The critical points of The critical points of group counselling in group counselling in

study guidancestudy guidanceJatta Herranen & Leena PenttinenJatta Herranen & Leena Penttinen

jjatta.herranen@joensuu.fiatta.herranen@joensuu.fileena.penttinen@jyu.fileena.penttinen@jyu.fiUniversity of JoensuuUniversity of Joensuu

University of JyväskyläUniversity of JyväskyläFinlandFinland

Challenges of study Challenges of study guidance guidance

Educational policy interest: shortening study Educational policy interest: shortening study times and preventing dropoutstimes and preventing dropouts

The challenges of institutional study guidance:The challenges of institutional study guidance: Guidance services invisible, those who would need Guidance services invisible, those who would need

guidance and counselling do not use the guidance guidance and counselling do not use the guidance services (Moitus ym.2001)services (Moitus ym.2001)

The institutional guidance does not reach students: The institutional guidance does not reach students: informal peer support the most used (Lairio & informal peer support the most used (Lairio & Penttinen 2006)Penttinen 2006)

Fellow students can also feed negative visions of Fellow students can also feed negative visions of future (Buchman 1998)future (Buchman 1998)

How to exploit the positive force of peer How to exploit the positive force of peer support: group counselling as a tool for support: group counselling as a tool for institutional study guidance? institutional study guidance?

Two comparative Two comparative experiments experiments

The structured group counselling model The structured group counselling model in educational settingsin educational settings

Two counselling interventions in period Two counselling interventions in period 2007-2008 2007-2008 Occupational counselling experiment in the Occupational counselling experiment in the

IT fieldIT field Study counselling in vocational education in Study counselling in vocational education in

the field of youth work and leisuretime the field of youth work and leisuretime activitiesactivities

Video-recorded data from counselling Video-recorded data from counselling sessionssessions

Occupational counselling experiment

in the IT field

Get known with each others

Establishing the goals in

the field

IT field as Profession

Competence demands

A dream joband its features

Learning experiences

Personal

learning styles

Future

(2 groups, University of Joensuu)

Study counselling in vocational education in Study counselling in vocational education in the field of youth work and leisuretime the field of youth work and leisuretime

activitiesactivities

Get known with each others

& orientation

Motivation and

time scheduling

Challenges of learning and

studying

Learning strategies

and Learning styles

Reading andpreparation

for exams

Making notes

(4 groups, North Karelia College)

INTERVIEWS

Timeplanning Writing thesisThe feelings

ofCamp school

Celebration and

evaluation

Critical tensions in group Critical tensions in group counsellingcounselling

What actually happens in group counselling?What actually happens in group counselling? How did the group counselling session differ How did the group counselling session differ

from pedagogical interation?from pedagogical interation? Intitutional expectations for pedagogical Intitutional expectations for pedagogical

group interaction which contradict the ideals group interaction which contradict the ideals of counselling:of counselling:

1.1. voluntarinessvoluntariness vs. vs. obligation? obligation?

2.2. Teacher as a study counsellor?Teacher as a study counsellor?

3.3. The shift from ”professional” students to The shift from ”professional” students to empowerment of active individuals?empowerment of active individuals?

VoluntarinessVoluntariness vs. vs. obligationobligation?? How important the constitution of a group is for How important the constitution of a group is for

succesful group processes?succesful group processes? In the model, membership is based on the In the model, membership is based on the

voluntariness and individual aims but in educational voluntariness and individual aims but in educational institutions groups are often built up according to institutions groups are often built up according to institutional criteriasinstitutional criterias

Do institutional criterias create Do institutional criterias create a sufficient conditiona sufficient condition for shared orientation and goal definition?for shared orientation and goal definition?

School ethnographers: Students are used to take a School ethnographers: Students are used to take a part to part to predefinedpredefined groups where they are already groups where they are already categorized institutionally and this categorization is categorized institutionally and this categorization is manifested as a primary one in contrary to a student’s manifested as a primary one in contrary to a student’s individual intentionsindividual intentions

voluntarinessvoluntariness vs. vs. obligation obligation??Defining the goals for the group work:Defining the goals for the group work: In group counselling experiments there were In group counselling experiments there were

confusion who in the end defined the goals of confusion who in the end defined the goals of group work: Students gave answers to a study group work: Students gave answers to a study counsellor’s questions but were these answers counsellor’s questions but were these answers just a part of pedagogical game very familiar to just a part of pedagogical game very familiar to students? students?

Educational aims are predefined: there already Educational aims are predefined: there already exist ”the true real goals” : Students are used to exist ”the true real goals” : Students are used to trust that a teacher knows and takes trust that a teacher knows and takes responsibility of the goals responsibility of the goals

For a student it can be pretty challenging to take For a student it can be pretty challenging to take more active and responsibe role in defining the more active and responsibe role in defining the goalsgoals

A teacher or a counsellor?A teacher or a counsellor? In vocational education and higher education In vocational education and higher education

study counsellors are often teachers as wellstudy counsellors are often teachers as well At the same time a short and a long distance At the same time a short and a long distance

between a teacher and a study counsellorbetween a teacher and a study counsellor Different kind of teachers: authoritative and Different kind of teachers: authoritative and

student-focusedstudent-focused Different kind of study counsellors (supervisors)Different kind of study counsellors (supervisors)

In classroom intercation:In classroom intercation: Authoritative teacher roleAuthoritative teacher role Passive student rolePassive student role

How to interpret the interaction rules of How to interpret the interaction rules of group counselling sessions?group counselling sessions?

A teacher or a counsellor?A teacher or a counsellor? At the beginning of group counselling a At the beginning of group counselling a

counsellor directs the action. It can look like counsellor directs the action. It can look like one-way interaction where a counsellor one-way interaction where a counsellor defines the frames of action and give straight defines the frames of action and give straight orders and instructions (Borgen 1998, 27-28)orders and instructions (Borgen 1998, 27-28)

This kind of behaviour resembles teacher talk This kind of behaviour resembles teacher talk in classroom (Tainio 2007)in classroom (Tainio 2007)

If the counsellors behaviour is identified as If the counsellors behaviour is identified as teacher talk, it can have consequences to teacher talk, it can have consequences to students’ activities in the group interaction:students’ activities in the group interaction:

How students get the right kind of How students get the right kind of understanding about the diferencies between understanding about the diferencies between teachers and counsellors roles if at the teachers and counsellors roles if at the beginning of group counselling a counsellor beginning of group counselling a counsellor acts very much like a teacher?acts very much like a teacher?

Example 1Example 1Counsellor: Well, lets see… We’ll go back to the goals. Counsellor: Well, lets see… We’ll go back to the goals.

Well, let’s see. Well, let’s see. What do you think, what kind of things What do you think, what kind of things [goals] there could be, the goals of this group, what do [goals] there could be, the goals of this group, what do you have [written down]? you have [written down]?

Matti: Everyone mentioned minor subjects, how to make Matti: Everyone mentioned minor subjects, how to make a reasonable combination of them, how to connect a reasonable combination of them, how to connect them to your own major subject, how to make bright them to your own major subject, how to make bright choices…choices…

Annika: Yes and if there are minor subjects that…Annika: Yes and if there are minor subjects that…Counsellor ((writes)): Err...Counsellor ((writes)): Err...Annika: ... if there are minor subjects that you don’t Annika: ... if there are minor subjects that you don’t

know or you do know what to study but you don’t know know or you do know what to study but you don’t know what could be a job where you would need these what could be a job where you would need these subjects. I mean that although they would be a good subjects. I mean that although they would be a good ones, how to combine themones, how to combine them

Counsellor: Okay, Counsellor: Okay, actually sort of occupational actually sort of occupational connectionsconnections… these minor subject connections… … these minor subject connections… Yes, Yes, just say itjust say it

Tommi: I just want to say that when Annika told Tommi: I just want to say that when Annika told her minor subjects, I think they sound very wise her minor subjects, I think they sound very wise onesones

Counsellor: Counsellor: Well, we can think about why they Well, we can think about why they would be wisewould be wise

Tommi: Yes Tommi: Yes Counsellor: Counsellor: In some criteria they sound very wise In some criteria they sound very wise

((smiles)) Yes, what else?((smiles)) Yes, what else?Juhani: Well, for example, exchange studies, to get Juhani: Well, for example, exchange studies, to get

knowlege, and where from… whom to askknowlege, and where from… whom to askCounsellor: Okay, exchange possibilites, would it Counsellor: Okay, exchange possibilites, would it

be so, yes ((writes)). It means this kind of study be so, yes ((writes)). It means this kind of study matters, concerning exchange studiesmatters, concerning exchange studies

Annika: And then there was [a question] if you are Annika: And then there was [a question] if you are absent from courses, I mean that you are not absent from courses, I mean that you are not obliged to be prensent in lecturesobliged to be prensent in lectures

Counsellor: Counsellor: YesYes

Annika: You could think about why there are those Annika: You could think about why there are those [absence] how to limit them and if there is a risk to [absence] how to limit them and if there is a risk to drop out, then you could expore the reasons why…if drop out, then you could expore the reasons why…if you haven’t listened on lectures or…you haven’t listened on lectures or…

Counsellor: Yes, do you think… this kind of study…Counsellor: Yes, do you think… this kind of study…Annika: I mean that if everyone else has ten etc Annika: I mean that if everyone else has ten etc

credits and I have only three, then you could think credits and I have only three, then you could think about why, what have I done wrongabout why, what have I done wrong

Counsellor: Counsellor: YesYesAnnika:... Or why don’t I learn...or have I been too Annika:... Or why don’t I learn...or have I been too

many times absent from the coursemany times absent from the courseCounsellor: Counsellor: Yes, could this be called study practices, Yes, could this be called study practices,

maybemaybe ((writes)) or challenges [of study practices] ((writes)) or challenges [of study practices] how to call them. Maybe it also includes questions how to call them. Maybe it also includes questions about study about study techniques, let’s say sotechniques, let’s say so ((writes)). ((writes)). These are very relevant questions These are very relevant questions

A professional student A professional student as a member of a group as a member of a group

A professional student has learned to take a part to A professional student has learned to take a part to the institutional rituals and adjusted herself/himself the institutional rituals and adjusted herself/himself to the unwritten hidden rules of school culture which to the unwritten hidden rules of school culture which emphasize the passive role of a student (Gordon & emphasize the passive role of a student (Gordon & Lahelma 2003)Lahelma 2003)

The social architecture of a classroom does not The social architecture of a classroom does not support the active role of individualssupport the active role of individuals

On the contrary, group counselling emphasizes the On the contrary, group counselling emphasizes the active role of group members: they are seen as active role of group members: they are seen as individual learners with knowledge ans skills but also individual learners with knowledge ans skills but also emotions, beliefs, attitudes - and they are seen able emotions, beliefs, attitudes - and they are seen able to critically reflect their expreriences and thoughts to critically reflect their expreriences and thoughts and feelings (Borgen & al. 1998; Ruponen & al. 2000)and feelings (Borgen & al. 1998; Ruponen & al. 2000)

A professional student A professional student as a member of a groupas a member of a group

The challenge to create own norms for the group The challenge to create own norms for the group which is located into an educational institution with which is located into an educational institution with its own predefined normsits own predefined norms

Limits of confidenciality: in what conditions it is Limits of confidenciality: in what conditions it is possible to create a confidental peer discussion in possible to create a confidental peer discussion in addition to the other groups of school instituion (eg. addition to the other groups of school instituion (eg. class and another study group) class and another study group)

The student’s right to remain in the professional The student’s right to remain in the professional student’s role (which is largely approved in student’s role (which is largely approved in institutional frame)institutional frame)

ConclusionsConclusions Institutional frames challenge the Institutional frames challenge the

possibilities of group counselling in the possibilities of group counselling in the level of confidentiality:level of confidentiality: What kind of questions can be discussed in What kind of questions can be discussed in

group counselling?group counselling? The sensitivity of ethical issues in The sensitivity of ethical issues in

educational settings:educational settings: Student’s right to stay in the role of a Student’s right to stay in the role of a

professional studentprofessional student Teacher’s ability to shift a role to a study Teacher’s ability to shift a role to a study

counsellorcounsellor

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