by Katherine Santillan | October 10, 2023
Starting last month, September 11, 2023, 3rd-year psychology students undertaking the subject "Introduction to Counseling" (INCOUN) have been assigned to assist various counseling offices from different departments within Holy Angel University as part of their service-learning activity.
The activity is a mandatory course requirement, with the approval and coordination of the HAU Guidance Director, Ms. Norma Bulaclac. Its objective was to provide a venue for students to apply their knowledge from the course subject and be immersed in actual counseling settings.
Last September 9, students were oriented regarding the Service Learning Experience (SLE) activity. They were required to have 7.5 to 10 hours of exposure in serving assistance to guidance counselors.
“To be honest, I was a bit confused when I found out that this activity was being conducted because I only found out about it when we were already being oriented on what to do,” a student said when interviewed, “Nevertheless, I felt excited and nervous at the same time at the prospect of learning something new.”
In a written interview with Dr. Elvira David, a faculty member of the psychology department and professor in Introduction to Counseling, she answered that this was the first time that the immersion activity was done.
“However, in the previous Psychology curriculum, students were required to have about 100 hours of Practicum in the educational setting which is usually done in guidance offices. This was removed in the revised curriculum as the focus was on Clinical and Industrial practicum.” Dr. David said.
The immersion activity was targeted to end by the second week of November. Currently, the 4th batch of students are undertaking the immersion.
“As the first batch of students for immersion this school year, we were both nervous and excited for our first day because we didn't know what to expect. However, our first and last days went smoothly,” another student said when interviewed regarding their experience in the immersion, “Throughout our internship, we were tasked with doing paperwork, distributing call-in forms, editing social media posts, and engaging in meaningful discussions with our supervisors.”
In terms of improvement, the student responded that it would be ideal if specific activities were pre-scheduled to enable students to showcase their skills and learn a lot through the process.
“However, we understand that some guidance departments may not have a lot of work to offer and that interns need to be given priority and take on more tasks. Nonetheless, we find it rewarding to be actively involved in various activities and to explore the full range of counseling experiences,” the student said.
The student also rated their experience a 7 out of 10, “We look forward to seeing the program improve over time. Hence, we hope that upcoming third-year students will have the chance to partake in this immersive experience as a valuable preparation for their future on-the-job training and their introduction to the field of counseling.” they added.
When asked if the activity will carry on to future batches of 3rd-year students, Dr. David responded that the SLE provides students valuable opportunities and insights into the school counseling profession, thus it will carry on for as long as it is in the syllabus.
“They [students] may not be aware that there are many opportunities for Psychology graduates to work as counselor associates upon graduation,” Dr. David said, “Personally, I think this [SLE activity] provides students with valuable opportunities and insights into the school counseling profession, and may see it as a possible rewarding career.”
Photos courtesy of Syryn De Guzman
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