Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 02140046
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED323668 AUTHOR: Young, Beth
TITLE: Chance, Choice, and Opportunity in the Careers of
Four Women Educators.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1990
NOTE: 35 p.; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the
Canadian Society for Studies in Education (Victoria, British
Columbia, June 3-6, 1990).
ABSTRACT: Life history interviews with four women holding
doctorates in educational administration are presented in
this paper, which examines how chances and choice affect
women administrators' career decisions. A second focus is on
how organizational structure in educational organizations
can enhance career opportunities for women educators. Three
anecdotes are presented to illustrate the relationships
among chance, choice, and opportunities in the careers of
particular women in particular organizational contexts. The
narratives are categorized according to three themes-
unexpected openings, widening horizons, and chance remarks.
The stories suggest that women's opportunities can be
expanded through the modification of existing structures. A
review of current policy initiatives in Canada found that
opportunity for females could be engendered through: special
assignments; rewarding mentoring functions; redefinition of
the concepts of career and success; and affirmative action
programs. A recommendation is made to foster environments
where chance occurrences can be transformed into
opportunities. (29 references) (LMI)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Biographies-; Career-Change; Career
Development; Case-Studies; Decision-Making; Elementary
Secondary-Education; Employment-Opportunities; Foreign
Countries; Occupational-Aspiration; Occupational-Mobility;
Qualitative-Research
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Career-Choice; *Educational
Administration; *Females-; *Personal-Narratives
This is an ERIC database document. ERIC is the National
Education Information Network for providing ready access
to the literature of education -descriptions of exemplary
programs, research and development efforts, and related
information that can be used in developing more effective
educational programs. The ERIC database is currently
available on CD-ROM in the main library (ground floor of
the west wing) at Michigan State University. To locate
ERIC documents in the library identify the first line of
each record (i.e., the field ERIC TITLE NUMBER). ED
following ERIC TITLE NUMBER indicates an ERIC document,
an unpublished research study. Most of these items are
available in the Microforms library, located on the 3rd
floor of the west wing. All you need is the six digit ED
number. If EJ follows ERIC TITLE NUMBER the item is a
journal article. The complete journal name is listed after
the code JOURNAL.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
cook@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.