Evaluating Fieldwork and a Targeted Curriculum on Urban Counselor Trainees’ Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study explored counseling trainees' development of self-efficacy within an urban high school practicum experience. The following two research questions were addressed: (a) Did a field placement experience in an urban school increase counseling trainees' self-efficacy? and (b) What fieldwork factors affected counseling trainees' development of self-efficacy as urban counselors? Quantitative analysis indicated that participants self-reported overall improvement in counseling skills and greater confidence in executing school counseling activities in an urban environment, while qualitative analysis suggested the positive impact of using a targeted supervisory curriculum to develop counseling students' self-efficacy in working with urban youth. Implications for counselor educators are provided.

Exploring Outcomes of a Targeted Supervisory Training Curriculum on Developing Multicultural Competency and Social Justice Advocacy

“…Through conducting semi-structured interviews, we sought to understand participants' fieldwork experiences, with a lens toward exploring any differences that may have emerged based on group assignment. Our findings suggest the benefit of conducting field placements in urban, low SES settings with diverse student populations, given the increase in self-confidence to work in an urban setting among all participants regardless of group assignment-a finding that is also supported by the work of Hayden et al (2015).…”

“…The study builds on the work of Hayden et al (2015) by exploring the use of their targeted supervisory curriculum in developing MCC and social justice advocacy skills among school counseling students during an urban practicum field placement. The present pilot study served to examine preliminary data and outcomes of employing a targeted supervisory curriculum on promoting the development of MCC and social justice advocacy skills above and beyond a standard supervisory curriculum.…”

“…More specifically, this present study builds from the work of Hayden et al (2015), which examined the impact of an urban field placement experience, using a targeted supervisory curriculum, on the development of counseling students' self-efficacy. Their findings suggest the potential benefit of employing a targeted supervisory curriculum, with the majority of participants engaging in the curriculum expressing increased self-efficacy to provide counseling services to urban student populations.…”

“…Given that counselors are advocates and leaders in promoting educational equity (ASCA, 2012), it behooves counselor educators to provide counseling students a solid foundation in social justice advocacy skills. Implementing fieldwork training in an urban, low SES setting provides school counseling students opportunities to develop MCC and social justice competency (Hayden, Cook, Gracia, Silva, & Cadet, 2015). Simultaneously, through their services, school counseling students can help to prevent and address educational challenges that low-income and minority students may encounter (Grothaus & Cole, 2010).…”

“…Their findings suggest the potential benefit of employing a targeted supervisory curriculum, with the majority of participants engaging in the curriculum expressing increased self-efficacy to provide counseling services to urban student populations. The work of Hayden et al (2015) focused on examining counseling skill development using the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2012) as a guiding framework to build students’ sense of self-efficacy in working with an urban student population. The present research was conducted as a pilot study to explore a different set of outcomes, specifically in what ways school counseling students develop MCC and social justice advocacy through implementation of Hayden and colleagues’ (2015) targeted supervisory curriculum during an urban practicum fieldwork experience.…”