Qualitative Evaluation Methods Applied to a High School Counseling Center

Abstract

The authors present a case study demonstrating how qualitative techniques can be used to evaluate a high school counseling and guidance program.

Critical factors in group work: Clients' perceptions

“…These methods "are grounded in a phenomenological paradigm centered on how individuals construct or make sense of their surroundings" (Murray, Levitov, Castenell, & Joubert, 1987, p. 64). Additionally:…”

The School Counselor Alumni Peer Consultation Group

“…The open-ended responses are analyzed using qualitative research methods to code, summarize, and describe common themes (Patton, 1990;Strauss, 1993). Qualitative tools are the primary method for evaluating the effectiveness of the group, because they are designed to reveal the ways in which people make meaning and to offer depth and insight into the more subjective aspects of professional development (P. V. Murray, Levitov, Castenell, & Joubert, 1987;Wehmeyer, 1983). Consistent with qualitative research principles, evaluation questions may change yearly as the content and needs of the group evolve (Patton, 1990;Strauss, 1993).…”

Collaborative Consultation and Program Evaluation

“…Some of these approaches include the use of standard scores and tallies of both the frequency with which counseling and guidance services are provided and information regarding the number of individuals seeking services (Lewis, 1983). Standardized evaluation instruments have also been used to collect data regarding the provision of counseling and guidance services (Murray, Levitov, Castenell, & Joubert, 1987). Although the use of a prepackaged assessment can be useful for collecting data on the artifacts of selected school practices, the results are too often inadequate for answering questions relevant to a particular school or a particular counseling and guidance program.…”