Conceptualizing Counseling Theories: A Content Analysis of Process and Goal Statements

This research effort presents (a) a model for viewing counseling theories and (b) data regarding the similarities and differences among selected counseling theorists on two dimensions: a process dimension and a goal dimension. Two instruments were used to tap the process and goal statements of selected theorists. Thirty-seven graduate students in two counseling theory classes completed the instruments, and their statement ratings were used to plot the selected theorists on the proposed model. Analysis of variance procedures were used to test differences among the theorists. The F ratios for both the process and goal statements were found to be significant at or beyond the .05 level. Theorist clusters were obtained by a post hoc probing process where the process clusters are as follows: (a) Williamson, Wolpe, Krumboltz; (b) Ellis, Thorne, Dreikurs, and Dollard and Miller; (c) Frankl, Alexander; (d) Rogers. The goal clusters are: (a) Wolpe, Krumboltz; (b) Williamson, Dollard and Miller; (c) Dreikurs, Thorne, Ellis, Alexander; (d) Rogers; (e) Frankl.     

A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY AND NOTATION IN MATRIX SAMPLING

The proliferation of terminology in matrix sampling is beginning to cause some minor problems. Presented herein is one set of terms and notation which hopefully will facilitate communication among individuals engaged in all aspects of matrix sampling.     

The Infusion of Counseling Observations Into a Graduate Counseling Program

This article discusses innovative methods for incorporating both live and videotaped counseling sessions conducted by faculty into a graduate counseling program.     

Enterprise and Liberal Education

Recent initiatives from the Employment Department in the UK have promoted ‘enterprise education’. This paper discusses the relationship of enterprise education to the more established notion of a liberal education. It is argued that enterprise education should be understood not as replacing the aspirations of a liberal education, but rather as supporting or extending them. It does this (i) by helping pupils to understand what is arguably a significant form of life; (ii) by developing understanding of the economic conditions of our social functioning; and (iii) by developing personal qualities which equip us practically to pursue our chosen paths in a competitive and sometimes hostile world.     

Parental and Stakeholder 'Voice' in Schools and Systems

With the expansion of education, the growth of the middle class and their awareness of the nexus between educational opportunities and socio-economic success, countries have come to perceive parents as stakeholders in, not just the recipients of, education. With the growing stakes involved, the need to have parental agreement on the broad lines of educational reform has become a more pressing political objective. This article suggests that it is important to examine 'voice' in the context of these broader trends as well as in the specific context of assessing whether education is becoming more 'demand-led'. It examines the exercise of 'voice' in schooling at the 'micro' level of schools and more broadly in the extent to which school systems at the macro level encourage the expression of diverse educational demands.
Alongside the formal opportunities and encouragement of parental participation, the practice reveals problems and limitations. In some countries parents tend to believe that the issues on which their engagement is sought are the relatively simple, practical ones rather than fundamentals, and that there may even be active discouragement of parental involvement. Evidence in some countries worryingly suggests that the level of parental interest is not high. There are the familiar equity questions to consider arising from inequalities in parental interest/involvement.     

APPLICATION OF COMPUTERIZED ADAPTIVE TESTING TO EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS

Three applications of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) to help solve problems encountered in educational settings are described and discussed. Each of these applications makes use of item response theory to select test questions from an item pool to estimate a student's achievement level and its precision. These estimates may then be used in conjunction with certain testing strategies to facilitate certain educational decisions. The three applications considered are (a) adaptive mastery testing for determining whether or not a student has mastered a particular content area, (b) adaptive grading for assigning grades to students, and (c) adaptive self-referenced testing for estimating change in a student's achievement level. Differences between currently used classroom procedures and these CAT procedures are discussed. For the adaptive mastery testing procedure, evidence from a series of studies comparing conventional and adaptive testing procedures is presented showing that the adaptive procedure results in more accurate mastery classifications than do conventional mastery tests, while using fewer test questions.