The Use of Improvised Simulations as an Innovative Teaching Methodology to Support the Understanding and Development of Social Justice Advocacy Competencies for School Counselors in Counselor Education Programs
Open Access
Author:
Charis, Kanyinsola
Graduate Program:
Counselor Education
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
March 15, 2023
Committee Members:
Julia Green Bryan, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies Julia Green Bryan, Major Field Member Elizabeth Prosek, Chair & Dissertation Advisor Andrea Mccloskey, Outside Unit & Field Member Janice Byrd, Dissertation Co-Advisor
Keywords:
Improvisation Improvised Simulation Deliberate Practice Desirable Difficulties Improvisation and Social Justice Advocacy Improvisation and Antiracism Emotional Engagement Professional Recognition Sociocultural Recognition Personal Values Social Justice Advocacy Competencies Counselor Education Counselor Training Social Justice Training
Abstract:
The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the use of live actor improvised simulations as an innovative teaching tool in the development of social justice advocacy competencies for school counselors in training (SCITs). The feminist theoretical framework that guided the design of this study is from the challenges of bell hooks in her books entitled Teaching Critical Thinking and Teaching to Transgress. Ten graduate students in a counselor education program, who identified interest in the School Counseling specialty, were purposely selected from their registration in the Foundations and Ethics of School Counseling course. As a group, the participants first engaged in an introduction to improvisation workshop that was taught by an improvisation expert. Next, each participant interacted with live actors in their expected role as professional school counselors working on the theme of teenage pregnancy in a high school. Journal reflections were written along with in-depth individual interviews. The findings of this research revealed a creative and engaging learning environment that helped participants gain a better understanding of the meaning and process of developing social justice advocacy competencies. Four main themes and three subthemes emerged from participants’ responses: (1) Emotional Engagement, which included the subthemes of Appreciation, Discovery, and Readiness, (2) Professional Recognition, (3) Socio-cultural Recognition, and (4) Personal Values. Implications for counselor educators and counselor education programs as well as future research are included.
