Relation-building in online counselling education

A qualitative study of councellors' experiences

Authors

  • Gunhild Marie Roald NTNU
  • Camilla Hellesøy Krogstie The Norwegian Police University College
  • Kristin Landrø NTNU
  • Patric Wallin NTNU

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/ntvp.v9i2.4101

Keywords:

career counselling, person-centered theory, focus-group interview, experiential learning theory, psychological safety

Abstract

This study investigates students' experienced opportunity to build relationships with peers and educators within an online counseling education setting. The research focuses on a career counseling course that shifted to an online format during the Covid-19 pandemic. A phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis was conducted based on two focus-group interviews, which included a total of six participants, along with 11 reflection logs. The findings suggest that relationship-building is feasible, particularly during practical counseling activities in small groups. Informal relationship-building is found to be challenging due to the absence of physical spaces for social interaction during breaks. However, students tend to use breaks to step away from their screens, allowing time for processing and learning. Moreover, the study underscores the pivotal role of educators in fostering a culture conducive to relationship-building. The results are discussed through the lens of Carl Rogers' person-centered theory.

Author Biographies

Gunhild Marie Roald, NTNU

Roald har en doktorgrad i rådgivningsvitenskap og er opptatt av hvordan man kan skape gode relasjoner i ulike sammenhenger. Som forsker ved SFU Engage retter hun oppmerksomheten mot å legge til rette for utvikling av entreprenørielle ferdigheter blant studenter på tvers av fagområder.

Camilla Hellesøy Krogstie, The Norwegian Police University College

Camilla Hellesøy Krogstie works as a lecturer at the Police University College with a focus on counseling. She has previously worked as a career counselor and holds a master's degree in counseling science. She is particularly interested in the significance of relationships in counseling in general, with a specific emphasis on career counseling.

Kristin Landrø, NTNU

Kristin Landrø works as an assistant professor in counseling science, and in her research and teaching, she focuses on various aspects of career counseling. She teaches and supervises at the master's program in counseling science at NTNU, with an emphasis on group counseling and career counseling. Additionally, she is responsible for several further education courses in the field of career counseling.

Patric Wallin, NTNU

Wallin arbeider med læring, undervisning og pedagogikk i høyere utdanning, og fokuserer spesielt på å skape pedagogiske rom som muliggjør meningsfulle studentbidrag til forskning og samfunn, samtidig som han utfordrer tradisjonelle student-underviser-posisjoner gjennom partnerskap.

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Published

2024-11-21

How to Cite

Roald, G. M., Krogstie, C. H., Landrø, K., & Wallin, P. (2024). Relation-building in online counselling education: A qualitative study of councellors’ experiences . The Nordic Journal of Pedagogical Supervision, 9(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.15845/ntvp.v9i2.4101