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How to create a career exploration assignment for students

This guide will walk Instructors through creating and setting up career exploration assignments to help undecided students identify career directions.

A. Overview

The Career Exploration Assignment helps undecided students identify career directions aligned with their interests, strengths, and values. Students leave with concrete next steps.

The assignment has three parts:

  1. Discovery - Assess Students' Interests and Strengths.

  2. Exploration - Compare career paths.

  3. Action Plan - Concrete next steps.

Best suited for:

  • First-year foundations and career courses.

  • Orientation and transition programming.

  • Students feel overwhelmed by options.

B. Steps to Create a Career Exploration Assignment

Video Instruction

  • Watch the video walkthrough.

Screenshot‑Based Instruction

  • Download the screenshot guide for detailed steps.

C. Testing Your Assignment as an Instructor

  1. Add Yourself as a Student

    • In the assignment setup, include yourself under the Assigned Students block.

    • Alternatively, edit the assignment after creation and add yourself manually.

  2. Locate the Assignment on Your Homepage

    • Once enrolled, the assignment will appear under Your Sessions on the Homepage.

    • This view mirrors what students see, allowing you to experience the workflow firsthand.

  3. Complete the Assignment as a Student

    • Open the assignment and go through the steps exactly as a student would.

    • Submit responses, upload files, or complete tasks to verify instructions and functionality.

  4. Review the Results

    • Check how submissions are displayed in the instructor dashboard.

    • Confirm that grading, feedback options, and progress tracking work as expected.
      ​

  5. Share/Invite Students once the Assignment is ready

    After testing is complete, you have two options for inviting students to the assignment:

    1. Share Link: Within the assignment, click Share Link (top left corner) to generate a web link that can be distributed directly to students.

    2. Invite Students: Use the Invite Students button located in the Assigned Students section near the bottom of the reporting blocks.

      • For larger groups, upload a CSV file using the provided template with the required fields.

      • For smaller groups, add students individually by entering their email address, first and last name.

      • Be sure to toggle Send Invite Emails so that all added users receive a notification and can access the assignment for completion.
        ​

  6. Note on Licensing

    • Testing the assignment does not impact your license count.

    • You can safely repeat the process as needed without consuming student seats.

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How to Create and Deploy a Career Exploration Assignment in Instage.pdf
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