Volume_5_Issue_1_Digest

16 TPC Digest Read full article and references: Atici, M. (2015). Professional identity development of counselors-in-training in a school internship program in Turkey. The Professional Counselor , 5 , 137–151. doi:10.15241/ma.5.1.137 All school counseling supervisors in the study stated that there were positive outcomes from the counseling students’ internships for the school students who attended counseling activities, for the counseling students themselves and for the school counselors. School counseling supervisors’ impressions about these positive outcomes were consistent with teachers and school students’ evaluations about the effects of the activities. School counselors were able to provide proactive counseling services to many students with the help of counseling students. Results from both school counselors and counseling interns indicated that the school counselors helped the counseling students by observing them and giving feedback, providing information and advice, organizing counseling practice sessions, and being role models for them. It is clear that feedback and advice from university supervisors were useful and effective in helping counseling interns plan and carry out successful activities, find solutions to problems, and assess the activities. Similarly, in interviews, school counselors pointed out that their feedback for counseling interns impacted the achievement of group activities. Meral Atıcı is an Associate Professor at Çukurova University. Correspondence can be addressed to Meral Atıcı, Çukurova University, Education Faculty, 01330, Balcalı, Adana, Turkey, matici@cu.edu.tr. Meral Atici Professional Identity Development of Counselors-in- Training in a School Internship Program in Turkey This qualitative study presents the findings of interviews with nine school counseling supervisors and the analysis of document data from 11 counseling student interns, 11 guidance teachers and 34 students who attended group guidance activities during the counseling students’ internships. School counseling supervisors were interviewed by the researcher to elicit their views on the contribution and effects of school counseling internship programs for counseling students, the assistance provided by the school counselors to counseling students, problems met during internships, and any recommendations for school counseling internships. The counseling students’ evaluations of the school counseling internship program and supervisors in terms of their own professional development, their opinions of guidance teachers and their students, and their views on the effects of group guidance activities on students’ behavior were analyzed as document data. The findings of interviews with school counselors showed that during their school counseling internships, counseling students gained experience in many of the activities typically carried out by a school counselor, such as classroom guidance, group guidance, individual counseling, seminars, consultation, and application of individual assessment and measurement techniques. Similarly, counseling students’ evaluation of the internship program showed that through school counseling internships, counseling students developed their counseling skills and enhanced their abilities in conducting the activities mentioned above. That is, through the school counseling internship program, counseling student interns had opportunities to do many activities that a school counselor normally does, and they also became competent in these activities.