AONS II: Continuing the Trend Towards Preservation Software ‘Nirvana’

File format obsolescence is a major risk factor threatening the sustainability of and access to digital information. While the preservation community has become increasingly interested in tools for migration and transformation of file formats, the National Library of Australia is developing mechanisms specifically focused on monitoring and assessing the risks of file format obsolescence. This paper reports on the AONS II project, undertaken by the National Library of Australia (NLA) in conjunction with the Australian Partnership for Sustainable Repositories (APSR). The project aimed to develop a software tool which allows users to automatically monitor the status of file formats in their repositories, make risk assessments based on a core set of obsolescence risk questions, and receive notifications when file format risks change or other related events occur. This paper calls for the preservation community to develop a co-operating file format obsolescence community which includes registries, software tool creators and end users to effectively curate digital content in order to maintain long-term access.     

Investigating the Effects of Computerized Approaches to Counselor Training

This article begins with a discussion of issues related to evaluating the acceptance and effectiveness of computerized approaches to counselor training. In view of the paucity of research on the use of computers in counselor training, the discussion focuses on the relationship between what is known about computer-assisted counseling systems and comparable uses envisioned in counselor training. After discussing the need to evaluate the extent to which both students and educators accept the use of computers in training, the article examines computerized approaches in light of what Loganbill, Hardy, and Delworth (1982) indicate are three fundamental tasks of counselor training; to help students (a) to obtain pertinent knowledge and factual information, (b) to increase their self-awareness, and (c) to develop skills. The article concludes with a discussion of several research opportunities that are made possible by computer applications to counselor training.     

Consultation Training in Master's Level Counselor Education Programs

The purpose of this research was to update and extend the survey of training practices conducted by Splete and Bernstein (1981). More counselor education programs are offering individual courses in consultation to their master's students, but the preferred method of delivering consultation coursework still seems to be integrating it into other courses. Little consensus was found among program administrators regarding topics covered in didactic experiences. The majority of the respondents reported offering some fieldwork in consultation, either as a requirement or as an elective.     

Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling Programmes in the Primary Schools of Hong Kong: Teachers' Perceptions and Involvement

This article describes teachers' and Life Education Coordinators' perceptions of, and involvement in, the guidance and counselling activities in primary schools in Hong Kong. Respondents who completed a survey questionnaire comprised 367 class teachers and 66 Life Education Coordinators from 82 primary schools. The results indicated that guidance and counselling activities (including guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support) were being implemented in their schools to some reasonable extent. Some differences between teachers and Life Education Coordinators in terms of their involvement and perceptions are discussed. The survey identified a major weakness in the present guidance system in that many teachers who are involved in, and responsible for, implementing a guidance curriculum do not have any training in guidance work. Implications are discussed.     

Selection and Elimination of Candidates in Counselor Education Programs

This study compared actual with ideal procedures in the selection and elimination of candidates in counselor education programs. A two-factor analysis for each category (selection and elimination) resulted in some significant differences (p< .001) between the actual and ideal procedures in both selection and elimination. The criteria for actual and ideal procedures in the selection and elimination of candidates were also treated by t tests, with highly significant differences (p<.075 to p<.0005) found on some of the criteria.