Ad Hoc or Well-Ad Hoc or Well-planned planned

Counselling at the Counselling at the Comprehensive Comprehensive

School?School?Sanna Mäkinen, Researcher

Päivi Atjonen, ProfessorJyri Manninen, Professor

University of JoensuuFaculty of Education

Empirical Research Empirical Research ContextContext

• Our empirical research focus is on the

national project ”Development of

Guidance and Counselling 2008–2010”

coordinated by the National Board of

Education 148 participating schools,

municipalities and regional networks from all over Finland

A A Introductory PointsIntroductory Points

Curriculum and Guidance & Curriculum and Guidance & CounsellingCounselling

• Planning and documentation to ensure quality (Nykänen et al. 2007; Plant 2001; Sampson 2006)

−Improvements in multiprofessional cooperation

−Written plans in promoting regional cooperation

• Systematic efforts to prevent pupils’ social exclusion (Houston et al. 2007)−Follow-up systems for transitions along the

educational pathway−Need to decrease the dropout rate

• Written counselling plan (OECD 2004)−Does any counselling curriculum exist?

• Communication about counselling services (Sampson 2006)−Various partners of the institutional sector Are

pupils and guardians fully informed?

• Responsibility for transitions along educational paths (Kochran-Bryant et al. 2008)− Is it systematised with regard to follow-up and

dropouts are concerned?

• Needs of special groups (Robinson & Bradley 2005)−Are pupils with special needs or different ethnic

background also in focus?

Curriculum and Guidance & Curriculum and Guidance & CounsellingCounselling

• 1. How is−1.1 documentation, −1.2 communication about counselling services,−1.3 responsibility for transitions along educational

paths, and−1.4 needs of special groups

perceived by persons conserned with the deve-lopment of counselling in grades 6–9 of the

compre-hensive school?

• 2. Are there differences in the research problems 1.1–1.4 perceived by the selected subgroups of the respondents?

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

B B Context and DataContext and Data

Research ContextResearch Context

• Various national development projects

initiated by the Ministry of Education and

the National Board of Education (NBE)

Examples (2000–): Evaluation of Educational Guidance and

Counselling Chances Development of School Counselling Flexible Basic Education Participation Successful Lessons

Research ContextResearch Context

• Our research focus is on the latest & most current national project ”Development of Guidance and Counselling 2008–2010” 148 participating schools, municipalities and

regional networks from all over Finland Objectives (stated by the NBE) are to develop...

• …local curriculum for counselling• …cooperation with the local employment market

& business community• …cooperation between agencies which try to

prevent social exclusion and promote the well-being of young people

• …cooperation between school and home • …to establish counselling activities as a

permanent part of regional or institution-based work

Gathering of DataGathering of Data

• Baseline measurement in September-

October 2008 — main data for this

presentation: respondents: 442 teachers, study counsellors and

a few other professionals associated with guidance & counselling in grades 6–9

eQuestionnaire: see the next slide

Gathering of DataGathering of Data

• Baseline measurement — main parts of the

e-questionnaire our focus today is indicated in blue1. Background information (8 structured items, 4

open-ended questions)2. Development work (4 structured items, 1 open-

ended question)3. Current situation in guidance & counselling (2

structured items, 1 open-ended question)4. Assessment of existing counselling services (30

structured items, 6-point assessment scale)5. Expectations concerning the newly established

project (4 open-ended questions)

Gathering of DataGathering of Data• Other related data:

148 project proposals put forward by schools and regional organisations in application for money from the Ministry of Education (Spring 2008)

83 revised project proposals (Oct 2008) 112 self-evaluation reports of projects concerning

networked counselling services (Oct-Dec 2008)

• both quantitative and qualitative analysis

• comparisions of subgroups: see next slide

Data AnalysisData Analysis

Data Analysis: Data Analysis: Compared Compared SubgroupsSubgroups

(1) female ♀ male ♂

(2) big cities small municipalities

(3) member of steering group no member

(4) developer at the grass-root level not at thegrass-root level

(5) developer at a school at the regional level

C C Results 1/4:Results 1/4:

DocumentationDocumentation

DocumentationDocumentation

37

18

25

27

38

55

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Regional counsellingplan exists

School-basedcounselling plan

exists

%

I do not know No Yes

DocumentationDocumentation

Has the documentation of counselling practices (e.g. handbook, guide) worked well?

10

75

15

0

20

40

60

80

Not at all Rather badly ormoderately

Well or very well

%

Documentation: Documentation: Statistically significant differencesStatistically significant differences

Group comparisions:

> >School-based counselling plan exists Regional counselling plan exists

>Regional counselling plan exists

> = higher percentage (statistically significant) = percentages

are equal

C C Results 2/4:Results 2/4:

CommunicationCommunication

CommunicationCommunication

How well...

6

4

63

57

31

39

0 20 40 60 80

… has the use of computer-basedmanagement programs in counselling

… have information andcommunication practices in

counselling

%

Not at all Rather badly or moderately Well or very well

…worked?

Communication: Communication: Statistically significant differencesStatistically significant differences

Group comparisions:

> >Information and commucation practices Use of computer-based

management

programs in counselling

> = higher mean (statistically significant) = means are equal

C C Results 3/4:Results 3/4:

Pupils’ TransitionsPupils’ Transitions

Pupils’ TransitionsPupils’ Transitions

How well have...

12

9

4

68

66

69

20

25

27

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

… models for the follow-up of pupilswho have finished comprehensive

school

… models aimed to care for drop-outs inthe transition to secondary education

… information exhanges in thetransitions

%

Not at all Rather badly or moderately Well or very well

…worked?

Pupils’ Transitions: Pupils’ Transitions: Statistically significant differencesStatistically significant differences

Group comparisions:

>

Models aimed to care for drop-outs in the transition

to secondary education

> = higher mean (statistically significant) = means are equal

C C Results 4/4:Results 4/4:

Special GroupsSpecial Groups

Special GroupsSpecial Groups

How well have...

10

3

75

71

15

26

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

… . counsellingpractices forimmigrants

… counsellingpractices for pupilswith special needs

%

Not at all Rather badly or moderately Well or very well

…worked?

Special Groups: Special Groups: Statistically significant differencesStatistically significant differences

Group comparisions:

>

Counselling practices for immigrants

> = higher mean (statistically significant) = means are equal

D D ConcludingConcludingRemarksRemarks

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

• Documentation is in progress, was mentioned quite often as

being an objective of the project although documentation was

not always well-planned.

• Communication always requires special attention and the use of

technology should be more efficient.

• Pupils’ transitions need careful follow-up systems which require

money and time.

• Special groups should be kept in mind because they may become

important indicators of the validity of the planning system.

Need for the systematisation of local counselling services exists

challenges for interprofessional and multiprofessional co-

operation

ReferencesReferencesHouston, I., Suh, J. & Suh, S. 2007. Predictors of categorical at-risk high school drop-outs.

Journal of Counseling and Development 85 (2), 196–203.

Kochran-Bryant, C., Bassett, D. & Webb, K. 2008. Transition to post-secondary education

for students with disabilities. Corwin Press.

Nykänen, S., Karjalainen, M., Vuorinen, R. & Pöyliö, L. 2007. The development of a

regional guidance network – cross-sectoral and multiprofessional cooperation as a

resource. University of Jyväskylä. Institute for Educational Research. Occasional Papers

34.

OECD 2004. Career guidance. A handbook for policy-makers.

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/53/53/34060761.pdf

Plant, P. 2001. Quality in careers guidance. http://www.iccdpp.org/Portals/1/Quality%20in

%20CG%20OECD%20Expt%20Paper.pdf

Robinson, B. & Bradley, L. 2005. Multicultural counselling: Research on perceptions of

school counsellors. Guidance & Counselling 21 (1), 30–35.

Sampson, P. 2006. Promoting continuous improvement in delivering career resources and

services. http://www.derby.ac.uk/files/promoting_continuing_improvement2006.pdf

Contact InformationContact Information

Sanna Mäkinen, Researcher

Address:University of JoensuuFaculty of Education

P.O. Box 111FIN - 80101 Finland

Email: sanna.makinen@joensuu.fi

Päivi Atjonen Professor

Address:University of JoensuuFaculty of Education

P.O. Box 111FIN - 80101 Finland

Email: paivi.atjonen@joensuu.fi

Jyri Manninen Professor

Address: University of JoensuuFaculty of Education

P.O. Box 111FIN - 80101 Finland

Email: jyri.manninen@joensuu.fi

PublicationsPublicationsMäkinen, S. 2008a. Kohti entistä ehompaa oppilaanohjausta. Vuosia 2008–2010

koskevien oppilaanohjauksen kehittämissuunnitelmien analyysi.

http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/okoraportti1.pdf (30 s.)

Mäkinen, S. 2008b. Oppilaanohjauksen kehittäminen 2008-2010. Ennakkotuloksia

lähtö-tilannekyselyn avointen vastausten analyysista.

http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/lahtotilanne.pdf (6 s.)

Mäkinen, S. 2008c. Tuumasta toimeen. Oppilaanohjauksen tarkennettujen

kehittämissuun-nitelmien analyysi.

http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/tuumasta_toimeen.pdf (19 s.)

Atjonen, P. 2009. Onko ohjaus ohjauksessa? Verkostomaisesti tuotettujen

palvelujen mallin soveltaminen oppilaanohjauksen itsearviointiin.

http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/VOP_hankeitsearviointi.pdf (21 s.

+ 3l l.)

Atjonen, P., Mäkinen, S., Manninen, J. & Vanhalakka-Ruoho, M. 2009. Menossa ja

mukana. Arviointia oppilaanohjauksen kehittämisen tilasta syksyllä 2008.

http://www.edu.fi/hankkeita/oppilaanohjaus/menossa_ja_mukana.pdf (42 s. + 5

l.)