Counselor educators rely on a variety of teaching strategies to augment clinical instruction and enhance student learning. Such strategies include action methods, audio/video material, and self-exploration. While using these strategies, educators are responsible for remaining sensitive to fundamental ethical issues, varied student needs, and academic/ professional standards. Despite appearing straightforward and routine, this aspect of counselor education requires ongoing appraisal to ensure adherence to ethical guidelines, program integrity, and student wellbeing. This article reviews various teaching strategies, discusses ethical implications associated with each strategy, and provides preliminary guidelines to enhance counselor educator ethical practice and student well-being.
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ounselor educators have a number of teaching strategies at their disposal. These strategies can be separated into action methods (e.g., roleplays), audio/video material (e.g., counseling skill demonstrations), and self-exploration methods (e.g., journaling). Typically, action methods and audio/video review occur within a group setting, whereas self-exploration exercises are completed independently. That said, however, a combination of methods is not unusual. For example, students may participate in role-plays and reflective journaling simultaneously. The purpose of combining both approaches is to help students understand how personal issues can influence their clinical work and vice versa.
The intention of this article is to encourage dialogue and further consideration regarding the interfacing of ethics and teaching strategies. Toward this end, we review the extant literature, discuss the ethical implications associated with teaching strategies, and provide preliminary guidelines designed to enhance ethical practice and student well-being.
From the outset, four points must be emphasized. First, not every counselor education program endorses or uses the strategies reviewed herein. Clearly, specific strategies and preferences vary among programs. Second, we do not intimate that close scrutiny of teaching activities does not occur within counselor education programs. Third, teaching strategies available to counselor educators are extensive (see Table 1), and providing a review and contrast of each method is beyond the scope of this article. Finally, although we differentiate between teaching strategies and clinical supervision, both are usually integrated in counselor education programs.