Research in Online Counseling Courses: A Protocol for an Experimental Study
Abstract: Educational researchers across the globe are quickly expanding the body of literature on the outcomes of online instruction. This relatively young pedagogy has become extremely popular and a necessity in graduate education programs. With the need for this convenient and cost-effective instructional modality comes the respective impetus for timely and relevant research on its impact on diverse learners and their learning outcomes. Few studies have examined the relationships of learning-style preferences and student outcomes in online courses (Cicco, 2009; Cicco, 2012). Still fewer studies have identified the relevance and appropriateness of online instruction in the delivery of skills-based courses such as those that are fundamental in counselor education programs (Haberstroh, 2010; Trepal, Haberstroh, Duffey, & Evans, 2007). Counseling skills and techniques courses are still offered predominantly in face-to-face courses, but it is necessary to consider the conversion of this type of co