The Guidance Room - Anne

Anne is 15 years old and in the 10th grade of lower secondary school. This case illustrates typical considerations students face when making their first major educational decision.

About the Case

Anne is 15 years old and in the 10th grade of lower secondary school. After visiting two upper secondary schools, she is uncertain whether to choose an academic track or a vocational programme. She enjoys practical learning but is also interested in several academic subjects. Friends’ choices and parents’ expectations influence her thinking.
 
This case illustrates typical considerations students face when making their first major educational decision.
 

Structure of the Case

The case consists of four parts:

  1. Background information about career guidance in Norwegian lower secondary education.
  2. Episode 1 introduces Anne and her situation.
  3. Episode 2 shows selected moments from her guidance session.
  4. Thematic reflection questions for professional discussion.

 

Background: Career Guidance in Lower Secondary Education in Norway

Lower secondary school in Norway (grades 8–10) provides career guidance through individual and group sessions, career learning activities, upper secondary school visits, and work-experience days. Students also take the compulsory subject Educational Choices, comprising 113 hours over three years, supporting informed transitions to upper secondary education.
 
The Education Act (§16-1) requires that all students have access to career guidance at school, including individual guidance upon request.

The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) has a public website in Norwegian for information about education and work at Utdanning.no, and offers digital career guidance at Karriereveiledning.no, which is free and available to the entire population.


1

Episode 1: Meet Anne

Meet Anne

Reflection Questions

After Watching Episode 1

  1. What challenges and influencing factors is Anne facing?
  2. What aspects of her situation do you recognise from your practice?
  3. What opportunities for career learning do you see?

 

2

Episode 2: The guidance

Step into the guidance session with Anne 

The selected moments from his guidance session are about: 

  1.  Exploring choices 
  2. Cooperating with parents

Reflection Questions

After Watching Episode 2:

  1. How would you have guided Anne? 
  2. The session with Anne shows only two moments of guidance - brief excerpts from a complete session. Is there anything more, or something different, you think should have been said or done during this session? 
  3. What competencies and skills did you observe the career counselor drawing on in the session with Anne? 



3

Episode 3: Reflection

Thematic Reflection Questions

Gender-nontraditional choices

Anne is considering choosing vocational education in technology and industry, where the majority of students are boys.  

  • What is your perspective on choosing paths that go against traditional gender roles? 
  • What is your perspective on gender-nontraditional choices  
  • What kinds of experiences have you had with students making gender-nontraditional choices in education or career planning?  
  • How would you address this topic with a student like Anne during career guidance? 
  • How does the lower secondary school work with gender perspectives in career learning and guidance? 
  • How do upper secondary schools and universities work with gender perspectives in career learning and guidance? 
  • Is there something you're passionate about when it comes to gender-nontraditional choices in education or career planning? 


Parental involvement

Anne and the counselor agree to schedule a new guidance session where Anne’s parents will be present. It seems the parents would prefer Anne to choose the academic specialization track. 

  • What experience do you have with providing career guidance to students together with their parents? 
  • What considerations are relevant when holding career guidance meetings involving students and their parents? 
  • What is your role when students and parents have different opinions? 
  • How far can you go in supporting a student like Anne’s perspective? 
  • Are there situations where it’s appropriate to side with the parents? 
    How might this affect your relationship with the student? 


Use of resources in career guidance in schools 

Anne has participated in several career learning activities, including classroom instruction, attending a career fair, and having a conversation with the school’s career counselor in the past. 

  1. What is your perspective on the provision of individual career guidance for students in lower secondary education in your country? 
  2. Can all students at your school receive individual career guidance sessions if they wish? 
  3. How do you prioritize which students receive career guidance, if necessary? 
  4. If a student like Anne didn’t request guidance herself, would she still be offered it at your school? 
  5. Could a student like Anne have received more individual career guidance sessions in your country? 
  6. How do you view the role and impact of individual career guidance for students at the lower secondary school level in your country? 

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