A Delphi Study on the Improvement of Practicum for Pre-service Professional Counseling Teachers

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the contents of the educational practicum required for pre-service professional counseling teachers, its problems, and its improvement from the perspective of the professional counseling teachers in the school field, which can present an effective operation plan for the educational practicum. Methods: For this research purpose, we selected fifteen professional counselors working at various school levels as an expert panel and collected their opinions through three Delphi surveys. Results: The research results are as follows. The contents of the training practicum for pre-service school counselors proposed by the Delphi expert panel include training on transfer procedures to external organizations, education & guidance for parents and teachers, promotion & planning of Wee-Class events, counseling case conceptualization, guidance on how to write a counseling log, and planning and operation of peer counseling clubs. In addition, the current educational practicum problems include the absence of a manual or curriculum for educational practice, ethical issues that arise when entrusting various types of counseling to trainees, non-payment of tutors' allowances during training, and difficulties in obtaining the consent of clients and their parents during counseling practice for educational trainees. Conclusion: We suggest that it is necessary to develop a training manual and curriculum for pre-service school counselors in order to improve the current educational practicum. In order to make a more effective educational practicum system, it is also necessary to listen carefully to the diverse voices of professional counseling teachers in the field and to actively reflect their opinions in the practicum. Through this, we hope that the educational practicum for pre-service professional counseling teachers will be continuously improved in a direction that is helpful to the enhancement of the practical competencies of trainees.