Hello everyone, and welcome to my first post for Masters In Counseling!! I am honored to be chosen, and excited to be able to bring to you some valuable, interesting, and entertaining information.
I don’t know about you, but when I first heard about online degrees in counseling I thought, “Counseling? No way. That won’t work. It’s too interpersonal.” However, as I began to learn more about online education, and its possibilities, I began to change my mind. (Much to the relief of my editor, I’m sure.)
Recently, I attended a training in which we were shown how a course in marriage and family therapy could be converted to be completely online. I was absolutely fascinated. Proper use of new and innovative instructional technology can make the students’ experience even richer than in a regular classroom! For example, during a recorded lecture, students could be quizzed at intervals to test their knowledge. If they appear to be having trouble with a particular section, then they get further instruction on that section. This degree of personalization could never occur in a traditional classroom. Students could also stop the lecture when they wanted to, and come back to it later. Not an option in a classroom, where you cannot control the flow of information. I have more exciting examples, but I don’t want to bore those that don’t share my geek tendencies.
And I haven’t even mentioned how the convenience of online education makes it more doable for those with full-time jobs and/or families. In other words, for those of us with a life. Or those who live remotely. I also haven’t mentioned that online education means a plethora of choices, since geography is no longer a constraint. So I won’t mention them.
Now, let’s get all serious with real research.
According to research cited in a recent article in Family Therapy, online education has many benefits for the “net” generation of students- those born between 1980 and 1994. As a group that has grown up with the latest technology, they are accustomed to receiving information in 30-second digital bytes. Because of this, they often respond better to abbreviated asynchronous communication, such as electronic discussion boards, or lectures in the form of podcasts. Thus, at least for this group, online education is definitely preferable to the old brick-and-mortar style of sitting in a classroom for three hours at a stretch.
There has also been other research supporting such online tools as virtual worlds. For example, a study on language acquisition showed that those learning via virtual worlds, such as Second Life, had reduced anxiety and increased long-term retention. Not to mention they probably also had more fun. I think as time marches on we will see more research on this new mode of education, and it will be primarily positive. And of course I will share that research with you. It’s kind of my thing.
OK, here comes the disclaimer. You knew there had to be one. Ready?
As with most things in life, there are some things to be cautious about. In my next post, I will outline what to look for in an effective online counseling program. Until next time…
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Barb LoFrisco
