Assessment of the extent of agreement on counseling and non-counseling tasks of the elementary school guidance counselor among teachers, counselors, and principals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which educators agree on which tasks are counseling tasks and which tasks are non-counseling tasks for elementary school guidance counselors. The extent of agreement among and between teachers, guidance counselors, and principals was researched. The Elementary School Guidance Counselor Task Scale, consisting of 205 task statements, was administered to 190 teachers, 48 counselors, and 38 principals in two central Florida counties during the 1989-90 school year. The development of the content and format of the survey was based upon a review of the literature and the recommendations of current professionals in the field. Usable responses were received from 176 respondents. Descriptive and asymmetric log-linear (statistical) analyses were conducted. In the asymmetric log-linear analyses, the extent of agreement was the dependent variable. The four independent variables and their various levels were County with two levels ("0" and "S" Counties), Task Categories with two levels (counseling and non-counseling tasks), Activity Areas with seven levels (individual or group work; parent consultation; consultation with teachers, administrators, and student services personnel; classroom or large group work; planning, programming, and follow-up; test coordination, administration, and student records; and liaison for special programs and community services), and Respondent Type with three levels (teacher, counselor, and principal).

Analysis of the data · revealed that there was a high level of congruence between respondent groups, with the exception of one group, the principals in "O" County. These principals were particularly out of congruence in one area, Activity Area 6 (Test Coordination, Administration, and Student Records). Differences were also found in the level of agreement within respondent groups. The relation of each of the independent variables to the level of agreement was statistically significant. There were three statistically significant interactions: County by Respondent, Task Category by Respondent, and Task Category by County.

Nine general recommendations were proposed. Included was the further clarification of counselor tasks by county-wide committees consisting of various school personnel. The need to seek mutual agreement among school principals regarding counselor tasks was also recommended. Five recommendations for further research were presented. These included replicating the study in various school districts, and utilizing additional respondent groups such as parents, student services directors, superintendents, and/or counselor educators.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1990

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Lange, Robert R.

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Educational Services

Format

Print

Pages

183 p.

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0022749

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Education; Education -- Dissertations, Academic

Accessibility Status

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