This study aimed to discover secondary school students’ perception of role expectation and role performance regarding the counseling activity of their homeroom teachers and school counselors. With this aim, the study selected the following research ...
This study aimed to discover secondary school students’ perception of role expectation and role performance regarding the counseling activity of their homeroom teachers and school counselors. With this aim, the study selected the following research questions.
The research questions were twofold: first, “Is there any difference in the secondary school students’ perception of role expectation regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors?”, and, second, “Is there any difference in the secondary school students’ perception of role performance regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors?”. The counseling activity of teachers was classified into six items involving learning problem counseling, character problem counseling, problematic behavior counseling, career counseling, sexual issue counseling, and qualifications of a counselor. Also, the secondary school students’ perception of role expectation and role performance regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors were compared according to gender and school level. The study targeted 240 students in three middle schools and three high schools where school counselors were positioned, from among middle and high schools located in Gwangju City. The study disseminated questionnaires to a group of 40 students, which was made up of 20 boy students and 20 girl students by school, and the school counselors in each school helped to distribute and collect the questionnaires.
The questionnaires employed in this study were modified and attuned to the level of secondary school students on the basis of questionnaires by Seo Joo-hee(2005). The questionnaires by Seo Joo-hee(2005) were intended to discover the perception of role expectation and role performance regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers; thus, questions asking about the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors were proposed in the same way in order to compare and analyze the perception of role expectation and role performance regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors.
As to data analysis, the study calculated Cronbach's α reliability coefficient in order to verify the reliability of questions and looked into the general characteristics of respondents through a frequency analysis. With a view to identifying any difference in the whole group of students' role expectation regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors, the study conducted a paired sample t-test. Also, the study undertook a paired sample t-test in order to discover any difference in role expectation according to the sub-area of counseling activity, gender, and school level. The study applied the paired sample t-test also to examine any difference in the whole group of students’ perception of role performance regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors. Meanwhile, the study carried out an independent sample t-test so as to seek the perception of role expectation and role performance between boy and girl students regarding the counseling activity of teachers(the total of homeroom teachers and school counselors).
The results of this study included the following.
First, secondary school students had a similar level of expectation about the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors. According to sub-area, the students had a higher expectation
of homeroom teachers than school counselors in terms of learning problem counseling, whereas they assumed a higher expectation of school counselors than homeroom teachers in light of the qualifications of a counselor. Boy students and girl students and middle school students and high school students appeared to have a similar level of expectationabout the counseling activity of homeroom teachers and school counselors.
Second, secondary school students had a higher perception of role performance regarding the counseling activity of homeroom teachers compared to school counselors. In all sub-areas, they evaluated the counseling activity of school counselors more highly, and all of the boy students and girl students and middle school students and high school students were shown to recognize that school counselors excelled versus homeroom teachers in the counseling activity.
Given the above results, secondary school students were expecting an equivalent level of counseling activity from homeroom teachers as from school counselors; however, the counseling activity of homeroom teachers fell short of their expectations. Accordingly, homeroom teachers should not be negligent in their counseling activities, keeping in mind the students' expectations. On the other hand, the secondary school students’ higher perception of role performance regarding the counseling activity of
school counselors implies that the placement of school counselors should be extended to entire schools. Provided that school counselors are positioned in each school, and that they cooperate with homeroom
teachers through the homeroom teachers’ advice about counseling activities and form a mutually complementary relationship, school counseling will be promoted more than ever.