Computer technology and the 21st Century school counselor

Professional School Counseling, Dec, 2001 by Stacy M. Van Horn, Robert D. Myrick

Computer technology has affected virtually all aspects of life, including the way people communicate ideas, conduct business, and provide education. In the nation's schools, the use of computer technology is increasing at a rapid rate, including more Internet connections to classrooms, computer labs, and libraries (Trotter & Zehr, 1998). The percentage of public elementary schools with Internet access rose from 30% in 1994 to 88% in 1998. In addition, public secondary schools increased their Internet access from 49% in 1994 to 94% in 1998 (The Condition of Education, 1999).

Trilling and Hood (1999) emphasized that even though billions of dollars are being spent on connecting schools with information infrastructure, school counselors need to be more actively involved in implementing computer technology. Computer technology can significantly affect the work of counselors in the areas of information retrieval and dissemination, distance learning, college and career exploration, counseling interventions, networking and support systems, and training and supervision. The purpose of this article is to focus on different ways school counselors can utilize computer technology to work more efficiently and help students succeed.

Retrieving and Disseminating Information

Electronic Mail

Technological advances impact how people retrieve and disseminate information. School counselors can use computer technology to retrieve and disseminate information involving students, parents, and others (McLellan, 1999). E-mail, for example, is becoming a universal means of communication. It is opening communication and providing an expedient and efficient means of posing questions, requesting information, and responding.

McLellan (1999) recognized that email could be used to assist students and parents by providing direct channels of communication. For example, a parent might e-mail the school counselor to express concern about his or her son's adjustment to school and to ask if his behavior is typical of teenagers. The counselor could respond with a few general comments and describe a parent group where mutual concerns and interests are shared. The exchange of information is typically brief, can save counselor time, and provide parents with a timely response (Jongekrijg & Russell, 1999; Myrick & Sabella, 1995). In another example, students from one school can exchange notes and messages with students from another regarding common interests or concerns and become computer pals.

Web Sites

Counselors can also disseminate information to others through Web pages linked to their school's Web site. For instance, a guidance homepage can include links to a school's mission statement, the principal's goals for the year, or faculty profiles. A guidance Web site can also include descriptions of special opportunities and activities for students and parents offered through the guidance department such as small group counseling sessions and peer facilitator programs. In addition, a guidance department can create and post a master calendar that lists important events and dates such as days for standardized tests and college admission deadlines. An online guidance calendar, with supportive links and Web pages, also promotes public awareness about the role and functions of a school counselor.

One example of where this type of computer technology is being utilized is at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Illinois. This high school's Web site (http://www.d230.org/sandburg/) has guidance links that connect to information on financial aid, career and college exploration, standardized tests, and summer internships and job opportunities. In another example, the Orange County Public School System in Orlando, Florida, has developed a Web site (http://www.ocps. kl2.fl.us/framework/sd/index.htm) to promote the county's academic and emotional expectations for students. The Web site contains educational frameworks, one of which focuses on guidance and student development. This particular framework touches on three areas or strands of development, including social and emotional, career, and academic. The curriculum expectations can be accessed through the district's Web site and are presented by grade level. A parent can choose a particular area of the curriculum and download student goals to access the educational requirements and expectations for students. The information on this Web site can assist parents in understanding how student development goals are related to the educational development and academic success of all children.

Parents, students, community members, and district personnel can be better informed about a school's guidance program when they consult the department's Web page. Drug aware ness programs (e.g., Red Ribbon Week) and career days can be promoted, and the community can learn of opportunities to donate time as well as money and participate in tutoring, mentoring, chaperoning, and other services. Parents might also view Web pages containing announcements about parenting resources or support groups.