Sex and Order of Counseling Effects on Paired Role-Play Practice

In this study the effects of order of counseling and sex within counseling pairs were analyzed. A total of 51 graduate students, 35 women and 16 men, from introductory counseling classes were randomly assigned, according to their sex, to two levels of sex pairing and ordinal position. Multivariate analyses of variance and analyses of variance indicated that same sex or opposite sex pairing and ordinal position did not influence performances. Women, however, produced more reflection-of-feeling responses, and their responses tended to be more accurate than those of men. Also, women in ordinal Position 2 who had male partners in Position 1 outperformed women paired with women in Position 1. Results are discussed in reference to literature on modeling, sex differences, and role-play practice.     

Self-Instructional Modules: Comparison of Modeling and Feedback Media

This study addressed the effectiveness and efficiency issues in a self-instructional learning 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.     

Effects of Counselor's Ordinal Position When Involved in Role Play Practice in Triads

To investigate the effects of the order of being the counselor when involved in role-play practice, 36 novice trainees were assigned to counseling triads and then to the levels of ordinal position—counselor first, second, or third. Each participant also served as a client and as an observer within the triad. No difference among the three ordinal positions was found in the trainees' abilities to produce reflection of feeling responses. Similarly, there were no differences between those trainees who functioned as as observers before being the role-play counselor. There was a significant positive linear trend, however, for ordinal position (i.e., the accuracy of the trainees' reflection of feeling responses steadily improved from first counselor role play to third counselor role play). These results are discussed from a social-learning theory perspective.     

Self-Generated Performance Feedback in Interviewing Training

The present study examined the effect of self-generated performance feedback, of expert performance feedback, and of no performance feedback on novice counselor trainee's production of counselor tacting response leads (CTRLs). Self-generated performance feedback consisted of the participants responding to a video-taped client and then orally evaluating their own response on the basis of a performance standard. Expert performance feedback consisted of verbal feedback from a designated expert given over a bug-in-the-ear apparatus. Analysis of four measures of CTRLs revealed no differences resulting from either source of feedback—self or expert—however, those who received feedback outperformed the controls. These differences were maintained over a short time span.     

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

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.     

Still a gendered technology? Issues in teaching information and communication technologies at the UK Open University

Over the last 5 years the Faculty of Technology of the UK Open University has redesigned most of its courses in the information and communication technologies. This paper reviews some of the issues, the changes made and what has been achieved. The combination of changes to content, pedagogy and marketing appears to have made the new generation of courses significantly more attractive to women--although it is difficult to disentangle the effects of the various changes.