Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable (TLTR)

Grant Award Program

2004-2005

FOLLOW-UP REPORT 

Dr. Mary Frances Russo, Associate Professor

Department of Counseling & Educational Psychology

Technology in Counseling: The State of Knowledge in Training & Applications

Professional Development, Conference/Workshop Attendance

American Counseling Association Annual Convention

Atlanta, GA

April 6-10, 2005

Technology in Counseling: The State of Knowledge in Training & Applications

I.    Goals/Objectives Attained

a.    Learn use of a scale to assess skills acquisition [see workshop IIa(i) under II. Description of the Project] and improve presentation and use of technology in counselor skills training course (CEdP 614: Techniques of Counseling) [see conference presentation IIb(i)] Attained

b.    Improve information regarding online counseling presented in introductory course (CEdP 615 Introduction to Community Counseling) [see conference presentation IIb(ii)] Attained

c.    Improve information regarding issues for youth in child counseling course  (CEdP 685 Counseling the Child & Adolescent) [see conference presentation IIb(iii)] NOT Attained; presentation not available

d.    Assess the feasibility of online courses in counselor education [see conference presentations IIb(iv)] Attained via IIb(iv)#3

II.    Description of the Project

a.    Attended pre-conference workshop

       i.      Wednesday, 4/6/05, 5:30-8:45 pm:  Counseling Skills Scale Training

b.    Attended conference presentations

        i.      Technology in Counselor Training

            1.      Students’ Attitudes Towards Using Video Editing Technology in Counseling Skill Training

        ii.      Online Counseling

        1.      Experiences of Online Counseling: Client Perspectives

        iii.      Youth Issues – NOT AVAILABLE!

        1.      Growing Up Online:  A Critical Review of the Key Counseling Issues and Strategies for Generation Y

        iv.      Online Coursework

        1.       Attitudes of Counseling Students’ Use of Web-based Instruction for Online and Supplemental Instruction in a Master’s Degree Program of Study NOT AVAILABLE!

        2.       A Survey of Online Counseling Course Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction by Graduates by Race and Gender and Recommendations for Online Course Development NOT AVAILABLE!

        3.      Online Counselor Education:  Pedagogy Controversies and Delivery Issues ATTENDED!

        4.       The Nuts and Bolts of Creating an Online Course NOT AVAILABLE!

        5.       The Fabric of Online Courses:  Weaving Community and Technology NOT AVAILABLE!

III.    Outcomes of the project

a.    Improve assessment of skills acquisition through use of the Counseling Skills Scale; improve presentation and use of technology in skills training

The workshop entitled Counseling Skills Scale Training provided me with knowledge of a reliable and valid measure that gives useful feedback to students as they learn counseling skills in the course CEdP 614 Techniques of Counseling (taught every semester).  My participation in this workshop enhanced my ability to effectively assess our students’ acquisition of these basic counseling skills.   In addition, the presentation entitled Students’ Attitudes Toward Using Video Editing Technology in Counseling Skills Training provided me with an alternative method of providing video feedback to students.  As students currently videotape their mock counseling sessions, it was useful to learn of alternative assessments and methods of feedback to tailor the presentation of the course to the needs of the students.

b.    Teach students in Introduction to Community Counseling the risks and benefits of internet counseling

The presentation entitled Experience of Online Counseling: Client Perspectives focuses on an area not explored by current texts in community counseling, that of client attitudes.  As the introduction of online counseling has been controversial throughout the field, it will be useful to understand client attitudes towards this form of counseling.  In teaching about the use and ethics of online counseling, the perspectives of counselors and professional organizations are presented in current texts and consequently in my lectures.  I feel that through attendance at this presentation I learned an additional, unique perspective, that of clients themselves.  I will include this perspective in my lectures for the course CEdP 615 Introduction to Community Counseling that I teach every fall semester during our students’ first semester of graduate school.  Note: this information was not included in the Powerpoint presentation I made to my department as I was waiting for copies of their handouts to be sent.  I did receive this information after I made my presentation to the department and will include it in my course presentation next fall.

c.    Teach students in Counseling the Child & Adolescent the issues pertaining to a generation “growing up online”

This presentation was NOT AVAILABLE at the conference.

d.    Assess the feasibility of online coursework in counseling; provide report to department chairperson

Attendance at presentations focused on online coursework and technology was extremely valuable in the assessment of the feasibility ofonline delivery of counselor education.  However, many of the planned presentations were not available.  I did attend a presentation on an on-line CACREP-accredited counselor education program that was most informative.  In addition, I attended sessions on university counseling centers online, and an online training in multicultural counseling and social justice competence.  Upon completion of the conference, I made a Powerpoint presentation to the department faculty and graduate students.   The presentation summarized all presentations and sessions that I attended with the one exception noted above under “b.”

SEE ATTACHED POWERPOINT PRESENTATION!