Strategic Development of Online Guidance Services for UMAK

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

Volume III, Issue 5 May 2023, eISSN: 2799-0664

IJAMS

Strategic Development of Online Guidance Services

for UMAK Toward a Competitive Global Reach

ARIEL DOMINGO

[email protected]

Philippine Christian University

Abstract — The study aimed to determine the level of implementation of online guidance and

counseling services among university students and their experiences on receiving online

counseling services from academic guidance counselors towards the development of an innovative

guidance and counseling strategic development framework in the University of Makati. The

respondents of the study were 2562 students from the University of Makati and were selected using

stratified random sampling. The research instruments that were utilized for the quantitative part

are standard survey questionnaires adopted from NACADA (2017) and Teh et al. (2014). For the

qualitative part, a focus group discussion facilitated by an interview guide adopted from Fernandez

(2021) was used to capture the experiences of university students on receiving online guidance

and counseling services. Data were analyzed using percentage, weighted mean, One Way Analysis

of Variance, and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that in terms of age, the majority of the

students are under 21 – 22 years old or at the age of starting adulthood which is crucial for decision-

making. The implementation of innovative guidance and counseling strategic development

framework in higher education provides opportunities for students to develop themselves, improve

academic achievements, and prepare to achieve their careers in the future as well as to counter the

various issues and challenges in the implementation of online guidance and counseling services.

Keywords — Online Guidance and Counseling Services; University Students; Guidance

Counselors; Innovative Guidance and Counseling Strategic Development

I. Introduction

Effective teaching and learning, as well as the development of students' capacity for

lifelong learning, are at the heart of schools in the 21st century. As a result, this shared objective

presents a golden chance to rethink and reform not just the teachers' but also the school guidance

counselors' job, as well as the counseling skills, strategies, and approaches they use with their

students.(Adler, 2022). In the Philippines, guidance counseling is one of the most challenging

helping professions in the school context. School guidance counselors, as outlined by Arrieta,

Valeria, & Belen (2021), are responsible for assisting students in effectively resolving their

psychological difficulties and discomfort. In addition, they hope to address a wide range of issues

and difficulties that students face, such as bullying, tardiness, and class cutting; issues involving

parents, such as parental separation, academic pressure, and overseas work; suicide, peer pressure,

and gender issues; substance abuse, including alcohol, tobacco, and drug use; and so on. There is

a real need for excellent counseling abilities and strategies to be able to help the thousands of

students in public students who are facing the same difficulties and challenges as one teacher-

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guidance counselor. Many people find great satisfaction in working as guidance counselors, but

many others see it as the most difficult job possible, especially if they work in a large school,

where the stress of dealing with hundreds or thousands of students can have a negative effect on

their mental health. Despite the challenges that come with the territory of teacher-guidance

counselors' jobs, there is evidence that many of them have developed effective counseling skills,

techniques, and approaches (Ahmed & Firdous, 2020). Since the arrival of the coronavirus, school

counselors have typically been at the center of problem-solving efforts because protecting students'

mental, emotional, and physical well-being is at the core of what they do. To ensure students had

the resources they needed to participate in online classes, they called homes to double-check that

everything was in order, assist with technological issues, connect families in need with gift cards

and community resources, address teachers' concerns about students' absences, reassure worried

parents, and instruct households on how to establish a routine conducive to online learning. While

also figuring out how to keep providing academic guidance, emphasizing students' emotional and

social development, and helping those with unique needs at school (Geiger and Oehrtman, 2020).

Student access to online education and training activities during the COVID-19 epidemic has

exacerbated the impact of the issue. Negative psychological events, including anxiety and fear,

can have an impact on students' well-being, and social and physical distance are two factors that

might contribute to these feelings (Dhawan, 2020). Because they were thrust into distance learning

activities without prior preparation or support, students have been found to be among the groups

experiencing the greatest psychological strain during this time. Students are quite dissatisfied as a

result of this. Children's difficulty adapting to the circumstances and learning challenges following

COVID-19 contributed to their already high levels of anxiousness. Schools offer a wide variety of

support services, including those related to students' physical and mental health, nutrition, and

learning (Callo and Yazon, 2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted adjustments to the teaching methodology and

educational methods. All members of society, including educators, were impacted by these shifts.

Educators have made efforts to adapt to the changing classroom landscape. The school counselors

at my school are also going above and above to assist the students right now. This new

circumstance will also necessitate exploration on the part of counselors, whose job descriptions

are typically based on in-person interactions. However, they won't let this get in their way because

school counselors are committed to helping students succeed (Baloran, 2020). Suggestions offered

to families, educators, and mental health experts can lessen the severity and frequency of students'

behavioral, cognitive, and emotional responses throughout the COVID-19 period, and prevent or

eliminate behavioral and adaptational difficulties. When people have others they can lean on

during a pandemic, they feel less stressed emotionally and are more likely to reach out for aid.

Students were stressed out and in need of psychological support during the pandemic, according

to a study by Al-Rabiaah et al. (2020). Professional counselors and other mental health workers

are needed following traumatic events including epidemics, natural disasters, and health crises.

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As a means of helping students cope with the difficulties they've encountered due to the

Covivirus 19 epidemic, online counseling services have been made available. Students' ability to

adjust to life during the Covid-19 pandemic. The main option to in-person therapy amid the Covid-

19 pandemic is an online counseling service that uses media and technology to help patients relax.

Online counseling using platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as virtual

rooms via tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Google Meetings. School counselors can also

communicate with students via email and Google forms. In this age of globalization and the Covid-

19 epidemic, media counselling can assist school counselors respond to the problems and potential

of providing counselling services through a digital medium (Suryahadikusumah & Nadya, 2020).

Villareal-Davis, Sartor, & McLean (2020) state that guidance counselors need to be familiar with

the variables and principle involved in the use of digital technology in the delivery of counseling

services. Recommendations for counseling services during times of crisis, with an emphasis on

the situation in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, that utilize electronic media or social media as

a medium for healing in the face of worries, rehabilitation efforts, and post-crisis interventions.

The use of digital media technology in counseling services as a method of aiding troubled students

amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Counselors in schools must be proficient in using social media to

provide counseling services. While face-to-face counseling is ideal, the spread of the Covid-19

pandemic necessitated a new record for school counselors: the use of social media as a counselling

medium as a record for mastering and utilizing technology. During the Covid-19 pandemic, cyber

counseling has emerged as a professional option for school counselors (Fernandez, 2021).

Literature Review

This section presented the review of related literature and studies both local and foreign

which are relevant in studying the level of implementation of online guidance and counseling

services among university students and their experiences on receiving online counseling services

from academic guidance counselors. It was divided into two sections including (a) The Guidance

and Counseling in the Philippines, and (b) The Concept of Online Guidance and Counseling

services; (c) The Perceptions and Experiences of Students on receiving online counseling services

from academic guidance counselors. The following literature and studies aided the researcher in

developing a deeper understanding of the topic at hand, in locating additional sources of relevant

information, and in comparing his own findings to those of other researchers who have conducted

similar studies, all of which contributed to the development of the generalizations and concepts

that constitute the study's contributions regarding the implementation of online guidance and

counseling services.

The Guidance and Counseling in the Philippines

Socioeconomic conditions and the historical development of psychology and counseling

as scientific disciplines have both influenced the growth of the counseling profession in the

Philippines. It was under American colonial control in the Philippines that the counseling

profession got its start, along with other educational and social reforms. As in the United States,

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the origins of counseling in Australia can be traced back to the growth of vocational guidance

(1913–1934) and the incorporation of these services into the educational system (1935-1945). It

echoes converging trends in American education, such as the rise of student personnel psychology

and the accompanying guidance and mental health renaissances. The initial growth of the

counseling profession in the Philippines can be traced back to three developments from the period

after World War II until the late 1960s: 1) the introduction of counselor education programs in the

country; 2) the establishment of professional counseling organizations; and 3) the provision of

guidance and counseling services in local schools (Yanez, 2020).

The provision of CPD for practitioners was prioritized during the 1970s and the 1980s.

General and specialized counselor training was available from a variety of professional groups in

the areas of counseling, program creation, psychological evaluation, research, and professional

development. Local professionals saw the need to improve their counseling skills to meet the

demands of an increasingly varied clientele. In other instances, professionals were faced with

challenges for which they were not well trained. As a result, groups dedicated to counseling offered

CPD courses to help therapists get the training they needed to effectively serve their clients.

Several counseling organizations were founded to meet the diversifying demands for continuing

education in the field (Garcia, 2018).

The Concept of Online Guidance and Counseling Services

Social and economic factors, as well as the evolution of psychology and counseling as

academic fields, have all had an impact on the growth of the counseling profession in the

Philippines. The United States of America introduced the counseling profession to the Philippines

as part of its educational and social reform during its colonial administration. The origins of

counseling in Australia may be traced back to the same time period (1913-1934) as the origins of

guidance and counseling in the United States: the integration of guidance and counseling services

into the educational setting (1935-1945). Similar trends may be found in the creation of student

personnel psychology in educational institutions and the guidance and mental health movements

in the United States. The Philippines' counseling profession saw its earliest stages of development

from the immediate aftermath of World War II until the late 1960s (Yanez, 2020). There was a

strong focus on offering CPD to working professionals throughout the 1970s and 1980s. General

and specialized counselor training in areas including counseling, program design, psychological

evaluation, research, and professional development were made available through a variety of

professional groups. In order to adapt to the requirements of an increasingly varied clientele, local

professionals recognized the importance of bolstering their counseling skills. The pros had to cope

with certain things they weren't trained to manage. Thus, counseling organizations provided CPD

for professionals to better equip them to meet the needs of their clients. Various counseling

organizations, each specializing in a specific area of professional development, sprang up in

response to the growing demand (Garcia, 2018).

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Counseling in the 1980s saw a shift toward greater cultural sensitivity, influenced in part

by Filipino psychological theory. Western ideas were challenged and supported, and new

indigenous formulations of the psychological functioning of Filipinos were developed through

collaboration between local and international scholars. There was an acknowledgement of the

necessity of developing counseling methodologies and practices that are culturally competent,

client-centered, and compatible with the worldviews of Filipinos. Researchers and practitioners

alike have recently stressed the need of local counselors grounding their work in research and

theory (Amodia, 2018).

Synthesis of Literature Review

Counseling and educational demands must be harmonized with digital technology as an

alternative to conventional counseling, as evidenced by the review literature and research. In view

of recent fast developments, the emphasis on innovation presents a challenge for guidance

counselors operating in the digital age. To achieve this goal, one must put in much effort and show

a serious dedication to creating novel approaches that enhance academic tasks. A better school

climate, increased academic success, and support for students as they work through obstacles are

all ways to accomplish this goal. It is ideal for e-counseling services to have educational elements

that will focus on and establish a distinguished academic school culture, in addition to ethical

considerations that represent the expertise of the educational counselor. All professionals in the

field of education now have an urgent need to understand the directing role played by the school

counselor in offering his or her services in light of digital learning. Therefore, the purpose of this

research is to investigate academic guidance counselors' and students' perceptions on online

guidance and counseling services in the context of digital learning.

Theoretical Framework

The framework of the study was anchored from the Academic Advising Core

Competencies (AACC) Model developed by National Academic Advising Association

(NACADA) and the Technology Acceptance Model or TAM.

Incorporating training and best practices into academic counseling is the goal of the

Academic Advising Core Competencies (AACC) model. Primary role advisors, academic

advisors, advising administrators, advising supervisors, managers, and mentors, and learning

professionals, trainers, and researchers are all encouraged to utilize this paradigm (NACADA,

2017). Academic advisors, advisor education, and advising programs can all benefit from using

this framework to evaluate their performance and develop their own objectives. The term academic

adviser will be used throughout this section because it is the term used by NACADA to

characterize academic advising as a whole.

Academic Advising Core Competencies (AACC) Model supports the professionalization

of the advising profession by showing the role of an academic advisor/counselor versus the theory

used by academic counselors to perform their professional duties. This is an important distinction

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as the focus in academic counseling training programs is on the theory counselors use in the

profession (e.g., person-centered therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or transition theory)

versus how to professionalize the academic counseling profession.

This model comprises of six components: (1) Advising/counseling is an academic

endeavor; (2) Advising/counseling enhances learning and at its core is a locus of learning and not

merely a signpost to learning; (3) The learning that happens in advising/counseling is integrative

and helps students make meaning out of their education as a whole; (4) The student must be an

active rather than a passive participant in this process; (5) Advising/counseling is transformative,

not transactional; and (6) Advising/counseling is central to achieving the learning goals of any

college or university. (The Theory of Advising as Integrative Learning section).

Conceptual Framework

Assessing the Academic Advising Core Competencies (AACC) Model developed by

National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and the Technology Acceptance Model or

TAM as the theories of the study layout on how the university students perceive the level of

implementation of online guidance and counseling services given by the university guidance

counselors. The theory helped the study to identify the broad range of understanding, knowledge,

and skills that support academic advising, to guide professional development, and to promote the

contributions of guidance counseling to student development, progress, and success.

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework

Academic Advising Core Competencies (AACC) Model

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Level of

Implementation of

Guidance and

Counseling

Services in terms of

professional,

technical, social,

moral, preventive,

and educational

Experiences of

Students on

receiving online

guidance and

counseling services

Demographic Profile of Students in terms

of age, sex, year level, and family status

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Hypotheses

For the purpose of obtaining the desired results of the study, the herein null hypotheses

were tested at .05 level of significance:

1. There is no significant difference on the respondents’ assessment on the level of

implementation of online guidance and counseling services given by the university

guidance counselors when grouped according to their profile.

2. There is no significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and the

level of implementation of online guidance and counseling services given by the

university guidance counselors.

II. Methodology

Research Design

To address the aforementioned research questions, this study employed the use of mixed

method utilizing descriptive comparative and descriptive correlational and case study design

methodology.

Mixed methods approach was chosen within the case study design to collect data and to

maximize the benefits of both qualitative and quantitative. According to Lopez-Fernandez and

Molina, Azorin (2016), to obtain relevant and precise information regarding the current status of

a problem with respect to one or more variables and, where possible, draw valid general

conclusions from the facts discovered, a mixed method survey is a method of collecting

information by interviewing or administering a questionnaire to different categories of people

simultaneously. The information gathered from surveys is also used for analysis, pattern

identification, and comparative purposes. It is the most common method for gathering data about

people's thoughts, feelings, and actions on a wide range of topics. Since a survey was used to gather

information about school administrators' levels of leadership and management skill, a mixed-

methods approach was suitable for this study. This allowed for a comprehensive comprehension

of the topic being investigated.

The research will employ a descriptive correlational design to paint static representations

of circumstances and determine the causality between variables. The study's approach is well-

suited to identifying the factors that contribute to the association between online professional

development training and the competence with which public school teachers educate. A

descriptive-correlational research accurately interprets study results based on the data collected.

This research technique also places an emphasis on the actual situations that exist (Calderon,

2012).

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Population, Samples and Sampling Technique

The respondents of the study were students from the University of Makati. The respondents

were selected using stratified random sampling. In stratified sampling, researcher divided the

subjects into subgroups called strata based on characteristics that they share (Creswell, 2013).

Based from the evaluation among the respondents, there were total of 2562 respondents.

Table 1 : Respondents of the Study

Colleges

Population

Number of Respondents

College of Arts and Letters

453

209

College of Business & Financial Sciences

3110

343

College of Computer Science

1323

298

College of Construction Sciences and

Engineering

361

187

College of Governance and Public Policy

532

224

College of Human Kinesthetics

275

161

College of Allied Health Studies

609

236

College of Education

324

177

College of Science

473

213

College of Tourism and Hospitality

Management

1032

281

College of Technology Management

588

233

TOTAL

9592

2562

Note. List of Colleges and Population are based from the record of UMAK Registrar A.Y. 2022 -

2023

Research Instrument

The research instrument in this study was divided into two major parts to answer the

aforementioned research questions, the quantitative part and qualitative part.The research

instruments that were utilized for the quantitative part is standard survey questionnaires adopted

from NACADA (2017) and Teh et al. (2014). The research instruments that were used in this study

consist of three parts which are as follows: (a) questions on demographic profile; (b) questions on

the implementation of online guidance and counseling services; and (c) the practices of online

guidance and counseling services.

A five-point Likert scale as a rating system was used to assess the use of online guidance

and counseling services which includes 5 as Highly Evident; 4 as Evident; 3 as Somewhat Evident;

2 as Not Evident; and 1 as Highly Not Evident.

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Data Gathering Procedure

After the approval of the title and reading literature and studies about the online guidance

and counseling services, the researcher prepared the survey questionnaires that were adopted from

NACADA (2017) and Teh et al. (2014) and interview guide from Fernandez (2021). Permission

from the university was obtained from all respondents before administering the survey

questionnaire and interview guide. Respondents provided the necessary information by completing

the survey on Google Forms. All respondents used the aforementioned platform, and it took the

researcher over three weeks to retrieve the questionnaire. After waiting three weeks, the researcher

finished tallying the answers and analyzed the data.

Statistical Treatment and Data Analysis

Data analysis, defined by Merriam (2009) as the process of making sense out of data was

performed using a mixed-method approach in this study. The research questions were answered

by a systematic and deliberate study of the data. The following procedures were applied on the

data:

Percentage. The simple percentage was used to determine the size and magnitude of one

variable to another.

Weighted Mean. This will be computed to denote the measure of central tendency of

quantitative or continuous variable. To interpret the weighted mean, the following was used for

the results of survey questionnaire:

Table 2: Weighted Mean Description of Survey Questionnaire

Quantitative

Description

Qualitative

Description

Interpretation

4.26 - 5.00

Highly Evident

Distinguished

3.51 – 4.25

Evident

Highly Proficient

2.51 – 3.50

Somewhat Evident

Proficient

1.26 – 2.50

Not Evident

Beginning

1.25

Highly Not Evident

Poor

One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). This was used to assess if there is significant

difference on the assessment of the students on the implementation and practices of online

guidance and counselling services when grouped according to their profile.

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III. Results and Discussion

This chapter presents, analyzes and interprets the results of the study. The findings of the

study are organized in seven parts, based on the problems posed in Chapter 1.

Part 1 assess the level of implementation of online guidance and counseling services given

by the university guidance counselors in terms of conceptual component; informational

component; and relational component.

Part 2 compares the significant difference on the respondents’ assessment on the level of

implementation of online guidance and counseling services given by the university guidance

counselors when grouped according to their profile.

Part 3 compares the significant relationship between the profile of the respondents and the

level of implementation of online guidance and counseling services given by the university

guidance counselors.

Part 4 presents the respondents’ significant experiences on receiving online counseling

services from academic guidance counselors.

Part 5 shows the proposed innovative guidance and counseling strategic development

framework for university students.

In terms of professional domain, statement 1 (a written mission statement exists and is used

as a foundation by all counselors) yielded with the highest mean of 3.18 and interpretation of

partially implemented while statement 2 (online services are organized so that all students are

well served and have access to them) yielded with the lowest mean of 2.96 and interpretation of

partially implemented. In general, professional domain yielded with over-all mean of 3.03 and

interpretation of partially implemented.

Results revealed that the students believed that the guidance counselors are greatly doing

his tasks written in his mission statement. However, the students agreed that there is partial

organization in the online guidance services of the university that needs to be enhanced by the

guidance and counselling office. This can be attributed to the fact that online guidance services are

its early years of implementation and has been implemented in the university since the start of

opening of classes after Covid-19 pandemic hit the education sector. In the study of Ahmed and

Firdous (2022), some students are hesitant to seek counsellor assistance. Students explained that

some counsellors occasionally make students' issues public, leaving those affected disillusioned

because confidentiality, a critical skill in counselling, is not followed by such counsellors. Students

expressed concern about being labeled negatively. As a result, students with counseling issues

were afraid that lecturers would use them as examples when teaching. As a result, the majority of

students do not seek or use the guidance and counselling office's services. In the study of Hanley

(2021), Given the global crisis caused by COVID-19, the pandemic's devastating consequences on

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virtually every aspect of society have become clear. It was an unexpected occurrence that caught

many people off guard. It meant a drastic shift in the way we all live our lives, with the usage of

ICTs replacing face-to-face presence in order to go on with our lives and job duties. For many, this

represented a fundamental shift in educational institutions. Our education system is predicated on

students being in the classroom, and online education has never been an option in schools or

colleges, so it was a development that most educational institutions were not prepared for, but that

students gradually began to accept and adapt to.

Over-all, professional domain yielded with mean of 3.03 and interpretation of partially

implemented, technical with 3.21 and partially implemented, social with 3.52 and partially

implemented, moral with 3.52 and partially implemented, preventive with 3.55 and partially

implemented and educational with 3.67 and fully implemented. In general, the level of

implementation of online guidance and counseling services given by the university guidance

counselors yielded with composite weighted mean of 3.42 and interpretation of partially

implemented. Results revealed that educational has been the strongest domain in the

implementation of online guidance and counselling services in the university while professional

domain as the weakness of the program. The level of implementation of online guidance and

counseling services given by the university guidance counselors when grouped according to their

profile yielded with .000 significant value and interpretation of significance. Thus, rejecting the

null hypothesis.

Results revealed that age, sex, year level and family status are good predictors of level of

implementation of online guidance and counseling services among tertiary students.

In the study of Suarez et al. (2019), students' age, year level, and family situation, as well

as school internal stakeholders' age, educational attainment, and technical expertise, are strong

indicators of the effectiveness of the deployment of online guidance and counseling services.

Students, parents, subject instructors, homeroom teachers, and principals who are able to use

management information systems and identify needs can help to finalize the implementation of

guidance and counseling programs. While implementing school counselors, it can be concluded

that they are able to use management information systems to process and evaluate needs, as well

as create complete guidance and counseling plans with the assistance of management information

systems. This implementation demonstrates the benefit of the product being suitable for use by

school counselors in planning comprehensive guidance and counseling programs, allowing them

to identify needs and compile programs efficiently, and school counselors to provide appropriate

counseling services based on the results of identifying student needs and environmental needs.

After all data collection pieces were collected and transcribed among the participants from the

focus group discussions, significant statements were identified. Each of those significant

statements were coded, and from the codes, one major theme emerged - issues and challenges in

the implementation of online guidance and counselling services. To understand the

implementation of online guidance and counselling services, the issues and challenges in its

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implementation amidst pandemic was a theme which emerged from among the data. This theme

did not simply emerge from answering the questions. It was evident on their shared experiences.

This theme consists of five subthemes including gender of guidance counselor, social

mistrust, lack of confidentiality among guidance counselors, lack of immediate solutions and

perceptions of the students.

Sub-theme 1: Gender of Guidance Counselor

The majority of students listed the gender of the guidance counselor as a major factor why

students do not seek counseling services.

P2 shared “nahihiya ako magshare ng mga personal problems ko sa mga babaeng

guidance counselors. Feeling ko hindi nya ako maiintindihan.” P5 divulged “mas gusto ko

magshare sa same sex na guidance counselors. Mas legit ung sharing and understanding sa mga

problems ko.” P6 mentioned “hindi ako comfortable pag lalaki ang guidance counselors.”

Male students do not seek help from female therapists for manly concerns for fear of being

perceived as weak or unable of dealing with issues. This is due to their socialization process, in

which males are indoctrinated to feel they are powerful. This study discovered a gender difference

in attitudes regarding accessing counseling services among university students, with the female

student being more favorable than the male student, which validated previous findings.

Sub-theme 2: Social Mistrust

Findings revealed that social distrust is the second most common cause for university

students not seeking counseling services.

P1 shared “medyo reluctant ako share sa mas matanda sa akin yung mga personal

problems ko.” P3 noted “medyo malayo lang minsan yung mga suggestions nila sa mga problems

kaya feeling ko waste of time magconsult.” P8 mentioned “Mas hindi ako kampante sa mga

professionals at baka kasi ishare nila sa klase, nakakahiya.”

Some students thought that getting help from counsellors was a waste of time because they

had their own ways of dealing with challenges. According to Pruit (2022), the lack of trust between

counselors and students stems from a lack of common knowledge of expectations and duties. The

heterogeneous structure of the educational setting imposed structural limits that exacerbated this

mistrust.

Sub-theme 3: Lack of confidentiality among guidance counselors

Counseling relies heavily on confidentiality. This implies that no one outside the therapy

center is normally provided any information. Confidentiality is vital because it allows the client to

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believe that their revelations to the therapist will be kept private, and it improves the therapeutic

relationship.

P1 mentioned “may experience kasi ako na ginawa akong example sa klase. Alam kong

yun, kaya ayaw ko na umulit.” P7 shared “nawala kung confidence ko sa mga guidance counselors

nung malaman kong ginawa akong example sa kakilalako na same kami ng case. Medyo

nakakahiya.” P8 mentioned “Mas hindi ako kampante sa mga professionals at baka kasi ishare

nila sa klase, nakakahiya.”

Students explained that some therapists occasionally make students' difficulties public,

leaving those impacted disillusioned since confidentiality, a critical quality in therapy, is not

followed by such counsellors. Students expressed concern about being labeled negatively. As a

result, students with counseling concerns were concerned about being used as "examples" by

lecturers when instructing.

In the study of Rahiem (2020) found that the view of school counselors that it was ethical

to violate confidentially and disclose risk-taking behaviors rose when the severity, frequency, and

length of the behaviors increased.

Sub-theme 4: Lack of immediate solutions

Lack of immediate solutions for some problems such financial issues was cited as a reason

why some students could not seek counselling services.

P2 shared “most of us, hindi naman talaga mental and social problems ang dala e, majority

samin, of couse the financial problems which is hindi naman kayang bigyan ng solution ng

guidance di ba?” P4 mentioned “Medyo matagal ung reservation for counseling service, tapos

hindi naman ganun kabilis ung response nila sa certain problems mo.” P7 divulged “medyo

mabagal ung action nila sa mga querries and problems ko. Kaya ako na lang gumagawa ng

paraan.” P8 cited “matagal na process and sobrang daming kailangan daan par magpapirma.”

Because there were no quick remedies, people either sought alternate solutions or kept their

troubles to themselves. A brief term of counseling is typically enough to bring students "back on

track" when it is provided at the right moment. If they have to wait too long for assistance, they

will give up and withdraw. As a result, Supriyanto et al. (2020) underline that counselling services

that are available when students desire and need them are significantly more likely to be beneficial

than those that are available weeks later.

Sub-theme 5: Perception of the Students

Perceptions of a phenomena can have an impact on its practice and success. Perception is

the identification and interpretation of information in order to comprehend a problem in the

environment. The school climate, teacher counselor credentials, and availability of resources all

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play an important influence in improved effectiveness as a counselor. Students' attitudes regarding

counseling are therefore important for continuous seeking of advice and counseling services.

P1 shared “feeling ko kasi hindi ko masyado kailangan or hindi ko feel humingi ng advices

from them”. P2 mentioned “wala sya as coping mechanism ko to survive. I tried pero hindi talaga

nagwork or I have certain issues lang with the office.” P3 divulged “hindi kasi ako yung type ng

tao na willing magshare ng personal details ng buhay ko. Ayaw ko kasing majudge ng ibang tao.”

P4 cited “hindi ako sobrang knowledgable sa process at also, matagal talaga yung process.” P5

shared “hindi ko maisingit sa schedule ko. Pero willing naman ako.” P6 mentioned “ako, mas

gusto ko na lang sa kaibigan kesa sa mga professionals. Mas prefer ko kaedad ko.” P7 cited

“medyo formal kasi pag sa guidance. I prefer sa mga kaibigan na lang.” P8 divulged “Hindi ko

talaga ako tiwala sa guidance office. SInasabi lang nila na confidential pero hindi naman talaga.”

Another issue was that some students believed that counselling was just for lower-level

students, not university students. Other causes for students' underutilization of university

counselling services connected to perception included perceived self-sufficiency, denial as a

coping technique, unwillingness to disclose personal concerns, and a lack of awareness about

counselling services. According to Wilson et al. (2017), advice and counseling still confront many

unfavorable impressions in today's society. It is mentioned that awareness and usage of guidance

and counseling services remains low, as indicated by the small number of students who come to

the counseling room and meet with counseling professors to seek aid in addressing difficulties.

The innovative guidance and counseling strategic development framework includes (1)

Guidance and counseling as an hybrid program; (2) The online guidance and counseling program

is developmental and comprehensive; (3) The online guidance and counseling program features a

team approach; (4) Online guidance and counseling programs are developed through a systematic

process of planning, design, implementation, evaluation, and development.

Guidance and counseling as an hybrid program

The educational profession is always evolving. New digital technologies provide a plethora

of options for designing and constructing new learning environments. Customers' methods of

obtaining new information, skills, and competency are continually evolving. Learning processes

must be built in novel ways to meet ever-changing demands. Guidance and guidance counselling

are always evolving as new methods of generating counselling services become available. As a

result, the educational approach and procedures in guiding and guidance counselling require

revision. Customers today prefer to acquire their counseling services personally and, in many

cases, online. In guidance counselling, there is an ongoing need and need for innovation, creativity,

and fresh thinking. As a result, guidance counsellor education must evolve to give new tools, skills,

and competencies to future guidance counsellors. In addition to the educational competence of

guidance counselors, the hybrid approach need technological assistance from online professionals.

To put the program into operation, two pedagogical manuals are required: one for persons

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attending online and one for students going face-to-face at the institution. The hybrid model differs

from standard online programs in that the entire entity is based on the notion of equitable

participation. Counseling services, guiding sessions, and other GCO services are delivered in a

way that engages each participant. Students believe that, regardless of style of involvement,

genuine engagement between all individuals is possible in all domains.

The online guidance and counseling program is developmental and comprehensive The

development and implementation of comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling

programs that are designed to impart specific skills and learning opportunities in a proactive,

preventive manner, ensuring that every student can achieve academic, career, and personal/social

development success. The school guidance and counseling program is comprehensive in scope,

developmental in character, and is offered to every student by counselors, both individually and in

conjunction with other professionals, as well as through programs and activities. Developmental

school guidance and counseling are for all students, have an organized and planned curriculum,

are sequential and flexible, are an integrated part of the overall educational process, involve all

school personnel, help students learn more effectively and efficiently, and include counseling that

integrates developmental perspectives that are both age appropriate and issue specific. The

advocacy campaign through creative form of delivery is a component of this developmental school

guidance and counseling. When paired with counseling-related administrative duties, clerical

counseling activities such as data entry, filing of student records and forms, and duplication of

papers and materials for distribution should not exceed 25% of the counselor's time. Individual

therapy, small group counseling, crisis counseling, consultation, peer facilitation, or outside

referral are some of the ways responsive services can be provided. Peer pressure, conflict

resolution, family connections, personal identity challenges, sorrow and loss, suicide, child abuse,

substance misuse, school dropout prevention, and motivation and success concerns are examples

of responsive services.

Summary of the Findings

After analyzing the data, the researcher came up with the following key findings: With

regard to the assessment of assessment on the level of implementation of online guidance and

counseling services given by the university guidance counselors, professional domain yielded with

mean of 3.03 and interpretation of partially implemented, technical with 3.21 and partially

implemented, social with 3.52 and partially implemented, moral with 3.52 and partially

implemented, preventive with 3.55 and partially implemented and educational with 3.67 and fully

implemented. Data shows that respondents’ assessment on the level of implementation of online

guidance and counseling services given by the university guidance counselors when grouped

according to their profile yielded with .000 significant value and interpretation of significance.

Results revealed that there is high relationship between the level of implementation of online

guidance and counseling services given by the university guidance counselors and age, slight

relationship with sex, high relationship with grade level and high relationship with family status.

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The students experiences on receiving online counseling services from academic guidance

counselors are characterized by various issues and challenges including gender of guidance

counselor, social mistrust, lack of confidentiality among guidance counselors, lack of immediate

solutions and perceptions of the students. The process of learning activities and social and mental

issues in higher education differs from those in primary and secondary schools, which is causing

problems for students that can affect the way they learn and have an impact on their learning

outcomes and future careers.

IV. Conclusion

The following are the conclusions of the study based from the findings: With regard to the

assessment of assessment on the level of implementation of online guidance and counseling

services given by the university guidance counselors, results revealed that educational has been

the strongest domain in the implementation of online guidance and counselling services in the

university while professional domain as the weakness of the program. Results revealed that age,

sex, year level and family status are good predictors of level of implementation of online guidance

and counseling services among tertiary students. Results revealed that age, year level and family

status of the students are good predictors of the level of implementation of online guidance and

counseling services given by the university guidance counselors. As the age and year level

increases, their engagement on online guidance and counseling services increases too. In addition,

being married as their parents’ status increases also their engagement on online guidance and

counseling services. This can be attributed to the fact that most of the students in higher year level

are educationally stress and having higher tendency of anxiety and suicidal tendency. This study

showed that during the course of the implementation of online guidance and counseling services

given by the university guidance counselors, the students unveiled the different issues and

challenges such as gender of guidance counselor, social mistrust, lack of confidentiality among

guidance counselors, lack of immediate solutions and perceptions of the students. These issues and

challenges mostly characterized their lived experiences that the school administrators should look

and take an action by using it as basis for school guidance and counselling improvement plan. And

if this will not be addressed properly, the same experiences will be experienced by the guidance

students and guidance counselors and worst, these challenges and problems will cause a total

failure of the program. The implementation of innovative guidance and counseling strategic

development framework in higher education provides opportunities for students to develop

themselves, to improve academic achievements, and to prepare to achieve their careers in the future

as well as to counter the various issues and challenges in the implementation of online guidance

and counseling services. To ensure the success of the innovative guidance and counseling strategic

development framework process, the implementation of the strategy must be in accordance with

the curriculum, all parties involved are ready and each environmental factor is of concern.

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V. Recommendations

In light of the foregoing findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are

offered: For university administrator, they should devise an action plan to counter the issues and

challenges being encountered by the students in accessing the online guidance and counselling

services including gender of guidance counselor, social mistrust, lack of confidentiality among

guidance counselors, lack of immediate solutions and perceptions of the students. For guidance

counselors, a training program is a must for retooling and upskilling the skills in the

implementation of online guidance and counselling services in a bigger learning environment.

Based from the methodological limitations of the study, if other researchers will conduct the same

study, the researcher suggests to add more participants for the focus group discussion, observation

and diary aside from interview for the instrument to capture more lived experiences from the

participants. For future research, the researcher recommends to study the attitudes, perceptions

and experiences of guidance counselors in the implementation of online guidance and counselling

services in the locale of the study to determine their side and insights about implementation of

these online services.

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