Assessing the Efficacy of Contextualized Group Counseling Education in Asia: A Mixed Methods Study
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Jian-Ai Thong, Justine
Lim, Joy Yung-Re
Jones, Elizabeth
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Abstract
Many experiential learning teaching models are developed in Western cultures, with their efficacy not tested in non-Western cultures, especially in counseling education. This study examined the learning experiences of students (n = 52) enrolled in a culturally contextualized experiential teaching method implemented across a 3-year period in a Malaysian university Masters-level group counseling course. The course changes included group demonstrations by lecturers and peers, live group participation and observation, group dynamics map drawing and debriefing, paired group proposal writing and presentation, and group note- taking. This study adopted a mixed method approach with a short survey consisting of both standardized scales and open-ended questions, administered at the beginning and end of each 12-week semester. Archival data on students’ evaluation was also retrieved from the year before the intervention, to compare with the 3 years of intervention. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in students’ perceived group leadership skills and leadership characteristics at the end of the course. Students’ overall satisfaction with the course quality also improved significantly from the year prior to the implementation of the new teaching method. Qualitative coding identified three major themes–active learning classroom that led to confidence in group counseling knowledge and skills; experiential activities in the tutorial sessions, with opportunities to carry out their proposed group activities; and formative feedback given throughout the semester during tutorial settings contributing to the higher course satisfaction rate. To conclude, we discuss the implications of contextualized experiential learning for higher education counseling pedagogy in the Asian region.
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International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling
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44
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3
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© The Author(s) 2022. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
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Social Sciences
Psychology, Applied
Psychology
Group counseling
Experiential learning
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Sing-Kiat Ting, R; Jian-Ai Thong, J; Lim, JY-R; Jones, E, Assessing the Efficacy of Contextualized Group Counseling Education in Asia: A Mixed Methods Study, International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 2022, 44 (3), pp. 550-568