COUC 512 Group Counseling

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Persons involved in both professional counseling and helping ministries find that group work can be an important strategy for conducting their daily work. Therefore, knowledge of group theory and the development of group leadership skills are essential to becoming more effective practitioners in either setting.

Method of Instruction: This semester-long week course is delivered using two synchronous intensive options: 1) The student may select an in-person synchronous intensive option and will attend 36-40 hours of in-person classroom-based instruction at our campus in Lynchburg; or 2) The student may select an online synchronous intensive option and will attend 36-40 hours of video-based instruction. In addition to the one week of in-person or digital synchronous class time, the student is expected to complete additional work online both pre and post intensive over the duration of the semester.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (3)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, both the student and the instructor will interact to bring more content and learning to the experience. For each Discussion, the student will create an initial thread in response to the provided prompt for the assigned Module. The student will post an initial thread of at least 200-250 words and post a reply to one (1) classmate of at least 100-150 words addressing the provided reply prompt. The thread and reply must each incorporate a minimum of 2 scholarly sources published within the last five years cited in current APA format. Acceptable sources include peer-reviewed journals and the textbook. The student should consider the discussion topic from a Christian/Biblical worldview and integrate his or her thoughts from this perspective along with any applicable Biblical references. The initial thread is due on Thursday of the assigned Module, and the reply is due on Sunday of the same Module. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

Allender Journal Assignments (5)

During the intensive week, the student will complete the assigned reading and journal questions as per the intensive week schedule. Each journal will answer two questions per assigned chapter. The student’s responses should reflect two elements: critical thinking and integration of each chapter and personal application of each chapter content to the student’s life. Journals are due each day of the intensive by 8 A.M. Because these journals are the basis of class, no exceptions will be made for late submissions. The student must bring a hard copy of his/her journal each day to the intensive. Each journal entry should be 1-1.5 pages per question (2-3 pages total per daily entry). References and citations are not required for these journals, but general APA formatting must be used (title page, appropriate font, double spacing, etc.). (CLO: E, F)

Benchmark Critical Incident Paper Assignment

The student will choose from one (1) of the two ethical scenarios provided in the Benchmark Critical Incident Paper Assignment Instructions and apply the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics to the scenario. The student will identify the issue, briefly summarize ACA code(s) that address the situation and address the best course of action to take to resolve the issue. The student’s response must be no longer than 300 words total. The student will submit this assignment twice for grading: once in Canvas so an originality report can be generated through the Turnitin plagiarism checking tool and once either within CORE: CompMS (CMHC Students Only) or a second Canvas submission link (all other students). (CLO: G)

Quiz: Emergency Contact Information

In order to participate in the intensive portion of this class, the student must complete the Quiz: Emergency Contact Information located in Module: Intensive Week. This quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned module: week. This quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain two (2) fill in the blank questions, and will have no time limit, and allow for one attempt. (CLO: E)

Quiz: Group Disclosure and Consent

In order to participate in the intensive portion of this class, the student must upload the Group Disclosure and Consent Form in the Quiz: Group Disclosure and Consent Form located in Module: Intensive Week. This quiz will cover the Group Disclosure and Consent Form. This quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 5 multiple choice and true/false questions, have no time limit, and allow for unlimited attempts with the highest attempt counting towards the grade. (CLO: E)

Quiz: Group Leader Feedback

During the Intensive week, the student will participate in the role of the process observer. This role requires the student to observe and provide verbal and written feedback to the group leader. The student will download the editable Group Leader Feedback form on Canvas, complete it, and return it to the leader. Each group leader will then upload one of the completed forms received from his/her peers to the Quiz: Group Leader Feedback. This quiz contains one file upload question, has no time limit, and allows for one attempt with the highest attempt counting towards the grade. (CLO: A, B, E)

Quiz: Benchmark Intensive Attendance and Participation

In order to pass this class, the student must attend the intensive week portion of the class. During the week, the student will be graded on attendance, punctuality, preparation, and participation. Points are lost for being late, missing one or more hours of class, being unprepared, and not participating. If a student is not able to attend all days of the intensive, he/she should switch class sections if one is available. Alternatively, a student may receive a grade of ‘F’ if any portion of the intensive is missed.

Students must participate in direct experience of group, both as a group member and leader for a minimum of 10 clock hours. If a student misses 2 or more weekly class sessions (10 or more minutes late to class constitutes an absence) or fails to meet the minimum 10 clock hours of group experience, the student may be awarded a grade of “F”.

The student will participate in a small (personal growth) group as a group member, group leader, and process observer. Each day of the intensive week, the student will be assigned to the role of a group member, a co-leader, and a process observer. On the first day of the intensive, the student will be instructed on the expectations of each of those roles. Participation is graded for these activities. Simply sitting without contributing in any of these roles is not enough to pass the course. For this quiz, the student will provide a self-evaluation on the Quiz: Benchmark Intensive Attendance and Participation Grading Rubric based on his/her participation during the intensive week. The student will upload his/her grading rubric within the quiz on Canvas with the sections highlighted that he/she believes best describes his/her overall attendance and participation during the intensive week. Professors will determine the student’s final grade for attendance and participation during the intensive week but will take the student’s self-evaluations into account. For this quiz, CMHC students will submit their self-evaluations within the CORE: CompMS submission portal. For all other students, the self-evaluations will be submitted within Canvas.

This quiz will cover the Quiz: Benchmark Intensive Attendance and Participation Assignment Instructions document. This quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain one (1) file upload question, allow for one attempt, and have no time limit. (CLO: E)

Quiz: Dispositions Reflection

The Quiz: Dispositions Reflection will ask the student to rate him or herself on the nine dispositions required for this program by our accrediting bodies. This quiz consists of 9 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay question, is open book/open notes, allows for one attempt, and has a time limit of 1 hour. CMHC students should complete this quiz within the link to CORE: CompMS provided within Canvas. For all other students, the quiz should be completed directly within Canvas.

Quizzes (18)

Each quiz will cover one chapter of the Gladding text. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 10 multiple-choice questions, allow for one attempt, and have a 20-minute time limit. (CLO: A, B, C, D, F, G)