TPC-Digests-V1-Issues-123

While the field of educational counseling appears to have been in decline for the past 40-50 years, other practice specialties have emerged to take its place, including academic advising, academic coaching, and educational brokering. This paper suggests that the counseling profession should reclaim this function and use career theory to support this process. Functions essential for educational counseling, e.g., choosing a postsecondary college or school and selecting an academic program or major, are used to show how John Holland’s RIASEC theory, especially the environmental aspect of the theory, can inform this process. The theory suggests that six of personality types, Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional, have varying relationships with one another and that they can be associated to the same six environmental areas to assess educational and vocational adjustment. While the personality aspects of Holland’s theory are widely known, the environmental aspects, especially of college campuses and fields of study, are less well understood and appreciated. It is important to note that RIASEC theory had its early roots in higher education and later focused on occupations. Several researchers have traced the history of Holland’s efforts to classify educational and occupational environments. Holland initially studied the numbers of incumbents A b s t r a c t Educational counseling has declined as a counseling specialization in the United States, although the need for this intervention persists and is being met by other providers. This article illustrates how career theories such as Holland’s RIASEC theory can inform a revitalized educational counseling practice in secondary and postsecondary settings. The theory suggests that six of personality types, Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional, have varying relationships with one another and that they can be associated to the same six environmental areas to assess educational and vocational adjustment. April 28th, 2011 Robert C. Reardon Sara C. Bertoch R evitalizing E ducational C ounseling : H ow C areer T heory C an I nform a F orgotten P ractice Link to Article TPC Digest