Masters Theses
Date of Award
8-1981
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major Professor
George W. Wiegers
Committee Members
Siegfried C. Dietz, Carroll B. Coakley
Abstract
This study was made in an attempt to define the position of the secondary school counselor's role in the Oak Ridge School System, and to determine what the principals, teachers, students, and guidance counselors felt were the duties being performed by the counselor in the high school.
A questionnaire designed to determine the groups' perception of the guidance program was compiled and submitted to the staff and students of the school. Judgment played a part in determining what questions should be asked of all respondents. It was not necessary to ask the same question of all groups, because the other groups would possibly not have direct knowledge concerning the particular question. The student questionnaires were one-part questionnaires based upon knowledge of present counselor roles as they relate to the students. The guidance counselors, principals, and teachers received a two-part questionnaire; the first part of which asked about the present roles of the counselors, and the second part of which asked for their ratings as to the ideal roles of the counselors.
The responses to Part I were tabulated; a percentile and ranking for the individual respondents was derived and an overall percentile and ranking for each guidance service was found. Analysis of the responses to Part I showed that generally the students, teachers, and principals agreed with some aspects the guidance counselors were performing. The t values showed that the guidance counselors and principals' answers were not significantly different; therefore, the conclusion may be made that the roles perceived by the counselors were perceived similarly by the principals. The students and teachers' answers were significantly different from those of the guidance counselors and principals, showing, in effect, that the students and teachers felt that the functions listed were either not being performed at all or were being performed inadequately.
In the analysis of responses to Part II of the questionnaire, the overall ranking of the grand mean showed the functions of counseling, public relations, and inventory as the top one-third of the role functions studied. The functions listed under the heading of Miscellaneous, which included those functions which many counselors are expected to perform and which are totally unrelated and inappropriate to the guidance program, were ranked as the most inappropriate of the counselors' roles.
Based on the results of this study, the researcher's opinion is that counselors fall short of fulfilling all role expectations due to their "overload" of non-counseling responsibilities. Perhaps the answer to this dilemma is to move toward a three-department system in which counselors handle counseling, guidance workers provide the information service, and psychometrists handle measurement. In order to meet effectively the needs and interests of students, the counselor must be permitted to concentrate on counseling, while guidance workers and psychometrists meet the non-counseling needs of students.
Recommended Citation
McCrosky, David Hiram, "The role of the guidance counselor at Oak Ridge High School Oak Ridge secondary school system as perceived by the guidance counselors, principals, teachers, and students. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1981.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/15261