Critical Incidents in Counselor Education. Группа авторов

toward the group and the project Often unpreparedOccasionally arrived lateRarely solicited others’ perspectivesUsually had a positive attitude toward the group and the project Rarely preparedOften arrived lateNever solicited others’ perspectivesRarely had a positive attitude toward the group or project Cooperation and interaction Was consistently courteous and valued others’ opinionsRoutinely volunteered point of viewAlways a willing participantWorked to minimize conflict and was effective at resolving personal issues within the groupResponded frequently to questions Was mostly courteous and valued most opinionsOccasionally volunteered point of viewMinimally involved in either starting or resolving conflictsResponded occasionally to questions Was sometimes courteous and valued some opinionsRarely volunteered point of viewThe source of conflict within the groupRarely able to respond to questions Was not courteous and did not value others’ opinionsNever volunteered point of viewParticipated in regular conflict that interfered with group progressNever able to respond to questions Quality of work and leadership Exhibited excellent listening and leadership skillsProvided work of the highest qualityComments were relevant and reflective of knowledge, previous comments from students, and learningComments frequently moved the research project forward Provided high-quality workComments were mostly relevant and reflective of knowledge, previous comments from students, andComments sometimes moved the research project forward Provided work that occasionally needed to be checked or revised by group members to ensure qualityComments were rarely relevant and were only slightly reflective of knowledge, previous comments from students, and learningComments rarely moved the research project forward Provided work that usually needed to be checked or revised by group members to ensure qualityComments reflected little understanding and betrayed a lack of preparationComments did not move the research project forward

The dispositions most applicable to Mary are commitment and integrity, defined as “investment in learning; development of counselor identity; advocacy; professional excellence; civic engagement; collaboration; scholar/practitioner; interpersonal competence” and “personal responsibility; personal and professional maturity; honesty; courage; congruence,” respectively (Spurgeon, Gibbons, & Cochran, 2012, p. 103). It is important for Professor Madden to be knowledgeable about the scholarly discussion of dispositions (Miller et al., 2020; Spurgeon, Gibbons, & Cochran, 2012) and how accreditation and ethical standards inform the manner in which counselor educators provide feedback to emerging counselors about their dispositions. From this perspective, each assignment has the potential to address significant parts of student development and opportunities for self-growth.

      The impact of failure to address student growth can be significant. Mary’s choices provide an example of the importance of being aware of one’s impact on others. Mary engaged in a set of behaviors seemingly without much care or concern for the impact her choices would have on those in her group. She unilaterally decided that Kyle and Jennifer could complete the assigned project in her absence. In addition, she shared comments of support and congratulations after not fulfilling her commitment to the group or the project. This could easily be seen as being patronizing or not taking Kyle and Jennifer’s individual needs into account. Professor Madden’s lack of clarity regarding learning and growth expectations could also have a negative impact on the program’s ability to assess key performance indicators or engage in remediation should concerns about Mary’s dispositions continue.

Conclusion

      Group assignments are an integral component of counselor training programs. Requiring students to complete group projects assesses two discrete domains: learning of the assignment (content) and individual contributions of students toward the completion of the group assignment (process). Proactively discussing how group assignments will be evaluated and how individual contributions will be assessed is a critical skill counselor educators need to cultivate. Group assignments can provide dispositional data for counselor trainees, and it is vital that counselor educators understand and see how failure to act could impact student growth experiences. Lack of intentionality, clarity, and communication in framing the evaluative framework for group assignments can create challenges for how counselor educators assess key performance indicators and student dispositions and for how students perceive the equity of work expectations across the program.

Reflection Questions

      1 What steps could Jennifer and Kyle take to raise and express their concerns about their group project experience?

      2 What would help Professor Madden assess students’ level of participation, knowledge acquisition, and content understanding?

Critical Incident Response

       Vaibhavee R. Agaskar and Jean Georgiou

      The authors considered three important factors: Mary’s ethical behavior, the role of the instructor in assessment, and students’ growth and development in the graduate program. Although Mary did not commit any serious violations of the ACA Code of Ethics (ACA, 2014), students who aspire to become professional counselors must follow ACA’s guiding principles of fidelity and professional responsibility.

      Professor Madden needs to support students in completing their work and assignments. Rather than turning in an entire project at the end of the semester, it might be beneficial for students to turn in sections so instructors can give plentiful opportunities for students to revise their work before it receives a final grade (Bain, 2004). Professor Madden may also work on a rubric that specifies group members’ tasks and responsibilities along with learning outcomes for the assignment. The rubric in Table 2.1 will help group participants evaluate their contributions to the group process. Considering the intricacy of group projects, it might be beneficial for students to receive grades both individually and as a group.

      The crux of this analysis is the impact of group process on student development. Per CACREP Standards (CACREP, 2016), an adviser is required at all times during the program. Professor Madden may consider working with Mary’s adviser to assist Mary in understanding her responsibilities as a graduate student. In addition to her academic and clinical skills, the program faculty need to evaluate Mary’s professional dispositions. If needed, an adviser could create a remediation plan with Mary, with periodic accountability check-ins regarding other coursework until she progresses satisfactorily. An academic adviser could also suggest students seek supplementary services (e.g., in the writing center or counseling center) to support their academic and personal growth.

      As a single parent who was working full time and returning to college after some life experience, Mary was a nontraditional student. Nontraditional students may face a variety of concerns and special needs requiring different approaches and methods (Rash et al., 2008). Mentorship plays a valuable role in the optimal development of students and may be helpful when working with nontraditional students across disciplines (Mullen, 2005). ACA (2012) and CACREP (2016) have also highlighted the importance of mentorship in the counseling profession. Faculty mentorship and contact are especially valuable for helping females and minoritized students feel connected to their programs in ways that may improve the retention and graduation rates of these students (Butler et al., 2013; Le-chuga, 2011). Mary may benefit from working with faculty members who can advise or mentor her in the graduate program. Similarly, peer mentorship may be advantageous to Mary (Boswell et al., 2015). For example, membership in Chi Sigma Iota might help Mary build a strong support network with peers during the program and beyond.

Part of ensuring student success is not only providing students with necessary tools but also