The Application of Information Technology among Trainee Counselors

Abstract

The study seeks to establish the requirement for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competency among counselors in the effort to assist clients that is in need of guidance and counseling. A total of twenty students from the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya that is currently undergoing professional training in various organizations have been selected as respondents in this study. The study establishes whether or not the knowledge in ICT benefits the trainers in their professional training and facilitates their counseling activities at the respective organizations. Data collected through a combination of interactive observation, documentary analysis and recording sessions of structured interviews are analyzed utilizing a qualitative data analysis approach. Initial findings show that the knowledge and skills in ICT assist the trainers in assessing the needs requirements of the clients based on four areas identified as problematic to the client namely; (1) personal (2) social (3) education and (4) career. The findings also hoped to be able to further assist trainee counselors at institutions of higher educations to augment their skills in counseling and ICT in the pursuit to become competent counselors of the future.