Using technology to promote your guidance and counseling program among stake holders.

Both qualitative and quantitative research in the past decade has steadily revealed a lack of fundamental understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the school counselor with other professionals within both the mental health and education fields (e.g., see Ballard & Murgatroyd, 1999; Burnham, & Jackson, 2000; Carter, 1993; Hoyt & Wickwire, 2001; Struder & Alton, 1996). The visibility of a comprehensive school counseling program may give other professionals a clearer conceptualization of the goals and objectives of a counseling program within the school environment. Ultimately, this may allow other professionals greater opportunity to collaborate and offer appropriate assistance and resources to ensure effective implementation of the overall guidance and counseling program mission. Promoting one's comprehensive guidance and counseling program is one way to effectively develop, implement, evaluate, and justify all aspects of a comprehensive guidance and counseling program. Indeed, "A guidance program can be enhanced only by informing the public about the indispensable counseling program and its integration into the educational process" (Struder & Alton, p. 6). According to Keys and Lockhart (1999), gaining the support of stake holders for implementing comprehensive guidance and counseling programs may be considered crucial as research indicates multisystematic change must include all parties (parents, teachers, administrators, and communities). Through disseminating timely information, school counselors can advance understanding and confidence among many important others. For instance, they can:

1. Encourage administrators to support their work, especially when faced with competing, noncounseling related tasks (e.g., bus duty, substitute teaching, and handing out punishment as part of discipline)

2. Foster understanding and respect for how school counseling endeavors to advance students' personal, social, career, and academic competencies

3. Help parents and teachers learn how to appropriately refer children for developmental and other counseling-related issues

4. Network and collaborate with other school counselors, locally, nationally, or internationally

5. Interface with both business and industry for promoting school-to-career and other guidance and counseling related initiatives

6. Help to inform student counselors about practical, realistic, and innovative efforts for implementing a comprehensive developmental program. School districts and counselor educators may find that collaborating can serve as a "two-fold" purpose for both parties. Learning about the details of a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program can orientate future school counselors in training to the specific roles of school counselors and programs that are being implemented within local school systems. Also, as school counselors and counselor educators work together, a shared pool of expertise and experiences can advance specific student competencies which a guidance program endeavors to address and the means by which such competencies will be demonstrated and measured

7.Assist professionals in related fields such as school psychologists, social workers, mental heath therapists, family therapists, and expressive therapists to better learn how they may effectively collaborate and complement the work of a school counselor within a comprehensive guidance and counseling program

8.As suggested by Myrick (1997), communicate guidance and counseling activities as they are implemented as one form of an evaluative tool for administrators and other counselors to provide feedback. This way, any necessary modifications may be met for the present program/procedures

The public school system in particular has been challenged in the last two decades on a nationwide level with a diverse number of societal issues/problems which require specific educational, career, and socio-emotional interventions. In the past 25 years, school guidance and counseling programs have increasingly come to serve as an integral part of the school's total education program, primarily being designed to aid students in developing their various strengths as well as to become responsible and productive citizens (ASCA Member Resource Guide, 1990). How can important members of the education community advance their understanding of guidance and counseling so that they may better do their part in fostering important partnerships for conducting the work of facilitating student success? How can school counselors actively develop and sustain public relations to garnish support for their work in an effective and efficient manner?

Inflated student-to-counselor ratios, limited levels of available time, and prohibitive budgets can make the important job of public relations a frustrating challenge. Traditionally, counselors have had to meet with others or otherwise go to relatively great lengths to reach audiences in different parts of the school, community, or even profession. With today's technologies, this is no longer necessary. Instead of limiting the message to an audience with whom the counselor is present such as during a conference or meeting, technology can assist in communicating a message which can be received at the convenience of the target audience without the barriers of space, place, or time. Knowledge of the finer functions of various software can help the school counselor collaborate on presentations and show them to remote audiences without leaving their offices or schools. The key to making this happen lies within the seamless integration of multiple software programs and the far reaching power of the Internet. In essence, technology can carry the message throughout a vast terrain as if it were a "baton being carried over a stretch of many miles using many runners." Once making an initial investment of time and work, various technology applications can make your efforts work for you. The remainder of this article demonstrates how a multimedia presentation (MMP) can be automatically and efficiently converted and distributed using media such as (a) disk; (b) print; (c) video; (d) electronic mail; (e) the World Wide Web; and (f) other computers over an intranet (see Figure 1).

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

THE MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION

One popular technology tool for persuasive communication is the multimedia presentation. A MMP is created by a computer program and incorporates a series of projected images called slides. Slides may incorporate animated text, graphics, pictures, audio and video clips, graphs, tables--and any other electronic representations--in an integrated series (Sabella, 1998). Microsoft Corporation's PowerPoint[R] is a computer program that has become widely used throughout business, government, and schools for communicating a sundry of topics among a wide variety of audiences. One feature of the program which probably makes the software a popular choice is its presentation "wizard." The wizard is a utility within the software that assists the user, in a step-by-step fashion, to perform a particular task. For example, the layout wizard allows the user to pick, from a graphical menu, various aspects of layout and design elements which are then automatically processed by the wizard. Other features of PowerPoint which make it popular (and relatively simple to use) include:

* An AutoFormat function which automatically recognizes and maintains a presentation's layout. Similarly, the AutoFit Text feature automatically resizes text to fit into a placeholder so that it doesn't "fall off" the slide. This means that counselors don't have to spend time trying to make the text fit on a slide, it happens automatically.

* Automated and customized number and bullet outlining.

* Use of table drawing tools to quickly insert a table of any size. Then, a counselor may add a border, change the fill color, or customize a single cell--just as you might do in a word processor or spreadsheet application.

* Its ability to include spreadsheet data and graphical charts. Charts can be "linked" to a separate data file and automatically updated when the external data changes.

* A host of topic-related templates which provides a uniform look throughout a presentation.

* A free and readily available PowerPoint viewer (available at www.microsoft.com/office/000/viewers.htm) so that individuals who do not own the PowerPoint program can still view the presentation.

* Note pages with each slide which are automatically created in a separate frame for easy viewing. Speaker notes may be used for reference or for collaborating with others.

* The ability to record a narration which can be played back in a synchronized manner with the original presentation and which includes all slide transitions and animations.

* An AutoShapes (e.g., arrows, starts, and callouts) feature for use in creating diagrams, flowcharts, or other conceptual diagram banners and layouts.

* Automated conversions to various formats for easy access from different platforms (e.g., World Wide Web; self-running presentation; and word processing document).

Transfer to Disk

A standard floppy disk can store up to 1.44 megabytes of data which can accommodate a modest MMP, one without many graphics or sound files. For presentations which are rich in graphic, sound, and perhaps video, other storage devices may be needed such as a ZipDisk or a compact disk recorder (CD-R), which can hold approximately 120 and 700 megabytes of data, respectively. Many educational institutions maintain at least one computer connected or "attached" to the school's network that is capable of writing to a ZipDisk or CD-R. In this case, a counselor can save a presentation from any computer which has access to the school's network (from within the school or from a remote location such as home) to a shared location accessible from any computer on the network. Then, the counselor needs only to access the file over the network using the computer with the CD-Recorder to then save it to a CD-ROM (also known as burning a CD). Once a presentation is saved to either a floppy or compact disk, it can be given or mailed to others within a district, at meetings, or other functions where stake holders congregate.

Transfer to Print (Newsletter and Report)

Counselors may find the need to present to a specific audience a newsletter or paper report with the same information about their school counseling programs that was presented in a MMP. Rather than starting over and inputting the same information into a word processor or desktop publisher, the counselor needs only to allow the PowerPoint program to complete this task automatically. While PowerPoint is still open, click on the [File] button on the menu, then [Send To], and finally [Microsoft Word] (see Figure 2). The subsequent menu then allows the counselor to indicate the format in which the transfer takes place, specifically where the slides and slide notes are placed. After opening the resulting word processing file, the counselor may make some final adjustments or edits such as inserting headers, footers, a title page, or perhaps some extra information not included in the MMP. Depending on the speed of the computer, the process should require only 1 to 5 minutes for the entire conversion. Once transferred to print, the counselor may then disseminate the new file via disk or email attachment.

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

Transfer to Video

How might you reach a population that may not have easy access to computers? Or, how could you present a MMP to an entire student body in attendance at your school or to their parents at a special event? To do this, you may need to transfer your MMP to video format and either make it available in public places such as the library, send it home with students for home viewing, play it over the school's television network, or have it shown through the local community cable access channel. Although many families still may not own a computer, the percentage of households with more than one television set has reached an all-time high (87%); and children are more likely to have a television set in their room today than ever before (48.2%). Further, nearly half of all homes with children have access to at least one television, a video cassette recorder (VCR), home video game equipment, and a personal computer (46.3%; Stanger & Gridina, 1999).

To transfer a MMP to video, you need to connect the computer to a VCR. Then, if you choose, you can connect the VCR to a television to view what you are recording. Anything displayed by the computer will be recorded on VCR tape while the VCR machine is in record mode. Ideally, the counselor would create a narrated, self-running presentation (i.e., a presentation that automatically advances slide elements and slides transitions allowing a viewer to watch a presentation from beginning to end without any assistance) which would then be viewed on VCR tape. The only special consideration for this procedure is that your computer have an output connection capable of converting the computer's digital signal to analog, one that can be handled by a VCR and television. The National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) standard for television is incompatible with most computer video standards, which generally use red, green, blue (RGB) video signals. However, you can insert or attach special video adapters to your computer that convert NTSC signals into computer video signals and vice versa.

Some newer computers have included hardware designed to provide video outputs although many still do not. One way to make the transfer in the absence of a video output is to connect your computer to a projector that includes outputs which can be connected to a VCR. In this case, the computer projector is the converter and also the monitor. However, counselors may want to consider purchasing and installing the computer hardware, a PC Video card (installed on the inside of the computer) or a Video Bus (an external device connected outside of the computer. For example, see www.ati.com, www.cdw.com, or www.belkin.com/videobus2), which easily allows for this kind of transfer. At one time, such hardware were cost prohibitive although many are now under $100. Typically included with the device is video editing software for adding text and special transition effects to your resulting video.

Transfer to the World Wide Web

The importance of placing your MMP on the World Wide Web lies in making your message easily accessible to both a regional and global audience. Community members, business, industry, parents, and others outside of the school environment can more conveniently and readily learn about your guidance and counseling program. A presentation that is easily accessed and which contains rich, meaningful, and useful information can positively contribute to the profession's credibility while lending support to its members. Similarly, counselors may elect to use the power of this technology for providing consultation to other stake holders in the form of online training and development. Counselors who make available to parents and others MMPs about best practices in areas such as communication, studying, career development, or other academic, personal, and social endeavors stand to provide timely and much needed assistance while also promoting their own program.

PowerPoint makes it relatively easy to save one's presentation to the World Wide Web. The program first requires that you save the document as an HTML (hypertext markup language) document by clicking on [File] and then [Save as a Web page]. The resulting menu (see Figure 3) allows the counselor to choose (a) the destination folder for the files generated by the program; (b) the title of the presentation which will later become the title of the Web page; and (c) the name of the file which becomes the name of the file that users will point to in their Web browsers. The next step is to click on the [Publish] button which presents a final menu that allows the counselor to customize the look and format of the Web page. Customizing includes options for colors, whether the presentation will be animated on the Web or not, and whether the presentation will include speaker notes, among others.

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

Making a MMP accessible over the Web requires the presentation files be stored on a Web server (i.e., a computer that delivers or "serves up" Web pages). Some school networks include a folder that is set up to be a Web server which allows its contents to be accessed via the Web. In this case, choosing this folder as the destination is all that is needed. Otherwise, an extra step is needed to move the files to a Web server to which the counselor has access (i.e., you know the access identification and password). Once an accessible Web server is located, the easiest way to transfer the files requires that the counselor use the Microsoft Windows 95 or higher operating system. When converting from PowerPoint to HTML, choose the [Web Folders] icon on the left side of the menu (see Figure 3) and then click on the icon shortcut for the appropriate Web server. If none have been established, click on the [Add Web Folder] icon and follow the directions to establish a "shortcut" to the Web server. To add extra files to the Web server without having to open PowerPoint, click on the [Network Neighborhood] icon located on the desktop, then on the folder associated to a specific Web server. Finally, copy the files from your computer to the server the same as you would copy files from one folder to another on your computer. For those that do not use the Windows operating system, you will need to use a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program which allows for the transfer of files from one computer to another over a remote connection. One of the easiest to use and available for free is CoffeeCup Free FTP. (Go to www.hotfiles.com and put the name of the program in the search field to locate and download this program.) When opened, CoffeeCup Free FTP presents a split screen. You can call up a list of files on your computer on one side and the contents of the Web server on the other side. Moving the files is as simple as dragging them from one side to the other. Once complete, your files are accessible via the World Wide Web.

Transfer to Electronic Mail (email)

Presentations can be delivered to interested and important others via email attachment, especially when using distribution lists or mailing list servers (e.g., listserv) capabilities. Sabella (1999) described listservs as the following:

   When you sign up for a magazine subscription,
   your personal information is placed into
   a database. When it's time for the magazine to
   be published and mailed, you automatically
   receive a copy. Listservs are kind of like that
   except that they are usually free and you contribute
   to their publication. Specifically, you
   decide which lists to subscribe to depending
   on your area of interest. Once you subscribe
   to a list, you will receive any messages that list
   members send to the group. Other members
   receive messages you send to the group. So,
   listservs are a high-tech electronic discussion
   group. (p. 11)

To send a MMP via email, one must address an email to an individual or group of recipients and "attach" the file to the email, hence, an email attachment. Most email programs make this procedure as simple as clicking on an icon called "attachment," often times represented by an icon of a paper clip. After clicking on the attachment icon, a menu appears which allows the sender to browse and find the file on his or her computer. Simply choose the file you wish to attach before sending the email. In the text part of the email, the user may write a description, introduction, or anything else about the file. The recipient of the email receives both the text and the file usually designated as an icon within the email. As a cautionary note, before opening an attachment, the recipient is wise to scan the attachment using an anti-virus program lest they open a virus that was either intentionally or innocently sent by someone. Once receiving a MMP via email attachment, the recipient can decide to open, view, save, print, or forward it to others.

Transfer to the Local Area Network (LAN) or Intranet

Virtually all schools maintain internal networks that makes sharing a PowerPoint file a matter of two simple steps. First, a counselor needs to copy his or her file to a shared folder which is accessible to all in the school. Then, he or she need only send an email to the entire group via the network's distribution system announcing the availability and location of the file. To make accessing the file most convenient, a counselor can include as part of the email the file's location in the form of a link. When others click on the link within the email, the presentation is automatically located and launched. The same procedure is possible for sharing a presentation throughout a district if the district's network is set up for this level of file sharing. The advantage of disseminating your presentation to local colleagues in this manner as compared to sending it via email attachment is that it reduces the "traffic" within email communication systems and prevents storage devices from becoming "bogged down" with multiple copies of a file. The disadvantage is one of convenience. Recipients may need several extra steps to access the file and several more to save their own copy of the presentation for personal use or distribution.

A NOTE ABOUT FORMAT

When transferring your MMP to disk or disseminating to others, you will have to decide in which format the file will be saved. If it is saved in a standard PowerPoint format, the recipient of the file will need the PowerPoint program to manipulate the MMP. However, if your intent is only to allow your recipient to view the MMP, PowerPoint allows you to save your work in what is known as a PowerPoint Show format. This format allows the user to click on the file once accessing it on disk and view the show as it was intended to be seen, including all custom animation, without owning the PowerPoint software. However, the Show format makes it relatively difficult to edit the file (which may be an advantage in regard to the integrity of the MMP). To save a show in this format, click on [File], then [Save As] and choose [PowerPoint Show] under' "Save as type." Alternatively, a recipient can view a regular PowerPoint file by downloading and installing a free PowerPoint viewer program as previously mentioned.

ADVANTAGES OF USING TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE A SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM

Effective comprehensive school counseling programs require a diversity of stake holders, which includes students, principals, teachers, staff, parents, and the community. Advancing knowledge and understanding among all the stake holders can be a daunting task. A method which is highly expedient and yet effective is needed. Technology can provide the tools necessary for effectively and efficiently proliferating a message about one's school guidance and counseling program among many with varied interests. Using software such as PowerPoint over different media can:

* For the most part, be instantaneously updated and received by all stake holders

* Be quite cost effective, especially as compared to the financial and human resource cost of live presentations

* Be more easily and repeatedly accessed from virtually anywhere, anytime

* Include a message that is rich with sound, animation, clip art, photos, graphs, and data

* Be easily tailored to each specific audience

* Be copied and altered by others for more efficient collaboration

* Facilitate the sharing of information thus reducing repetition

* Communicate to others that you are knowledgeable and capable of using desirable technology skills which can respectably be modeled for the students you serve. In this case, the medium is the message.

Perhaps the most important use of electronic tools for promoting one's program is the ability to shift time and location. No longer are counselors required to be present for collaborating and communicating with others. A multimedia presentation can be stored on various media to accommodate a wide variety of recipient needs. Using the Internet to send a presentation allows counselors to literally cultivate the message across a global audience within a matter of seconds. Once a presentation arrives, target audience members can access and view the presentation at their own convenience and at their own pace. Because software such as PowerPoint allows the counselor to easily include narration and timed slide transitions, an audience member can learn from a presentation exactly what was intended to be communicated as if the counselor were present. And, if the recipient chooses, he or she may study the information as frequently as desired, pass along the information to others, or respond to the presenter for further inquiry or feedback.

DISADVANTAGES OF USING TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE A SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM

The most apparent disadvantage of using technology are the limits imposed by a counselor's own technological proficiency. Learning how to use programs such as PowerPoint is a critical component of the school counselor's professional development. For better or worse, computers are changing the ways in which we conduct our work, interact, and especially make decisions. Counseling professionals must adapt to new ways of interfacing with machines and the people that use them in a way that promotes the goals and objectives of their work. No aspect of society or economy can function effectively and compete without such tools. Information and networking technologies are now essential tools for manipulating ideas and images and for communicating effectively with others--an important component of the counselor's job (Sabella & Tyler, 2001).

According to Casey (1995), technologically literate counselors can actively contribute to school reform and achieve desirable outcomes, thereby retaining a prominent role for guidance and counseling programs. Continuing education, in general, is usually a low priority amidst many competing demands for the school counselor's time. Even when continuing education is offered, many counselors choose more familiar topics, much to the dismay of technology-minded administrators. Technologically literate counselors usually seek continuing education from sources outside of traditional counseling conferences and periodicals. Perhaps one of the most powerful features of PowerPoint that a counselor can first use is the Help menu and the program's Introduction. The Help menu is a comprehensive, easy to understand, and logical explanation of the program's features in a question and answer format (see Figure 4 for an example of a help menu screen). Similarly, the PowerPoint Introduction provides a self-paced introduction that simply and easily explains essential concepts to new and infrequent users, helping them become more effective and produce more quickly. Finally, school counselors can gain technological competencies important to them in their work by collaborating with counseling supervisors and technology specialists to provide practical training and technical support.

Another disadvantage includes issues of access. Although cost for software, hardware, and Internet access is at an all time low, it is still prohibitive for some counselors and their schools. The good news, however, is that, even if a school does not have the needed equipment, nearby libraries, other schools, and universities are likely to have both the equipment and staff to support you in their use. A final disadvantage is that all machines inevitably fail or become corrupt, often times without ample notice or warning. Counselors should periodically and consistently back-up their work when this event occurs.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

School counseling programs need to be an integral part of a school's mission for helping all students to achieve academic, personal, social, and career success. This requires that school counselors facilitate greater levels of collaboration and communication with all stake holders. Changing systems in contrast to traditional attempts of changing individuals is becoming the trend or shift in order to effectively address the educational needs of our nation's students. Together with the need for accountability, we suggest that effective and efficient uses of technology among school counseling professionals is necessary for making guidance and counseling programs more comprehensive and an integral part of our schools.

Counselors need to be smart consumers of electronic hardware and software and especially make wise decisions about how they are used. According to Sabella and Tyler (2001), counselors must remember that the purpose of incorporating electronic tools into their work is not to create new tasks. Rather, when effectively used, these technologies should help the well-prepared school counselor complete his or her work more effectively by reaching larger numbers, targeting interventions, and focusing energy where it is most required. When evaluating the viability of a specific technology, counselors must ask themselves whether they will receive an acceptable level of return on their investment. That is, will an investment of money to purchase, maintain, and upgrade a certain technology, plus the time to adequately gain necessary skills for using it, assist the counselor in doing his or her job more effectively, efficiently, and/or more enjoyfully?

This article endeavors to help counselors promote their work by helping many important stake holders understand and support guidance and counseling in an effective and efficient manner. The same tools and procedures can be used in other areas. For instance, using MMP's, counselors can also:

1. Enhance multicultural competencies by sharing rich MMPs with others around the world. For example, D'Andrea (1995) wrote about several activities which include music, art, food, and photos that can foster both multicultural appreciation and technological literacy among elementary school students.

2. Scan in the work of students, such as art projects, and share with other faculty, parents, etc. by creating a MMP and moving it to the World Wide Web.

3. Conduct a large group guidance for all students at the same time. After a MMP is created, it can be transferred to video and then shown on the school's television network. For classes that have computers, the counselor can use the Internet to conduct a live chat about the topic. For classes that do not have a computer, the counselor can follow up that day and conduct live discussions.

4. Provide Teachers-as-Advisors with a MMP to use with students thus insuring that they are presenting consistent and accurate information to students.

5. Provide peer helpers (e.g., peer mediators) MMPs for learning relevant helping skills and attitudes as part of a homework assignment.

References

American School Counselor Association Member Resource Guide. (1990). Alexandria, VA. American School Counselor Association.

Ballard, M. B., & Murgatroyd, W. (1999). Defending a vital program: School counselors define their roles. NASSP Bulletin, 83(603), 19-26.

Burnham, J. J., & Jackson, C. M. (2000). School counselor roles: Discrepancies between actual practice and existing models. Professional School Counseling, 4, 41-49.

Carter, R. B. (1993). School counselor role statements: Fact or fiction. Education, 114(1), 45-53.

Casey, J. A. (1995). Developmental issues for school counselors using technology. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling, 30(1), 26-34.

D'Andrea, M. (1995). Using computer technology to promote multicultural awareness among elementary school-age students. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling,. 30(1), 45-54.

Hoyt, K. B., & Wickwire, P. N. (2001). Knowledge-information-service era changes in work and education and the changing role of the school counselor in career education. Career Development Quarterly, 49, 238-249.

Keys, S. G., & Lockhart, E. J. (1999). The school counselors role in facilitating multisystemic change. Professional School Counseling, 3, 101-107.

Myrick, R. D. (1997). Developmental guidance and counseling: A practical approach (3rd ed.) Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corporation.

Sabella, R. A. (1998). Practical technology applications for peer helper programs and training. Peer Facilitator Quarterly, 15(2),4-13.

Sabella, R. A. (1999). SchoolCounselor.com: A friendly and practical guide to the world wide web. Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corp.

Sabella, R. A., & Tyler, J. M. (2001). School counselor technology competencies for the new millennium. In D. S. Sandhu (Ed.), Elementary school counseling in the new millennium. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

Stanger, J. D., & Gridina, N. (1999). Media in the home: The fourth annual survey of parents and children. Annenberg Public Policy Center, WA: Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved May 30, 2001 from http://appcpenn.org/.

Struder, J. R., & Allton, J. A. (1996). The professional school counselor: Supporting and understanding the role of the guidance program. NASSP Bulletin, 80(581), 53-60.

Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D., is an associate professor, Counseling Program, College of Education, Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers, FL. E-mail: [e-mail].

Beverly L. Booker is a school counselor at Heritage High School, Newport News, VA and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University of Louisville, KY.