Best Content Standards in Sports Career Education for Adolescents: A Delphi Survey of Korean Professional Views

Abstract

Sports careers are an interesting field for adolescents who enjoy participating in sports. Sports career education provides special support to learners by educating them about occupational sustainability and even discontinuation possibilities. Most sports career education programs implemented in schools and other institutions are unsystematic and ineffective. That is, the lack of systematic guidance by educators or counselors at schools make promising adolescents with talents and/or interests in sports look for different career paths. This study developed the best content standards in sports career education for adolescents using a Delphi survey from Korean professional views. The Delphi survey included three rounds and was conducted with 20 professionals from the field. Five content domains and 30 sub-content elements were identified as the best content standards in sports. Based on the consensus, the five content domains identified were as follows: (a) understanding sports careers, (b) self-understanding in sports, (c) understanding sports-related occupations, (d) exploring sports careers, and (e) designing sports careers. The best content standards identified in this study provided important data regarding the educational resources that educators or counselors could use to assist adolescents who enjoy playing sports or who consider sports as their future career path. These standards could guide the decision-making of educators or counselors regarding the best educational content and activities for sports careers. Furthermore, these standards could play a significant role in discovering and nurturing the needs and aptitudes of a diverse group of adolescents in sports.