Developing and Implementing Self‐Instructional Modules for Counselor Training

This article presents the findings from two research studies. In Study I, 21 counseling students were given either a written standard model, written serial model, or a videotape model of how to ask tacting questions. While there were no differences between the written and video models, significant multivariate differences were found between the two forms of the written models. In Study II, 24 counseling students received either the written or video model and then were assessed either by orally responding or by writing reflections of feeling responses to a series of client vignettes. Once again, no differences were found for mode of model presentation. Students who responded in writing, however, outperformed those who responded orally. The discussion focuses on the implications these two studies have for counselor education. Study IDuring the last few years, counselor educators have begun to examine the media employed to train counselors. Stone (1975) compared the impact of high-and low-fidelity methods of instruction (videotapes, lectures, and roleplaying as compared to audiotapes and written manuals) and high-and low-fidelity practice (oral rehearsal versus written rehearsal) and found the combination of high-fidelity instruction and practice to be most effective in improving trainee skill performance. Yenawine and Arbuckle (1971) examined the effects of using videotape and audiotape playback in a counseling practicum. Although their findings were based on the subjective reactions of their students, the videoSharonE.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

A Two‐Study Comparison of Written and Video Modeling and of Written and Oral Assessment

Robinson

Kurpius

Froehle

1981

“…These programs illustrate the type of objectives-oriented training approach that Lechowicz and Gazda (1976) tailored so successfully to the group counseling objective's emphasized by their 1975 study. Cormier and Cormier (1976) provided strong support for this approach when they recommended that self-instructional modules be used more extensively in counselor training. They suggested that such packages can be implemented as individualized instructional units or as parts of courses or workshops.…”

Section: Limited Competency-based Training Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Competency‐Based Staff Development Approach for Improving Counselor Education

Jones

Dayton

1977

While there is a substantial and in many ways encouraging trend toward competency‐based methods for training counseling personnel today, this movement faces three obstacles: 1) lack of evidence of the effectiveness of this approach; 2) difficulty in identifying desired competencies on which the training should focus; and 3) limited sets of materials useful for developing needed competencies. After discussing these problems, the authors report on the development and field testing of two sets of competency‐based training materials. Brief descriptions of these materials and their field test results are presented.

“…The same did not hold true for audio and video presentations. The implications of these cost-and labor-efficient instructional packages are discussed.In several recent issues of Counselor Education and Supervision, specific articles have outlined approaches for developing and implementing self-evaluation or self-instructional modules for counselor trainees (Cormier & Cormier, 1976;Hector, Elson, & Yager, 1977; Fuhrmann, 1978). Although each author has reverified the importance of such programs, there is a dearth of empirical research investigating the impact of self-instructional programs and the most effective and efficient methods of presenting such programs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Although each author has reverified the importance of such programs, there is a dearth of empirical research investigating the impact of self-instructional programs and the most effective and efficient methods of presenting such programs. Cormier and Cormier (1976) suggest three components of a selfinstructional learning activity designed to assist trainees in the acquisition of discrete interviewing concepts and skills. The specific components are 1) modeled examples, 2) practice, and 3) immediate feedback on practice.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐Instructional Modules: Comparison of Modeling and Feedback Media

Robinson¹,

Froehle²,

Kurpius³

1979

This study addressed the effectiveness and efficiency issues in a self-instructional Iearning activity in counselor training. The study specifically examined three media (written, audio, and video) of model and of self-generated performance feedback presentation. There were no differences in trainee production of counselor tacting response leads because of media of model or media of performance feedback presentation. Results, however, did indicate that learning is significantly enhanced when a written performance feedback component is added to a written modeling component. The same did not hold true for audio and video presentations. The implications of these cost-and labor-efficient instructional packages are discussed.In several recent issues of Counselor Education and Supervision, specific articles have outlined approaches for developing and implementing self-evaluation or self-instructional modules for counselor trainees (Cormier & Cormier, 1976;Hector, Elson, & Yager, 1977; Fuhrmann, 1978). Although each author has reverified the importance of such programs, there is a dearth of empirical research investigating the impact of self-instructional programs and the most effective and efficient methods of presenting such programs.Cormier and Cormier (1976) suggest three components of a selfinstructional learning activity designed to assist trainees in the acquisition of discrete interviewing concepts and skills. The specific components are 1) modeled examples, 2) practice, and 3) immediate feedback on practice. These were the steps employed by Robinson (1978) who compared instructions, modeling, model plus self-generated performance feedback and model plus expert performance feedback groups. She found that the addition of feedback to the modeled examples had more impact than models presented alone. Her results also indicated that self-generated performance feedback (a self-instructional learning activity) was as effective as expert performance feedback (a learning activity requiring supervisor input). The equivalence of self and expert feedback, without the modeling phase, was also supported by a study conducted by Robinson, Kurpius, & Froehle (1978). These two empirical studies confirm the effectiveness of an instructional module using a self feedback condition. In the both of these studies, the self-generated performance feedback was facilitated via a correctness cue presented on videotape. The models were also presented on videotape in the Robinson (1978) study. While the majority of counselor training research has used videotaped training materials, few researchers have compared different media for presenting instructional packages. Stone (1975) presented low fidelity models (instructional manuals and audiotapes) and high fidelity models (videotapes and in vivo), but he collapsed across the types of high and low fidelity models, which did not allow for a true comparison of video, audio or written models. Robinson, Forehle, and Kurpius (1979) compared video and written models and found no differences. A study ...