Ethical Consideration of Counselor Education Teaching Strategies

Abstract

Counselor educators rely on a variety of teaching strategies to augment clinical instruction and enhance student learning. Such strategies include action methods, audio/video material, and self‐exploration. While using these strategies, educators are responsible for remaining sensitive to fundamental ethical issues, varied student needs, and academic/professional standards. Despite appearing straightforward and routine, this aspect of counselor education requires ongoing appraisal to ensure adherence to ethical guidelines, program integrity, and student well‐being. This article reviews various teaching strategies, discusses ethical implications associated with each strategy, and provides preliminary guidelines to enhance counselor educator ethical practice and student well‐being.

Art-Based Supervision Techniques

“…Many of the same concerns inherent in including artmaking in counseling and counselor education are shared with the practice of supervision. For example, Ziff and Beamish (2004) described the necessity of training in the use of the arts before implementing techniques into professional practice, Hammond and Gantt (1998) delineated ethical issues surrounding treatment of the artwork, and Morrissette and Gadbois (2006) described the potential for discomfort when participating in experiential techniques. Ethical concerns related to using art-based supervision strategies tend to coalesce around the topics of practicing outside of the scope of professional training, handling of artwork, and ensuring supervisee well-being.…”

“…Supervisors should institute safeguards for supervisee well-being and be prepared for unintended consequences. Morrissette and Gadbois (2006) made several recommendations for protecting student well-being in the educational setting that have applicability to the supervision context. Supervisors should inform supervisees of the rationale for including art-based techniques, including the goal and purpose, and inform supervisees of the potential for unintentional self-disclosures and emotional responses.…”

Enhancing Role-Play Activities With Pocket Camcorder Technology: Strategies for Counselor-Educators

“…Thus, counselor-educators can choose from a wide variety of teaching strategies when designing an educational experience that will have the greatest impact on student learning. Often, counseloreducators choose to combine methods to allow students the opportunity to learn and interact with content on multiple levels (Morrissette & Gadbois, 2006). However, authors have identified potential obstacles counseloreducators may experience when deciding to implement a specific educational strategy involving role-play and technology.…”

Using Art-Based Multicultural Interventions to Reduce Counselor Trainees' Ethnocentrism

“…Some considerations should include the student learner's culture, comfort level, and learning style (Morrissette & Gadbois, 2006). Some participants struggled with visual thinking and expressing complex ideas, noting that they felt they could more adequately convey their thoughts through the CDCA written version.…”

“…Morrissette and Gadbois (2006) cautioned counselor educators who employ teaching strategies that invite self-exploration and reflection, such as is inherent in experiential learning, of the possibility of evoking student anxiety and provoking unintentional consequences. Counselor educators who include such activities should be trained in both group process and experiential-based teaching (Westwood, 1994).…”