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For almost 2 decades South Korea has been 1 of the popular destinations for English teaching. Due to the development of globalisation, a great number of qualified and experienced South African teachers decided to invest their career development and personal goals in 1 of the schools in South Korea. However, due to the social and cultural differences, many teachers decided to leave their position within the first few years of their contract. The frequent departure of teachers may negatively influence the students' achievement and the reputation of the school. The purpose of this study was to understand why South African teachers decided to stay in the same school for more than 10 successive years in South Korea. With the application of the phenomenological analysis, 37 participants were invited. Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory, the results indicate that both the workplace and the social environment were positive for both career and personal development and growth. Government departments, policymakers, school leaders, non-profit organisational leaders, human resource planners, and researchers should regard the findings from this study as support to reform and improve their current regulations and plans for teachers' professional development and teachers' recruitment, particularly regarding school teachers' recruitment and foreign teachers' plans.

Study abroad is not an easy decision for international students who cannot manage the local language and academic courses, particularly nursing students who need to communicate with their patients in clinical environments. This study aims to explore international nursing students' experiences of pre-sessional language prerequisite courses in South Korea. Three directions were categorised, including what are the motivations and reasons to come to South Korea, how do the international nursing students describe their Korean language courses as the prerequisite for their nursing programme at one of the South Korean universities, and why did the participants select South Korea as their destination for the nursing programme. Based on the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory and a qualitative design, the researcher invited 12 participants who are taking the pre-sessional language courses before the nursing programme commencement. The results indicated that personal considerations, interest in career development, and financial considerations are three of the key elements. The outcomes of this study allowed the nursing school leaders and government agencies to polish their current curriculum plans, international students' recruitment strategies, and post-study career developments for international nursing students in the East Asian region.

Although women's rights and career developments have changed over the past decade, only a few updated studies have been conducted to understand the current backgrounds of women in engineering. This study aims to understand and investigate the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of women in the engineering industry, specifically, a group of electrical and electronic engineering students in Taiwan. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, the study was guided by two research questions: 1) Why do Taiwanese female electrical and electronic engineering students decide to study this major at university level? 2) Do the participants intend to join the electrical and electronic engineering industry after graduation? Why or why not? The general inductive approach research design with interview, focus group, and member checking interview were used. The results indicated that academic interests, interests in career development, and job security concerns played significant roles in the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of female engineering students in Taiwan. The results of this study filled the gaps in gender discrimination, social stigma, and stereotype toward women in engineering, particularly in Taiwan.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the curricula and mode of instruction for many postgraduate taught and research programs. Before the pandemic, many MA TESOL programs included on-campus tutorials as requirements, as the curricula were designed based on on-campus activities. However, as the United Kingdom restricted face-to-face teaching due to social distancing, most of the courses were switched to online learning platforms during the pandemic. Although most courses returned to on-campus teaching during the 2021/2022 academic year, a group of East Asian international students decided to continue their MA TESOL program online as an alternative option. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences and decision-making processes about this group of MA TESOL students and their decisions to finish their degrees via the online completion option. In line with social cognitive career and motivation theory, the results indicated that flexibility, career development through online learning options, and concerns about job security were the main three themes that arose within this group of students. The outcomes provide suggestions to university leaders and program directors in regard to developing additional online courses and programs to meet the needs of adult and postgraduate students who cannot attend on-campus courses, particularly MA TESOL learners.

Based on the guidelines of the Social Cognitive Career Theory, the purpose of this study is to understand the motivations and reasons why foreign language university instructors decide to stay in Korea for their life-long career development. This research was guided by one research question, why would foreign university instructors decide to stay in Korea for more than 15 successive years at the same university? With the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, ten participants were invited. The results indicated that personal considerations and financial considerations are the most important factors for the career development of these groups of foreign teachers in Korea. This study has contributed to practices devoted to teachers' professional development and career development of foreign teachers. First, the shortage of teachers and educational staff is significant in all locations, regardless of population. Second, the East Asian region is one of the popular destinations for many international students, teachers, and professionals to develop their career goals and personal achievements.

Undergraduate distance learning-based programmes in the field of engineering have become one of the popular educational qualifications internationally. Besides traditional-age university students, non-traditional, returning, evening, and adult (NTREA) students make up groups of large significant enrolments at many distance learning programmes. This study explored how undergraduate NTREA students enrolled at the undergraduate distance learning engineering programme described their learning experience and why they decided to enroll in the distance learning-based programmes. 28 participants with majors in civil engineering, computer engineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, and biomedical engineering were invited for a private online Skype interview for data collection. The results of this research provide direction for NTREA students, university administrators, educational professionals, career counsellors, human resource planners, policymakers, and governmental leaders to reform and improve human resource planning, educational programmes, and even international enrolment schemes through the development of instructional technology and applications.

The retention of teachers and school professional staff is a challenge for the development and management of schools, particularly for international schools with difficulties in recruiting qualified teachers and school professional staff from overseas. However, only a few research projects have focused on how administrative styles influence the turnover of international school teachers and school professional staff. The researcher collected data from two semi-structured interview sessions with 51 international school teachers who have taught at an international school for more than a decade in one of two metropolitan districts in mainland China. This project aims, through the lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory, to understand why international school teachers and school professional staff decide to stay in a particular international school for their teaching career development. The participants indicated "acknowledgement from upper leadership", "classroom/workplace authorities", and "well-established facilities" to explain their current occupation as experienced international school teachers. The findings also outline potential solutions which could control the high turnover rate in international schools and local schools in the East Asian regions.

Due to the developments of globalisation, the international reputation, the entertainment industry, and Korean pop culture, a large number of language teachers, international schoolteachers, and professional school staff decided to travel to South Korea for career development and enhancement. However, due to a constant shortage of teachers through high turnover, many South Korean schools and universities are facing recruitment issues. The purpose of this study was to investigate two problems. Why do individuals decide to come to South Korea as foreign language university teachers, and how do individuals describe their teaching experiences as foreign language teachers at one of the university teaching and learning environments in South Korea. From the perspective of the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the results indicated that all participants travelled to South Korea for financial and career development goals. Also, all faced negative experiences and discrimination due to their skin colours and nationalities. The researcher hopes the appropriate personnel can take this study as an opportunity to improve and enhance their current workplace and community for a better environment and development.

South Korea is one of the most popular destinations for foreign language teachers wanting to start developing a career. Due to the rapid development and demands of foreign language teachers, the human resources department of the educational system is facing challenges. Many schools, including the private educational academies, always recruit language teachers for their afterschool preparational programs. However, the turnover rates for these teachers is significantly high for various reasons. This study employed the lens of the Model of Retention, Turnover, and Attrition for the exploration of 55 foreign language teachers who decided to leave their teaching position after the completion of their first-year contract. The results indicated that all participants had an unpleasant or negative experience in their social atmosphere and school environment stemming from discriminations, negative managerial styles from school administrators, and impolite practices from parents and students. Researchers, school leaders, parents, students, human resource professionals, policymakers, and government agencies should take this opportunity to reform and improve the educational environment and human resource management in South Korea.

This study investigated the sense-making process and career decision and development of male pre-school and elementary school teachers in the New England region in the United States through the perspective of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). Two research questions guided this study. First, why male teachers decided to join the pre-school and elementary school profession as their life-long career development, and second, how do male teachers describe their position and the sense-making process of their profession. Based on the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the researcher invited and collected rich and in-depth data from ten participants. The results indicated that male pre-school and elementary school teachers believed their gender status and role could provide unique modelling for young children, particularly those from a single-parent family. Also, many believed that human resource professionals and school leaders should pay attention to gender diversity and gender inequality issues in the areas of the pre-school and elementary school environments. Based on the in-depth sharing, the results of this study could become a blueprint for school leaders and human resource professionals to direct their workplace and gender inequality issues toward male professionals in the current K-12 educational environment.

In current school environments, teacher recruitment, turnover, and retention present significant problems, particularly for rural and remote international schools in archipelagic countries. Employing the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study analyzed international school teachers with teaching experience at a Fijian international school about their career development, retention ideas, and the decision of teaching service. As there is not a large population of international school teachers in archipelagic countries due to the unique environment of the school and country, the researcher employed the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to better understand six international school teachers who have taught and are teaching at one of the Fijian international schools. The study categorized two directions for leaving and staying at a remote location. Participants indicated that the managerial styles, negative leadership, and limited social networking were the most significant challenges while respectfulness and simple living style were the most significant advantages of their Fijian teaching experience. As this study mainly focused on the issues for rural, remote, and archipelagic countries, the result of this study serves as one of the first blueprints for organizational leaders in those regions to improve their management styles in order to recruit and retain their skillful professionals.

This study aims to investigate East Asian second-generation teenage fathers' stress and problems resulting from internal factors and external influences in the United States. The relationships between the changes in the teenage fathers' family structures, social expectations, and experiences of educational and financial challenges during the pregnancy (of their partner) and into the period of their early fatherhood were examined. Based on the Interpretative phenomenological method, ten participants who had experienced stress and problems due to their characteristics as teenage fathers, particularly second-generation East Asian Americans, participated in this study. Three semi-structured interviews, one focus group activity, and one member-checking interview were used to collect in-depth lived stories. Three themes emerged: (1) Cultural characteristics: Detrimental perspectives from family members and the public, (2) Age: The hindrance of youth as a characteristic of teenage fathers, and (3) Career development: The challenges of earning a minimum salary and having an unforeseen career. The findings indicated that counseling services based on patients' sociocultural backgrounds and practices should be considered to offer effective treatments to ethnic minorities, in this case, East Asian Americans. The results of this study can provide a map for public health researchers to use in refining sex education and sexual health promotion, and the approach can offer a blueprint for capturing the voices of other teenage parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand and investigate the motivations for and reasons why students decide to study Chinese as their fourth foreign language in the European Union, using Belgium as a case study. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory, the study was guided by the research question: Why did the participants decide to study Chinese as a fourth foreign language in a Chinese language school in Belgium? In line with the case study approach, 16 participants were invited to share their ideas. Focus group activities, remarkable item sharing, and member-checking interviews were used to collect useful data. Three themes were categorised, including 1) it is enough for European languages, 2) career development and 3) friendship, networks, and education. More importantly, many participants indicated that the Chinese language offers business and career opportunities for young European people to excel in their skills in the Asian region. The outcomes from adult learners may fill the research and practice gaps for adult education and foreign language teaching and learning for adult learners in the European environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women in engineering represent a significant group within the profession, across a range of fields, including oil, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering. However, only a few female engineers and engineering students decided to enter and stay in the engineering field due to social stigma and stereotypes toward women in engineering. The purpose of this study is to understand and investigate the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of female engineers and Doctorate in Engineering (DEng) engineering students in the American university environment. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory, the research study wants to understand the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of DEng female students in the United States. The case study design with semi-structured interviews, focus group activities, and member-checking interviews were employed to collect data from ten participants. The results indicated that career development, upgrade the current practice and management in engineering, and gender is not an issue for women in engineering were categorised as the themes. The results of this study outlined the qualitative comments about the learning motivations of female DEng and the reasons why DEng would be their selection instead of the traditional PhD in Engineering programme. The results also filled the gaps in the areas of female engineering students and professionals' motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes after they completed the Professional Doctorate programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For almost 2 decades South Korea has been 1 of the popular destinations for English teaching. Due to the development of globalisation, a great number of qualified and experienced South African teachers decided to invest their career development and personal goals in 1 of the schools in South Korea. However, due to the social and cultural differences, many teachers decided to leave their position within the first few years of their contract. The frequent departure of teachers may negatively influence the students’ achievement and the reputation of the school. The purpose of this study was to understand why South African teachers decided to stay in the same school for more than 10 successive years in South Korea. With the application of the phenomenological analysis, 37 participants were invited. Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory, the results indicate that both the workplace and the social environment were positive for both career and personal development and growth. Government departments, policymakers, school leaders, non-profit organisational leaders, human resource planners, and researchers should regard the findings from this study as support to reform and improve their current regulations and plans for teachers’ professional development and teachers’ recruitment, particularly regarding school teachers’ recruitment and foreign teachers’ plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workforce management is a problem in many islands. Although the Jeju tourism department and local business offer attractive promotions and opportunities, due to the demands faced by tourism professionals, many have left their positions in Jeju and returned to the mainland Korean peninsula. The purpose of this study is to explore the motivations, career decisions, and turnover behaviours of a group of former tourism professionals who had previously worked in Jeju for a period of less than two years. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, the study was guided by two research questions: 1) Why did the participants leave their positions in Jeju after less than two years of career development? and 2) How did the participants describe their working and living experiences in Jeju as professional tourism workers? The data from 42 participants indicated that overloaded responsibilities and unbalanced schedule, financial consideration, and personal consideration were the three major reasons for leaving Jeju. This study aims to help local businesses and governments to understand employees' motivations, career decisions, and turnover behaviours. Further, this research seeks fill gaps in the literature regarding workforce shortages and tourism management for islands and remote regions, particularly in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the gender roles, social expectations, motivations, career decisions, and sense-making processes of a group of undergraduate female engineering students, particularly in the fields of naval, marine technology, and maritime studies, in the United Kingdom. Based on the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory, two research questions were listed, why do undergraduate female students decide to study engineering, particularly in naval, marine technology, and maritime studies, as their career development? How do undergraduate female engineering students describe and make sense of their academic voyage and experiences as pre-service engineering professionals based on their gender, social expectation, and decision-making process? In line with the qualitative phenomenological approach, interview, focus group activity and member checking interview were employed to collect the stories from 20 female undergraduate engineering students in the United Kingdom. Three main themes were categorised, 1) interest in STEM learning, 2) determination about an engineering career, and 3) the surrounding environment: connection and relationship with the ocean. The results showed the potential managerial developments for gender diversity and constructive gender policies in engineering based on the voices of female engineering professionals. The outcomes of this study will fill the gaps in gender and gender issues in the engineering profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study abroad is not an easy decision for international students who cannot manage the local language and academic courses, particularly nursing students who need to communicate with their patients in clinical environments. This study aims to explore international nursing students' experiences of pre-sessional language prerequisite courses in South Korea. Three directions were categorised, including what are the motivations and reasons to come to South Korea, how do the international nursing students describe their Korean language courses as the prerequisite for their nursing programme at one of the South Korean universities, and why did the participants select South Korea as their destination for the nursing programme. Based on the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory and a qualitative design, the researcher invited 12 participants who are taking the presessional language courses before the nursing programme commencement. The results indicated that personal considerations, interest in career development, and financial considerations are three of the key elements. The outcomes of this study allowed the nursing school leaders and government agencies to polish their current curriculum plans, international students' recruitment strategies, and post-study career developments for international nursing students in the East Asian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the guidelines of the Social Cognitive Career Theory, the purpose of this study is to understand the motivations and reasons why foreign language university instructors decide to stay in Korea for their life-long career development. This research was guided by one research question, why would foreign university instructors decide to stay in Korea for more than 15 successive years at the same university? With the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, ten participants were invited. The results indicated that personal considerations and financial considerations are the most important factors for the career development of these groups of foreign teachers in Korea. This study has contributed to practices devoted to teachers' professional development and career development of foreign teachers. First, the shortage of teachers and educational staff is significant in all locations, regardless of population. Second, the East Asian region is one of the popular destinations for many international students, teachers, and professionals to develop their career goals and personal achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers’ shortage is a challenging problem at the secondary level internationally. Secondary schools recruit and co-ordinate with universities and training agencies to fill up the gaps in teachers’ shortage. However, the turnover rate of pre-service and in-service teachers is still high. Based on the self-efficacy approach, the purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between self-efficacy and career decision of pre-service student-teachers at the secondary school setting in California, United States. In addition, this research also captured how pre-service student-teachers describe their stress and career decision from their teaching profession. The finding indicated that a significant number of pre-service teachers decided to leave the teaching profession after the completion of the qualifying programs due to negative self-efficacy, sense of isolation, negative administrative style, and uncertainty of promotion. More importantly, the study pointed out that if the self-efficacy level is low, pre-service teachers are less likely for returning. The results of this research provided recommendations to school leaders, university administrators, professional teachers, and policymakers to reform the current educational system for teachers, particularly in the areas of teachers’ professional development, career development, and career decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student-teaching internships in a teacher-preparation programme are a significant way for teachers to gain practical skills and transfer their textbook knowledge into classroom practice. One of the outcomes of student-teaching internships is that pre-service teachers can observe experienced teachers' teaching pedagogy and strategies for implementing their skills. The purpose of the research study reported on here was to explore how pre-service teachers acquire and improve their teaching pedagogy through the peer observation training model at the secondary school at which they intern, with a focus on preservice teachers with an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching. The results indicate that most of the participants could learn and improve their teaching pedagogy through the peer observation professional development programme - particularly young teachers without significant work experience. More importantly, the research proved how a peer observation cycle programme may apply to different educational systems with similar structures internationally, particularly in former European colonised countries with similar backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates why potential doctoral students decided to enroll in a professional doctorate program instead of a traditional Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and how it enhanced their professional development and career promotion. Twenty professional doctorate graduates were invited to participate in this study, which was guided by the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). The article reveals that the program offers the flexibility for professionals to enjoy the rigorous education at the doctoral level. Second, the curriculum allows graduates to apply both theories and practical applications directly into their current workplace. Third, the lecturers enhance the professional doctorate graduates' life experience. This study provides recommendations for university administrators, policymakers, organizational employers, and potential doctoral students in the United Kingdom and other Anglophone countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing curriculum usually focuses on vocational development to train students to become nursing professionals after graduation. However, due to the packed major schedule and curriculum, many students are not required to take additional foreign language courses for their associate degree. Based on the lens of social cognitive career theory, the researcher sought to understand the motivations and reasons behind the learning behaviours. One research question was guided in this study, which was, what are the motivations and reasons for taking foreign language courses beyond their (i.e., nursing students) major curriculum and coursework plan? A qualitative research method was employed to collect interview data from 60 nursing students. The finding of this study indicated that the interest in career development and personal consideration were two of the most important factors for foreign language learning for these groups of nursing students. The results of this study provided recommendations for college leaders, government agencies, and policymakers to reform and polish foreign language courses and offer directions to contemporary students of the nursing curriculum. Students may also be benefitted as the study outlined the motivations and reasons for foreign language learning. Therefore, all parties may take this study as a blueprint to exercise their future developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]