Four-in-One Group Counseling Course: Analysis on the Learning Experiences and learning effectiveness of Counseling Trainees through the Integration

<p>本研究旨在探討團體督導模式與同儕回饋小組運用在團體諮商實習課程對學士層級學生團體諮商領導能力與實務經驗的影響。本研究的參與者是輔導與諮商相關學系四年級的學生，共20名。課程將合作學習融入團體諮商實習教學過程，以團體督導模式合併同儕回饋小組來進行團體領導者的督導，以提升學習者的團體領導能力。本研究採用質與量兼具的混合研究法，以「團體諮商領導能力量表」瞭解團體諮商實習兩階段課程的訓練效果，並以學習者之反思札記、焦點團體訪談作為本研究質性分析資料的依據。研究發現學習者在團體諮商領導能力總分、「團體進行前的準備技巧」、「團體過程的領導技巧」分數上有顯著的成長，然而在「領導者心理與行為特質」與「理論基礎」和「團體諮商專業倫理行為」分數上之成長則未達顯著；質性分析結果顯示，學習者在課程中經歷領導風格的形成與調整、學習與熟練領導技巧。學習者之間透過合作學習體驗各個不同團體角色，以增加團體參與經驗，對團體帶領實務能力產生正面影響。此外，同儕與督導提供支持、鼓勵、正向回饋，能讓學習者產生覺察，提升專業自我效能。最後，本研究對諮商教育、督導進行方式、新手領導者以及團體諮商實習課程設計提出相關建議，並強調整合運用團體督導與同儕回饋小組的重要性，以促進學習者團體諮商領導能力的成長。</p> <p> </p><p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS", sans-serif;">This study explores the impact of a group supervision model and peer feedback groups on undergraduate students</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial Unicode MS", sans-serif;">’<span lang="EN-US"> group counseling leadership abilities and practical experiences in a group counseling practicum course. Current training programs for group counseling leaders commonly use various methods to enhance leadership skills, including participating in groups, leading groups, observing instructors demonstrate group leadership, viewing group counseling recordings, receiving supervision, and learning group techniques. Drawing on years of teaching and research experience in group counseling courses, the lead researcher developed a two-phase training model for group counseling practicums: laboratory-based peer simulation groups and practical group internships.<p>This practicum incorporates the </span>“<span lang="EN-US">group supervision model</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> and </span>“<span lang="EN-US">peer feedback groups</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> to provide supervision for the group counseling practicum course. The curriculum involves interns taking on diverse roles, such as leading groups, serving as observers, and participating in peer feedback groups. These varied learning scenarios employ active participation, observation, vicarious learning, and reflection, fostering a cooperative learning environment where members share information and feedback, assist one other, and collaboratively achieve learning objectives. The course was designed to enhance the participants</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> group counseling leadership skills through integrated training methods.<p>The study participants included 20 fourth-year students from counseling and guidance-related departments. The practicum incorporated cooperative learning into the teaching process, combining the group supervision model with peer feedback groups to supervise group leaders. The aim was to enhance students</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> group leadership skills. A mixed-methods research approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, was used in the study. The training effectiveness of the group counseling practicum course was assessed using Hsieh</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s (1998) </span>“<span lang="EN-US">Group Counseling Leadership Competency Scale.</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> Additionally, participants</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> reflective journals and focus group interviews were employed as qualitative data sources.<p>The findings revealed significant improvements in the participants</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> overall group counseling leadership competencies, including </span>“<span lang="EN-US">preparation skills before group sessions</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> and </span>“<span lang="EN-US">leadership skills during group processes.</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> However, no significant growth was observed in the psychological and behavioral traits of leaders, </span>“<span lang="EN-US">theoretical foundations,</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> or </span>“<span lang="EN-US">professional ethical behaviors during group counseling.</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> For qualitative data analysis, Hycner</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s (1985) </span>“<span lang="EN-US">phenomenological content analysis</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> was used to understand the influence of the group counseling practicum on undergraduate students</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> leadership skills and practical experiences.<p>The qualitative results indicated that learners experienced the development and adjustment of leadership styles and the development and refinement of their leadership skills. By engaging in various group roles, participants gained diverse group participation experiences that positively influenced their practical group leadership capabilities. Furthermore, support, encouragement, and constructive feedback from peers and supervisors enhanced the learners</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> self-awareness, strengthened their professional self-efficacy, and fostered consistency between their theoretical knowledge and practical experiences.<p>Based on these findings, this study provides the following recommendations for counseling education and novice group leaders: 1. Adopt a Two-Phase Progressive Training Approach: Novice group leaders should begin with peer simulation groups to build foundational leadership skills before transitioning to practical group settings. This approach can help reduce the anxiety and pressure associated with leading real-world groups. 2. Encourage Role-Switching for Perspective-Taking: Assigning learners to different roles, such as leaders, observers, and members within the group, enables them to develop a deeper understanding of group processes and dynamics from multiple perspectives. This diverse exposure enriches the students</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> learning experiences. 3. Implement Peer Feedback Groups and Group Supervision: These methods are highly effective for training and supervising group leaders during group counseling practicums. They also provide a structured framework for feedback and development. 4. Foster Tolerance for Uncertainty and Professional Resilience: Leading groups through uncertainty is inevitable for novice leaders. Learners should embrace the gradual process of professional growth, develop resilience to professional challenges, and cultivate the ability to effectively integrate theory and practice.<p></span></span></p> <p> </p>

Group counseling is one of the core counseling courses which students need in order to receive their degrees. As group counseling is an experiential course, counselor educators must think strategically and creatively when developing this course to be delivered online to ensure that positive outcomes are achieved. Hence, this chapter explores the development, implantations and lessons learned from such a course. We will specifically discuss the integration of WebEx, MindTap/Coursemate, and a residency component that enhances the delivery of this master's level group counseling online course and by encouraging active engagement of both the students and instructor alike. The development and implementation of the online group course is guided by Bandura's theory. An informal evaluation from a previous online group counseling course using these modes will also be discussed. Implications for instructors and students will be included.

Group counseling is one of the core counseling courses which students need in order to receive their degrees. As group counseling is an experiential course, counselor educators must think strategically and creatively when developing this course to be delivered online to ensure that positive outcomes are achieved. Hence, this chapter explores the development, implantations and lessons learned from such a course. We will specifically discuss the integration of WebEx, MindTap/Coursemate, and a residency component that enhances the delivery of this master's level group counseling online course and by encouraging active engagement of both the students and instructor alike. The development and implementation of the online group course is guided by Bandura's theory. An informal evaluation from a previous online group counseling course using these modes will also be discussed. Implications for instructors and students will be included.

This study analyzed a phenomenological approach to explore in-depth the process and meaning experienced by graduate students majoring in counseling while participating in group counseling classes. Out of 16 students enrolled in the group counseling course at a graduate school, data were collected through in-depth interviews with six doctoral students who consented to participate in the study and had prior experience in group counseling. Analysis of the interviews yielded four thematic domains and 14 subcategories. These findings offer meaningful insights into the psychological and social changes experienced by students in graduate group counseling courses and provide an in-depth analysis of the educational effects of group counseling training. Additionally, the study highlights the need to address challenges that can arise in classroom settings, such as time constraints, differences in facilitator experience, and the burden of dual roles as both graduate student and group member.

Preplanning for teaching group counseling courses requires a systematic approach that incorporates group work process, practice, and research. The PEDAGOGY model represents one framework for considering components of a well-designed group counseling course.

Training in group counseling typically includes an academic component, although little has been written about how to teach a group course except for what specific content should be included. This article suggests that while teaching group counseling courses, instructors can intentionally model effective group leader behaviors and use these behaviors and the students’ responses to them as powerful ways to augment the didactic material being taught about group dynamics and theory. Specific techniques and examples are included along with a discussion of the ethical implications of developing a task or training group component within a group counseling course.

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of counselors-in-training via student reflection journals as part of a service-learning project in a group counseling course. The counselors-in-training facilitated psychoeducational groups at an alternative high school. The Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, Decisional model was utilized to provide structure for adequate student reflections. The results indicate that service learning integrated into a group counseling course can positively impact student learning outcomes as well as self-efficacy in facilitating a group. Implications for future implementation and research are provided.

Students' participation in training groups as a function of enrollment in a group counseling course is almost a universal requirement in counselor education programs. The skill of screening for group membership is an essential component to the development of effective group leadership. Guided by the functional theoretical perspective, this study investigated the role that type of screening (verbal or written) plays in determining student satisfaction with the group and the group counseling class in general, the degree of satisfaction with the groups' success and goal attainment, and the composition of the group membership. The results suggest that both types of screening methods produce neutral to favorable responses; however, students screened using face-to-face verbal screening methods reported significantly greater satisfaction with the group and the group counseling course. Specifically, students screened using the face-to-face verbal method reported that their groups were more successful and reached their goals to a greater degree than those screened using a written approach.

The purpose of this case study was to (1) examine the effect of experiential training groups on empathy and professional disposition levels of counselor trainees and (2) to understand their experiences and perceptions regarding experiential groups. Participants were 62 Turkish undergraduate counselor trainees enrolled in a group counseling course. Trainees participated in both a didactic group counseling course and an experiential group. The quantitative results of the study indicated that trainees experienced an increase in empathy and professional disposition levels pre-post. The qualitative analysis yielded three major categories: (a) member roles, (b) emotional experiences, and (c) contributions. The findings of this study highlight the importance of experiential training groups in counselor education.

ABSTRACTThe significant benefit of experiential learning in group work presents ethical complexities that must be considered by students, faculty, and programs. This article explores the clinical and ethical intricacies of teaching a group counseling course while facilitating an experiential group as part of the course curriculum. Specifically, the framework presented examines the dual roles of facilitator and instructor as complementary versus adversarial functions while analyzing challenges to both teacher and students. Guidelines for effectively running an experiential group as part of a group counseling course are presented utilizing five ethical principles: fidelity, beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice. Finally, guidelines and practice considerations specifically tailored for the educative role as instructor and the process role as group facilitator are provided.

Many experiential learning teaching models are developed in Western cultures, with their efficacy not tested in non-Western cultures, especially in counseling education. This study examined the learning experiences of students (n = 52) enrolled in a culturally contextualized experiential teaching method implemented across a 3-year period in a Malaysian university Masters-level group counseling course. The course changes included group demonstrations by lecturers and peers, live group participation and observation, group dynamics map drawing and debriefing, paired group proposal writing and presentation, and group note- taking. This study adopted a mixed method approach with a short survey consisting of both standardized scales and open-ended questions, administered at the beginning and end of each 12-week semester. Archival data on students’ evaluation was also retrieved from the year before the intervention, to compare with the 3 years of intervention. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in students’ perceived group leadership skills and leadership characteristics at the end of the course. Students’ overall satisfaction with the course quality also improved significantly from the year prior to the implementation of the new teaching method. Qualitative coding identified three major themes–active learning classroom that led to confidence in group counseling knowledge and skills; experiential activities in the tutorial sessions, with opportunities to carry out their proposed group activities; and formative feedback given throughout the semester during tutorial settings contributing to the higher course satisfaction rate. To conclude, we discuss the implications of contextualized experiential learning for higher education counseling pedagogy in the Asian region.

This study investigated the relationship of a graduate course in group counseling, the number of hours completed in counselor education, and sex to the empathic understanding of trainees in a counselor education program. The trainees were taped in similar counseling sessions, and their responses were rated independently by three counselor educators, who used Carkhuff's empathic understanding scale. A three‐way analysis of variance determined only one significant difference. The trainees who had completed a course in group counseling were significantly higher (p <.05) than those who had not. The level of empathic understanding of the higher group, however, was less than the level considered to be the minimum for effective counseling.

<p class="06IsiAbstrak"><strong>The Implementation of Chatting as the Medium in Cyber Group Counseling</strong><strong>. </strong>The purpose of this study is to find out an overview of the implementation of cyber group counseling through chat media, the advantages of cyber group counseling through chat media, and the obstacles or disadvantages of using chat media in the implementation of online group counseling. This research was carried out on the basis of the need to develop guidance and counseling services, especially group counseling services in the digital era. This research uses qualitative descriptive analysis method. The research setting was carried out in the Islamic Education Guidance and Counseling Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah IAIN Kudus in the even semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. The subject of this study is a student of the Islamic Education Guidance and Counseling study program, Faculty of Tarbiyah IAIN Kudus semester IV who took the Group Counseling course in the even academic year 2020/2021. The focus of this research is to find out an overview of the implementation of cyber group counseling through chat media. The authors used two data sources in this study, namely primary data and sequence data. Primary data were obtained through observations and interviews with respondents who practiced cyber group counseling. Meanwhile, secondary data were obtained through documentation studies/literature studies from literature books and scientific articles in journals related to the focus of this research. Data analysis is carried out through three stages, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The result is that the implementation of cyber group counseling through chat media is carried out through four stages, namely the formation stage, the transition stage, the activity stage, and the termination stage. In this case, the group leader and group members exchange conversations with each other by writing down text messages in the group chat room. The advantage of implementing cyber group counseling through chat media is that it can provide speaking opportunities to group members who are less comfortable if they convey their problems or opinions directly, and are considered more practical, efficient, and flexible in their implementation. The disadvantages are the presence of unstable signal network constraints, group dynamics are not well formed, group leaders have difficulty seeing the expressions of group members because group members' expressions are limited to the use of emoticons, and require a lot of time to write down conversations via text messages.</p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Cyber Group Counseling, Chat Media

<p style="text-align:justify">This study explored through applied statistics the importance and confidence levels of African American counselors-in-training core group counseling skills while at the same determining the difference among their colleagues of different ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to assess core group counseling skills while at the same determining the difference among their colleagues of differing ethnic backgrounds. Participants were sixty-eight counselors-in-training enrolled in a Group Counseling Course in the spring of 2015 and fall of 2016. Of the sixty-eight participants 38 (55.88%) African Americans and 27 (39.71%) White/Caucasian had an opportunity to complete the Core Group Work Skills Inventory - Importance and Confidence (CGWSI-IC) as an extra credit assignment pre- and post their group counseling facilitation experience. Results suggest African American participants had confidence in determining their effectiveness as group members or leaders. A significant difference and a very large effect between pre-test and post-test of African American counselor-in-training importance level of the individual behavioral items in the CGWSI-IC items were seen. Implications for specific training for African Americans in group counseling for core group counseling skills should be examined.</p>

This book primarily is founded upon the credence gleaned from Dr. Vannatta’s published dissertation that demonstrated through a rigorous systematic content analysis of Group Counseling course syllabi used to prepare students at the graduate level to conduct group counseling programs and interventions, while learning group leadership skills, and understanding group dynamics and so forth, minimally included evidence of multiculturalism being incorporated in the courses. It provides content, experiential activities, strong case applications in group leadership across every chapter. The book also provides a detailed case illustration that includes a solid foundation of the goals, purpose, membership, and other group dynamics. It uses different examples to bring to life the learning objectives of the chapter. The cases attempt to provide a broad spectrum of group leaders, coleaders, and group members. The use of multiple cases affords the reader some consistency of engaging in the material while reflecting on applying specific aspects of group leadership. Additionally, the book has an entire chapter that includes a variety of creative and thoughtful case illustrations to highlight special topics centered on a myriad of multicultural considerations. Finally, it pays particular attention to providing information on leading groups, like most group counseling texts on the market; however, it expands the market by offering counselor educators, doctoral students and early career professionals strategies on providing supervision to masters’ level practitioners.