Person-Centered approach to psychotherapy in education

 

The Person-Centered approach focuses on the patient as a human not as a client. This approach was introduced by Carl Rogers in the 1940s and kept on developing and improving by the time, mainly it was developed in four stages to come out in the 1990s as the Person Centered approach. The main idea of this approach is to make the second person (client) come up with his own instructions after helping him develop a rational understanding of himself.

The role of the counselor teacher in this approach is - as Roger said - to be without role, which means that the counselor must be only a facilitator toward the right change. The counselor must be not directive at all, otherwise he must encourage and empower the person who needs help, and give him enough confidence to believe in himself. As well, what really matters the most is the personality and attitude of the counselor, which leaves a positive effect on the other person. What a client values the most is being understood and accepted, and here comes the role of the counselor, by providing him with the confidence to get out his inner power and believe in himself so he is on the right path to success. 

For example, if a student doesn’t participate in class at all, or shows significance of low self esteem, the teacher can’t suggest solutions or give him more direction to talk more and discuss ideas with his classmates. From the Rogers perspective, the teacher must encourage the student in an indirect way, and empower him so he believes in himself and does better in participating.

A successful Rogerian counselor must have three main characteristics, which are congruence, unconditional positive regard and accurate empathic understanding. As a therapist the most important tool to have is yourself, for this reason a counselor must work harder to improve himself. To be congruent with a student means to be real and genuine, so to have a student change a counselor must start by changing himself. A counselor should be willing to change, and start by evaluating himself, there is always room for improvement. For example, if a teacher doesn't like a student he is not supposed to fake feelings, however he must not declare it, but never fake feelings at all. Or work on yourself, and put effort into accepting and starting to like that student. 

Moreover, a teacher\ counselor must give unconditional positive regard for his students. Which means accepting them the way they are, and caring for them unconditionally. Do not discriminate  and welcome everybody as an absolute human regardless of his mistakes or beliefs. For example a teacher must not discriminate between students according to their grades or achievements, otherwise a teacher must accept, believe and put effort into every single student in the class. Furthermore, a counselor teacher has to really understand the other person and show it truly to them. Which encourages them to be congruent. As if a student faced a problem the teacher must put himself in his shoes and be empathic with him. Also the teacher may bring this problem after some days in a positive way to show that he really cares. 

As an educator, the Person Centered approach is very beneficial not only with students with educational disabilities but also in a classroom. Because it encourages independence and self appreciation of the student. However when the teacher and student take off their facades a relationship of mutual respect and trust will be constructed between the teacher and the students. Moreover the students will be encouraged to experiment and experience things to acquire more knowledge in a positive way. 

Things we can do now that we were not able to do a year ago: Online Businesses

   

     In light of the negative news about the spread of the Corona virus in the world, most of us suffer from anxiety and frustration.  But the crisis has a silver lining as well.  What are the most prominent positive things shown by the crisis of the outbreak of the Corona virus around the world? The Corona epidemic led to massive changes in all walks of life, and led to an accelerating digital transformation that left its effects in various economic sectors, and the pandemic created new social habits due to the radical transformation in lifestyles and work until it was no longer possible to return to the lifestyle that prevailed before the pandemic.  The concept of life itself has become different. This "natural life" is no longer what it was in the past. It is a natural life, but it is digital in everything. 

    Humanity is accustomed to using modern technologies in various fields, and the Internet and digital applications have become an essential part of our daily lives. We buy, shop, order food, hold business meetings, rent and sell apartments and buildings, and book plane tickets and hotels online. For instance, during the pandemic and the long closing times that accompanied it, the restaurant sector closed almost completely to visitors all over the world, and these restaurants suffered great suffering in the beginning, and little by little they depended on technology to continue to work, so orders for meals were made entirely online and various delivery applications. Many expected that the need for these services would end after the ban ended, and restaurants were allowed to open their doors to visitors, but this never happened. Rather, online demand and modern applications to deliver meals continued as it was in the past, and increased in many cases. “The number of digital orders that the company continues to fill every day is very large, and it has never been affected by the reopening of restaurants to visitors,” says Chris Webb, co-founder and CEO of online ordering company ChowNow Inc. 

    In fact, a group of emerging companies that rely on modern technology in their work have played a key role in changing the way customers shop, whether to buy groceries and the requirements of daily life or order meals from various restaurants, and the technologies provided by these companies will contribute  vital role in the post-pandemic life industry. And this is not confined to the food sector only, but extends to all sectors, even those that many people believe do not need modern technologies to work, and let us take a sector a little far from the daily needs of people, which is the real estate sector. Also, real estate companies have become clearly dependent on advanced technology to perform their business during the pandemic, and that they are quickly adopting a wide range of different technologies that found necessary to continue carrying out their tasks, and not stop their work. Indeed, people have discovered the importance of digital and new technologies in their lives and businesses, and the value of investing in technology has become more and more apparent to people during and after the pandemic.

    Finally, the shift towards digital has extended to all aspects and sectors, and there is no going back. This change that we see today is permanent and will deepen more in the future. It is very important for each of us to think about how to benefit from this transformation in developing and increasing the efficiency of the business we do. So, returning to a new normal life means continuing to rely on technology to perform business, as it is a new digital reality that will remain and continue. 

Yes, the form of life, the nature of work and its methods have changed, and "the clock will not turn back."

Online Learning Challenges

     The use of the Internet in the educational process is not new today, but dates back to before the year 2000. Most universities today use the so-called "Learning Management Systems. E-learning has provided the opportunity for many students to realize their dreams, by completing their studies online and achieving their dreams of obtaining university degrees. E-learning has many types and characteristics, which we will learn about in the coming lines. We will also learn about the most important and most prominent challenges facing e-learning from the perspective of students, parents and teachers as well.

    In fact, a study conducted in 2013 confirmed that the nature of the human mind interacts more with paper materials with a greater percentage than digital screens, in terms of absorbing difficult and complex information, and other studies have shown that one class in the classroom is equal to 3 classes received by the student through distance education technology.  This is in addition to the negative impact that limits the development of students on the social and emotional level, which is why it has become one of the most challenging distance education challenges that we face today. As a result of students not being able to go to schools and universities, it has become difficult to use some resources that support the distance education process, including libraries and reference materials, as well as technical materials, such as equipment, gyms and musical instruments. 

    Perhaps the most prominent challenges of online education facing many people is the lack of a high-speed internet in their homes, and with the adoption of online education technology officially in various parts of the world, it has become annoying for many people, some of them are unable to join the lessons and some of them has difficulty with continuous communication, which leads to the loss of important information as a result of interrupted communication. In the past, education expenses were limited to paying school fees only, but in our time these expenses have increased and it has become necessary to offer a personal

computer for each student at home, which means that if the family has 4 students, whether in schools or universities, this means the necessity of having a personal computer for each of them, which leads to an increase in the burdens and costs on the parents, and thus increases the difficulties and challenges for the families with limited income. Moreover, this problem is considered one of the most common problems that parents face during distance education, which is the inability to give a room for each student, and it is worth noting that some jobs have become remote, and with the need to work at a regular pace and on a daily basis, it has become necessary to offer rooms for parents as well, and this  It's almost impossible, since not everyone has a big house. 

    At last, the majority believes that a new hybrid model of education will emerge with great benefits, but after development and benefiting from the mistakes that have occurred, the integration of information technology into education will be accelerated further and that online education will eventually become an integral part of the education process.

What students should be taught when working online to avoid problems

   

 When education moved from schools and classes to the Internet, relying on networks and online communication due to the Corona pandemic and other reasons, students and teachers believed that things would be more fun and easier for them, and that eliminating going to school and sitting in bed attending lessons or preparing and giving them from home would make the process of education is more fun, as online learning is associated with fun and diversity for students. But the surprise was that this was not the case for most, especially those who faced competition from social media platforms in attracting students’ attention, and it turned out that online learning is completely different from teaching through it, which is also different from teaching in classes in schools.

    It seems that online learning is fun for students, and this is absolutely true, provided that the student chooses the material and platform through which he will learn and the way that will make him learn, he may learn a new language by following an interesting YouTube channel or by watching videos or series in the native language with subtitles and then without subtitles, and with the help of simultaneous translation for when something is difficult for him. Certainly the personal motivation in this type of learning plays an important role because what drives the student to leave the entertainment and entertainment platforms, is only his personal wish to learn this new skill, and this is not found in formal learning in schools.

    Learners become more familiar with extrinsic motivators than with intrinsic motivators.  That is why they find it difficult to advance themselves to achieve their goals, without the motivation of parents or teachers.  Many of them miss online classes or neglect school assignments.  To encourage the learner to continue carrying out his duties, he can be trained in ways to motivate himself, including: Presenting the results to his comrades and teachers to receive support, rewarding oneself when achieving small achievements, constantly reminding himself of the goal behind his learning and encouraging himself with the positive result that he expects, and making the study place resemble the personality of the learner in terms of design, colors, images and sayings that he loves.

    Furthermore, Learners who lose contact with their comrades often lose friendships, as well as experiences and information that are useful to them.  It is important here to train those who tend to cut off contact with their friends when they are out of sight, on how to do so electronically to keep up good relations with them or to share ideas with them. Plus, Good communication between a teacher and his students is a basic need for their academic and professional success in life.  Some learners lack mastery of electronic communication, so you see them “disappear” from classes unless they are asked to do so.  It is important for the learner to know how to write his message or question in a clear way that ensures that he communicates what he wants. Too, Introduce students to professional communication with administrators via the Internet.  One of the right ways is to write an understandable email in a professional way that makes communication with the administration efficient and proper, without the administrators having to hear long audio recordings that may be shortened to two or three lines, and so on.. 

    That's to say, no doubt that the Technology Natives generation automatically uses technology.  But they lack some of the skills necessary for the learning process that must be known and experienced in advance to make sure that it runs well. Therefore, we have to enable students to learn distance learning skills.  Noting that it is preferable for the learner to acquire these skills before starting this stage. 

How to be a digital citizen

     

    We live in an age where the internet is a part of our daily life and we use the internet for many things: to search and learn remotely, to communicate with family and friends, to shop which has made us a part of digital citizenship. While the internet has certainly made life more efficient, it will be difficult to keep pace with digital transformation, so what are we going to do as digital citizens in the age we live in, and what are our responsibilities? 

    A digital citizen is a citizen who will be critical when using information and communication resources, knows the ethical consequences of his or her online behavior, can make ethical decisions online, not abuse technology, and encourage correct behavior when communicating and collaborating in the digital world. Also, it's the ability to interact positively, critically and efficiently in the digital environment, use effective communication and creativity skills, apply forms of social participation that respect human rights and dignity and the responsible use of technology. Therefore, education plays a vital role in preparing young people to live as active citizens and helping them acquire the skills and competencies they need.

    Since its beginning, the Internet has transformed our lives, connecting users and providing a virtual global online community for everyone as we discover common interests, share knowledge, and have meaningful discussions. For this, we have different responsibilities towards the citizen’s role in society, for example;  Like being a responsible citizen, obeying the law, protecting its privacy, and respecting the rights of others.  Likewise, as you become a digital citizen and research the online community - which we call the World Wide Web - you need to learn certain rules, behaviors, and good practices. 

    Being a good digital citizen starts with talking about other people who use the Internet, because derogatory comments and cyberbullying such as, have made it difficult to engage in meaningful dialogue about the site's original content.  Also, do not damage your reputation on social media by posting purposeless negative content.  Privacy also applies to more than just passwords. A good digital citizen should beware of sites that ask for a lot of information like addresses, phone numbers, birthdays, salaries, credit card details, and Social Security numbers.  Digital natives must also be taught to comply with the law in everything they do online.

    To sum up, digital citizenship is a new term imposed on us by technological and scientific developments. There is no home now that does not use the Internet, whether for learning, work, or even just entertainment. And since young people today live in a world transformed by digital technologies that easily connect and access large amounts of information through social media; it has become imperative to educate the next generation on the concept of digital citizenship.

Tools that can be used in online assessment

     Online Assessing and evaluating students' performance can be done through electronic evaluation (E-evaluation) of various cognitive and skill activities, using computer and Internet technologies.  With the spread of e-learning in digital environments in educational fields such as schools and universities, the assessment process began to shift from using paper and pen to paperless evaluation by computers or the Internet, which is widely used in open educational centers and distance education in schools and universities. There are many tools and applications that will be used effectively and enjoyable according to their purpose, especially if the purpose is assessment for learning or that of learning. 

    Among these programs that help assess students online is Google Forms, a tool that allows collecting information from students by designing a questionnaire or a custom test, and then collecting information and automatically linking it to a spreadsheet showing students’ responses to the questionnaire or test.  Also, the "Socrative" program is effective for monitoring and evaluating students' performance in fun and attractive interactions because it gives students the opportunity to see the direct progress of their results. For example, the "Slido" program to activate discussions with students and enable them to express their opinions on various topics and ideas that help improve communication and increase interaction during the lesson.  Or the well-known "Kahoot" program, which is one of the electronic platforms that used to display questions to students on the projector, and the student can use his smart phone or computer to answer the questions, where everyone responds at the same time.  This also means that we can give feedback to everyone at the same time. 

    On the other hand, If the purpose is assessment of learning, then the online assessment can be used to assess cognitive and skill abilities through the “electronic test”, which is one of the most popular models in electronic assessment. It is based on the formulation of various assessments, including multiple-choice questions, and questions of truth  and error, and other short questions, and this is done using some of the previous programs for assessing learning and monitoring grades for students.  But if other assessment methods are required of the students such as presentation or memorization, then the students are asked to present or listen directly or record their performance audio or video.  If the practical and experiential knowledge of students is to be assessed, simulation programs can be used, where learners must use all their resources and skills to complete the task in a safe online virtual environment.  Thus, the efficiency can be evaluated without taking any risks in the real world, keeping in mind that the simulation is as realistic as possible to get the right results.

    Otherwise, some may fear that it is easy to cheat in such tests because the teacher does not see the students and some family members may help the students in solving the tests.  But there are several ways to cut cheating, by placing indirect questions that measure the student’s understanding, without the need to refer to the book, or specifying a specific time to answer each question so that the student does not waste his time searching for the answer, and other means. 

    In conclusion, all of these programs and applications are used for discussion and presentation of questions to students on the projector. It also allows the student to use his smart phone or computer to answer questions and see the level of students' response so that the teacher can give effective and direct feedback that helps check students' performance and improve their level. 

Integrating Technology into Teaching

 

Technology is occupying our lives, from the moment we open our eyes in the morning it accompanies us moment by moment until we go back to our beds. From now on there’s no life without technology. And since curriculums must reflect the state of the society, technology must be integrated into our curriculums.

Technology in our schools will make a huge difference. Adapting teachers and learners to technology will facilitate the teaching and learning process, and boost their productivity and performance. The presence of computers and tablets in addition to internet connection will provide easy access to Google classroom, educational websites,  cloud, supporting videos.. And for sure this will save time and effort for teachers. 

Moreover, integration of technology into classrooms
will make students excited to learn. Students enjoy watching videos and listening to educational songs and looking at colorful graphics, which will attract their attention. Fun educational materials will motivate students to continue studying and excel in their classes.

Curriculums must stay updated to the development of societies and the world. And using traditional ways in teaching is not the suitable decision when we want our students and coming generations to be educated and expand their minds.