Content Analysis of Prospective Professional Counseling Teachers’ Educational Practice Experience

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the educational practice experience of prospectiveprofessional counseling teachers and to explore ways to improve their educational practice experience. Methods: To achieve the objectives of the study, a Focus Group Interview(FGI) was conducted forprospective professional counseling teachers who had completed teaching courses in the bachelor'sor master's programs. The data collected through interviews were analyzed according to Krippendorff's(2013) qualitative content analysis procedures and methods. Results: As a result of the analysis, eighteen semantic contents, nine categories, and three dimensionswere identified. The three dimensions were the ‘individual dimension,’ the ‘relational dimension’ and the‘administrative dimension.’ For the individual dimension, the categories of ‘giving various meanings toeducational practice,’ ‘career planning preparation,’ and ‘personal meaning recognition’ were derived,and at the relational dimension, the categories of ‘conflicting experiences of student guidance,’ ‘perceptionof educational practice instructors’ and ‘experiences with peer trainee’ were derived. At the administrativedimension, the categories of ‘desire for various matters of educational practice,’ ‘guidance content ofvarious aspects of educational practice,’ and ‘perception of institutional improvement and supplementation’were derived. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that the role of educational practice instructors is importantand that it is necessary to reflect on the specificity of school counseling to educational practice. Basedon the results, this study suggested what should be considered in the educational practice of prospectiveprofessional counseling teachers.