Integration of Digital Technologies for Employability and Global Competitiveness of Professional Counsellors in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the integration of digital technologies for employability and the global competitiveness of professional counsellors in Imo state. Three research questions and one hypothesis formulated to guide the study were tested at .05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population of the study consisted of 330 professional counsellors from Imo state. The instrument used for the data was a 15-item questionnaire. The instrument was validated by three experts, one from the field of measurement and evaluation and two from Guidance and Counselling all from the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Mean, standard deviation and chi-square were used for data analysis. The study revealed, among others, that the available digital technologies used by professional counsellors are telephone, video conferencing, WhatsApp, smartphones and computer games. It was also revealed that there is a significant influence of integration of digital technology on global competitiveness among professional counsellors in Imo state. The study recommended, among others, that government should also provide a training opportunity for counselors on ICT awareness as social network technologies are vital for counselling services.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0931/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Enhancing Effectiveness of Guidance and Counseling Services Through Web-Based Interactive Media

“…A previous study has shown a web-based medium designed specifically to target students in various conditions [9]. In the field of guidance and counseling, which was previously limited to face-to-face sessions, online access has now become possible through web-based platforms [10][11][12] underscore that school counselors bear a responsibility to participate in globalization efforts by implementing ICT strategies in their services. Beidoʇlu et al [13] revealed that school counselors can harness technology for: (1) information/resources (utilizing the web as a dynamic information repository containing text, graphics, videos, and three-dimensional environments); (2) communication/collaboration (using chat rooms, electronic bulletin boards, virtual classrooms, video conferences, online conferences, electronic services, and email for people to meet, exchange information, and make decisions together); (3) interactive/productivity (sending information to computers using software and computer-based programs and using computers to process data); (4) providing counseling services in the cyber realm or interactively online.…”