Reflection module

The reflection module (14 units) concludes the "Counselling skills in teaching and learning" certificate. Different module components enable you to reflect on your counselling role on the basis of feedback, collegial exchange and an individual written elaboration and to formulate a basic professional attitude as a counsellor at the university that relates to your individual areas of activity.

Components

• Counselling observation (3 AE)

During the course of the certificate, you will be required to observe a counselling context of your choice. (If necessary, a second work shadowing can follow by arrangement.) The work shadowing enables you to strengthen your counselling skills. You will receive concrete, individual and independent feedback on your counselling activities. This allows you to increase your awareness of your individual strengths and at the same time reflect on how you want to deal with challenging counselling situations in the future.

Procedure:

1. Choose a suitable counselling context and make sure you have the consent of the person seeking counselling[1].
2. In a preliminary discussion with the guest counsellor, you clarify the necessary framework conditions in advance and can also indicate the specific aspects of your counselling activities on which you would like to receive feedback.
3. Following the observed counselling session, you will receive detailed feedback on your counselling activities. Together with the guest counsellor, you will discuss which of your skills you were able to bring to bear and how, and where you can develop further if necessary.
4. At the end of the counselling process, you document your experiences, questions and goals using a reflection sheet[2].

• Counselling portfolio (7 AE)

As part of the counselling portfolio, you will reflect on your individual counselling approach. You present your personal counselling competence(s) and develop your basic counselling attitude and how this is specifically reflected in your counselling activities with reference to the topics you have chosen (counselling-related theories, models, methods, experiences, etc.). The portfolio also serves as preparation for the presentation in the reflection session. The guidelines inform you about the intended components and can support you in the reflection process.

• Reflection session (4 AE)

In a final reflection session, you will present the quintessence of your counselling portfolio in a collegial group in a 20-minute presentation. You will reflect on the modules you have attended (Fundamentals of Counselling Skills, Advanced Approaches to Counselling, Communication Skills, Formal Aspects of Counselling) in terms of their relevance to application. You will show how your individual counselling approach has become more professional as a result of participating in the certificate programme and how you see yourself as a counsellor in the university context. The presentation consists of your lecture and accompanying documentation (slides, poster, flipchart, etc.).

 

[1] The work shadowing takes place on a confidential basis. This means that no information about the content, the person seeking advice or the counsellor will be disclosed.

[2] This document is part of the counselling portfolio.