AN INTRODUCTION TO DISCOVERY

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

1. What is DISCOVERY?
2. What can DISCOVERY do for my students?
3. Why do counsellors, teachers and career advisors choose DISCOVERY?
4. What advantages does DISCOVERY have in comparison to computer based Interest Inventories?
5. How can I order DISCOVERY?

1.  What is DISCOVERY?

DISCOVERY is a 16 page self-scoring Interest Inventory designed specifically for students in grades 8 - 10.  First written in 1986 by
Brian Harris, B.A., M.Ed., DISCOVERY has been constantly revised to keep the content and career lists relevant to both changes
in school curriculum and society.

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2.  What can DISCOVERY do for my students?

DISCOVERY can help students to identify their interests and school subject strengths relating these to occupational choices.  The
design of DISCOVERY has an added advantage of helping students to plan high school courses related to career/educational
planning goals.

DISCOVERY, when used with the accompanying COUNSELLOR'S MANUAL, can assist students in achieving the following objectives:

• understand how abilities and interests relate to career/educational planning
• have a greater awareness of personal abilities and interests
• make more realistic choices for their future
• become more aware of the many available resources that can assist with career/educational planning
• develop a career vocabulary
• understand the terminology and jargon related to post-secondary education/training
• understand personal strengths and weaknesses in choosing high school courses
• begin to understand the relationship between high school subjects and post-secondary planning
• begin to understand the prerequisites required for specific post-secondary education/training options
• be more aware of career trends
• be more aware of internet sites that can assist in career/educational planning
• better understand how individual differences affect career/educational planning
• be more aware of school/community resources available to assist with career/educational planning
• identify career categories and related careers
• better understand how specific school courses relate to specific careers
• better understand that career education is a lifelong process
• begin to understand the factors involved in choosing a career and in career satisfaction
• provides a concrete resource for students to show their parents related to one aspect of their future planning

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3.  Why do counsellors, teachers and career advisors choose DISCOVERY?

The five reasons counsellors, teachers and career advisors most often choose DISCOVERY are:

1. DISCOVERY is a proven resource that has now been used by students for more than 20 years.  The results demonstrate
   high coefficients in congruent validity, predictive validity and reliability.  DISCOVERY is chosen as a career/educational
   planning resource for students because it works.  Content and career lists are updated on a regular basis to keep
   DISCOVERY current.
    
2. While most Interest Inventories help students identify their interests and related careers, DISCOVERY has an additional
   step that is very useful to students.  DISCOVERY helps students to understand their school subject strengths.  This can
   be invaluable to students as they plan the courses in high school.  In addition, students can see how specific careers
   relate to specific courses.
    
3. DISCOVERY is a self-scoring book with questions, scoring and interpretative material all contained in one booklet.
   This helps to make DISCOVERY cost effective as there is no need to purchase additional scoring or interpretive
   guides.  Parents have also commented favourably on this aspect of DISCOVERY as they are able to see and
   understand their son/daughter's results when the book is taken home.
    
4. Students are exposed to career lists of more than 400 careers.  These careers relate to a wide range of possible
   educational/training experiences.  In addition, the careers are organized by broad post-secondary educational/training
   categories which can assist students in planning an educational/training path for after high school.
    
5. DISCOVERY can be ordered in any quantity.  Orders from 1 to more than 10,000 books will be filled quickly.
   Schools/career centres can order by VISA, purchase order or simply have your school/career centre invoiced
   when you receive the order.  Orders can be sent by email, fax, telephone, or mail.

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4.  What advantages does DISCOVERY have in comparison to computer based Interest Inventories?

DISCOVERY gives students the advantage of seeing and understanding the process of how interests relate to educational/
career planning.  This can teach students lifelong skills in understanding a process that may be performed without their
understanding when they use a computer based program.  In addition, students will be exposed to career lists of more
than 400 careers when they use DISCOVERY.  Often, in computer based Interest Inventories, students only see their
end result which is often a list of less than 10 careers.  Exposing students to a comprehensive list of careers can help
them increase their career vocabulary which can be beneficial in providing more flexible and broader choices for their future,
an objective that is very important with the age group that DISCOVERY is designed for.  As well, students can keep the
complete DISCOVERY book for future reference or to show their parents.  In computer based Interest Inventories,
students often only keep the final print-out of careers which doesn't allow either themselves or their parents to view
the complete process for future reference or meaningful discussion.

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5.  How can I order DISCOVERY?

        DISCOVERY can be ordered by email, fax, telephone or mail.  Orders are shipped within 24 hours of receiving the order.  To access
        an order form select ORDER FORM.

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