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Bell ringer
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First, share the essential question with the students: What career pathway best fits my unique interests, aptitudes and abilities? Ask the students about their unique interests, aptitudes and abilities. Query them as to how much thought they have spent considering what they will be offering in a field of interest. How do they know that their career area of interest is a good fit? Discuss the concept that knowing what a career needs or prefers in workers, as well as having a good understanding of personal strengths, skills and values, will assist them in making a good career choice. |
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Activity
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Introduce the students to http://onetonline.org. Explain that the website is provided by the United States Department of Labor. Demonstrate O-NET’s features, including job search, skills search, resume building, and more. Allow the students a few minutes to become acquainted with the website. Explain that the focus will be on skills as demonstrated by the data descriptors: Abilities, Interests, Knowledge, Skills, Work Activities, Work Context, and Work Values. Query the students on why these data descriptors could be helpful in ruling in—or ruling out—careers. Demonstrate how to access information and keywords by data descriptor, and demonstrate the subsets found in each data descriptor. |
Resource 1 Equipment 1 |
13.1.11.A |
Activity |
Distribute the graphic organizer Data Descriptors Graphic Organizer. Using the organizer, ask the students to review each data descriptor and its corresponding subset(s) and write a preferential list of data descriptors. Engage the class in a discussion about which data descriptors merited more or less preference and why. |
Resource 1 Resource 2 Equipment 3 |
13.1.11.A
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Objective 2 -Students will compare and contrast data descriptors in all subsets (abilities, interests, knowledge, skills, work activities, work context, work values) and will compile a list of two-five data descriptors per subset that describe the student providing a rationale for the data descriptors chosen with 90% accuracy as observed by the teacher. |
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Anticipatory Set
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First, explain to the students the current state of the jobs market. Indicate that in order to be hired in most fields, in addition to the proper educational background; employers are seeking candidates with the right characteristics. These characteristics can be found within the data descriptors found on “O-NET.” Ask the students to consider what personal attributes they would be offering to a prospective employer. |
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Activity
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Indicate to the students that they will now be utilizing the information found in the data descriptors and their subsets to develop a list of work and ability attributes. Students will glean two-five attributes from each data descriptor category that they believe describe them. The information will be captured on the Personal Attributes Graphic Organizer. The teacher will review students’ efforts for understanding. |
Resource 1 Resource 3 Equipment 3 |
13.1.11.A 13.1.11.B 13.3.11.A |
Objective 3 – Students will develop a resume highlighting the data descriptors which best enhance their interests, abilities, skills and values with 90% accuracy on the rubric. |
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Activity |
Students will review the data that has been gathered, including data descriptors/preferences, and the personal attributes. Students will then develop a professional resume using the personal attributes they have selected. Direct the students to www.pacareercoach.pa.gov to utilize the resume starter. Before they begin writing, distribute a copy of the rubric to each student and review the descriptors for each criteria and answer any questions about it. Have students turn in their resumes and grade them using the rubric. Return them and give them an opportunity to rewrite it based on their evaluation. |
Resource 3 Resource 4 Resource 5 Equipment 3 |
13.2.11.C CC.1.4.11.A CC.1.4.11.F |
Summary Activity |
Guide the students in a discussion about what has been learned during this lesson. Discuss personal characteristics and how some are innate and personality based, while others are based on experience, education, and other attributes which could be developed. Discuss the essential question, “What career pathway best fits my unique interests, aptitudes and abilities?” and ask the students to share how they feel about their selected career pathway based on this lesson. |
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Formative Assessment
In the bell ringer the teacher leads a class discussion to access students’ current knowledge of personal interests and how they are related to careers. Since most of the information students will be finding and creating will be using online sources, the teacher will review individuals work and provide feedback as they roam about the room while students are working.