International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 4, No. 4 (2008)

Teachers’ perspectives on the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in school counseling

Jimmy T. Masagca, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Philippines
Noel Londerio, San Jose Christian College, Philippines

Abstract
This qualitative study presents the different perspectives of teacher-participants in Luzon, Philippines on the use and application of ICT in guidance counseling and the school counselor’s advocacy role. Certain property of story-telling or conversation (kwentuhan or pakikipagkwentuhan) was employed. This ethnographic technique is a naturally occurring phenomenon/process of sharing and telling stories among individuals to figure out or to make sense about their world and their experiences. A snowball sampling technique was used in the study that utilized an open-ended format to investigate the different questions and developed an interview guide rather than pre-determined schedule consisting of the threes topics: (a) uses of ICT [e.g. internet, e-mail], (b) problems/issues/gaps on the use and application of ICT or computer technology, and (c) innovative ways in using/applying ICT in school guidance. Results indicate that the teacher-participants appear to have not fully understood the over-all uses and application of ICT in education/school counseling. However, as to the potential uses, the subjects generated various uses as what they have learned from their graduate courses on technology in education and knowledge management in education. The issues and problems mostly relate to the economic aspects, costs, administrators’ attitudes towards the use of ICT, quality of information and on the issue of commercialism. Innovative programs presented dealt on the individual needs of the pupils and on the career services, but not on the ways to improve the professional capabilities of the guidance counselor. It was recommended that continuous re-training and establishment of a well-defined capacity building programs for guidance counselors focusing on individual skills of the counselors as to the other uses and application of ICT should be undertaken. On future research, accountability of administrators on ICT integration in school counseling can be carried out as well as more empirical studies on the different perspectives of administrators on ICT integration were noted. Furthermore, inquiries related to assessment/evaluation on reliability of information can be done by looking into the research outputs of students and faculty with the online materials cited on the bibliography. School counselors are to be guided through school-based in-service training and DepEd-sponsored programs on capacity building by putting emphases on the benefits of ICT use as well as case presentations of the various experiences of counselors in the Philippines about ICT integration in the implementation of the school guidance programs.

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