Browsing by Author "Rönnberg, Ella"

Purpose. Career guidance and other forms of guidance are important during the studies and can have positive benefits for society and for the individual. Effective career guidance can facilitate the transition between studies and working life and can have a positive impact on individuals’ well-being. Previous studies have shown that students experience a need for guidance during their studies, but that the guidance is deficient in far too many countries and that individuals who are most in need of guidance are at risk of being left without it. The purpose of this study is to investigate university students' experiences of their studies and their own need for guidance during their studies as well as to find out what reasons students have as a basis for their potential need for guidance. Methods. The study's sample group was limited to students within the Swedish-language field of study for general and adult education at the University of Helsinki. The study was based on a qualitative research method where semi-structured interviews were used as data collection method. The collected material was analyzed using ATLAS.ti based on a thematic analysis of the research material. Results and conclusions. The results of the study showed that students within the field of study for general and adult education experience a need for guidance, both guidance counselling and career guidance. The need was based on several different reasons such as the need to discuss thoughts regarding the choice of optional studies, career opportunities after graduation, practical aspects regarding the studies such as the use of Sisu and the need to be seen and confirmed by the guidance counselor. The importance of the guidance being qualitative, based on the student's needs and that the guidance counselor asks challenging questions during the guidance proved to be important according to students. The results of the study also showed that students feel that compulsory guidance during the studies would be worth focusing on and could have benefits for the student, the university and society.