Abstract:

Computers are used to carry out the guidance and counselling services in schools for storing, classifying information about students and applying computer based test by school counsellors. School counsellors can also use computers to share latest developments and information with their colleagues via computers using INTERNET. School counsellors must have necessary computer knowledge and skills to perform these applications. Computer knowledge and skills of school counsellors can be improved either in preservice or inservice period. For example in Psychological Counselling and Guidance Department of Marmara University Atatürk Education Faculty students have only one beginners computer course, Introduction to Computers, in their second academic term. It is not realistic to claim that a three credits beginners course is enough to enable student school counsellors to perform necessary computer skills during their profession. On the other hand there is no valid and enough information about student school counsellors’ computer experiences before their university education. The main purpose of this study is to describe the computer experiences of student school counsellors before their university education. A follow up study has been carried out and information has been collected from 120 first year student school counsellors during the second term of three different academic years, 1997-1998, 1998-1999 and 1999- 2000, before they take the computer course in their curriculum. The major findings are as follows: (1) Majority of student school counsellors either do not know or very limited experience how to use a computer; (2) Higher percentage of student school counsellors are not computer owners (1997-1998, 71,4%; 1998-1999, 70,3%; 1999-2000, 76,9%) and there is no positive increase in their computer ownership rates along these years (3) Higher percentage of student school counsellors have no computer course during their primary school  programme (1997-1998, 97,6%; 1998-1999, 97,4%; 1999-2000 100%) and secondary school programme (1997-1998, 81%; 1998-1999, 81,6%; 1999-2000, 75%). (4) Computers has not been used as a teaching aid in higher percentage of student school counsellors’ courses during their primary school programme (only one student reported to have a computer aided lesson) and secondary school programme (1997-1998, 92,9%; 1998-1999 89,5%; 1999-2000 97,5%). (5) All these results showed that most of the student school counsellors have very limited or no experiences on computers before their university education. As they have only one beginners course during their preservice period it is no doubt to say that they, approximately all, have very limited or no computer experiences and skills at the very beginning of their professional life. Based on these results, some  commendations were developed to improve students’ computer experiences. Key words: Computer experience, computer literacy, student school counsellors, school counsellors

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