An evaluation of the graduate diploma in guidance counselling at the University of Limerick: implications for policy and practice in initial education for guidance counsellors

The focus of the study is on a guidance counsellor education programme offered by the University of Limerick (UL). The programme is a two-year part-time course, which is delivered over four semesters and two summer schools. It is listed as one of the six recognised guidance counsellor education programmes by the national professional body for guidance counsellors in Ireland, The Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC). The purpose of the study is to evaluate the extent to which the Graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling at UL is in keeping with both national and international policy requirements in relation to the initial education of guidance counsellors. In addition, good practice in guidance counsellor education is identified, acknowledged and affirmed. The study begins by introducing the key terminology associated with the research. This is followed by an examination of the need for research on a guidance counsellor education programme by outlining gaps in the existing body of research. A contextual chapter outlines the development of guidance counselling, the location of the research study and my own position as a researcher within the context of the study. Establishing the context in this way highlights areas that merit further consideration with reference to current and future policy. A mixed methodology approach was taken to the evaluation of the UL programme, using an adapted model of evaluation informed by the ‘3Ps’ Model of Teaching and Learning (Biggs, 2001) and a framework developed by The Canadian Research Working Group on Evidence-Based Practice in Career Development (Borgen, Hiebert and Michaud, 2009). The model explored the input, process and output factors of the programme. More specifically, this research investigated areas outlined in the central research questions with graduates of the programme. The findings are discussed in light of the aim, objectives and central research questions. Themes such as the complexity of the implementation of the guidance counsellor education course content and of the challenges of the three-dimensional role (educational, vocational/career, personal/social) of the guidance counsellor in Irish secondary education are discussed. Feedback from the evaluation is of interest to a variety of stakeholders including the initial course design team of the UL programme. This team consisted of, representatives from the IGC, the Acting Dean for the College of Education (as it was known at the time) in UL, the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs in UL, a lecturer and the Head of the Education and Professional Studies Department in UL, a lecturer from the Personnel and Employment Relations Department in UL, an educational psychologist representing the DES and the Head of the counselling unit in UL. Concluding remarks inform the work of course leaders and lecturers in guidance counsellor education, the IGC, the National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE), the Department of Education and Skills (DES), in particular the Guidance Inspectorate, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), and practicing guidance counsellors.