Information and Communication Technology in Education of Psychological Counselors in Training

Şerife Gonca Zeren
2014 International Online Journal of Educational Sciences  
Using information and communication technology (ICT) in psychological counseling and guidance field is a current issue with the developing technology. In Turkey, scientific research on this subject is quite limited. The aim of this research is to examine the thoughts of counselors in training about the ICT. This qualitative study was conducted with 7 senior female students taking Individual Psychological Counseling Practice course in Psychological Counseling and Guidance Undergraduate Program
more » ... Yeditepe University. Data were gathered with both a questionnaire consisting of openended questions and focus group discussion. As a result of content analysis, counselors in training were found to think that ICT is positive since it is fast and convenient as a part of the education. Besides, they stated that there are both advantages and disadvantages of online counseling process they conducted within this context. It was understood that being in an online client role is generally easy for counselors in training and this process increases the empathy towards the clients. However, they had difficulties in scenario building and artificial atmosphere. The advantage of conducting online counseling is that it provides enough time to react properly to the clients during sessions, an opportunity to read the conversation again and again, giving opportunity to the people who cannot take counseling service, suitability to people who have difficulty in self-disclosure during face-to-face sessions, and contribution to the counselors' professional development. Disadvantages of the online counseling is that the clients and the counselors cannot communicate directly; that it is hard to build trust, that it is necessary to take additional precautions about confidentiality, and the differences in time management. Extended Summary Purpose Today, most people do bank transactions without getting out from their homes, buy cinema, concert or match tickets while sitting on their seats, read online newspapers and magazines, and organize conferences with computers and cell phones and this is accepted as a usual routine of daily life. In line with this developing new life style, counselors' getting skills in ICT cause quality service to clients.
doi:10.15345/iojes.2014.02.019 fatcat:m44iwvccnnbuhdor4wv6rk2b7u