On November 4, 2024, students enrolled in the Danish Guidance and Counseling Education Program (DUEK) were introduced (by our partner at UCL) to our new online tool, developed in a European Erasmus+ KA2 project called GUIDE. The project work with upgrading skills of professionals for gender sensitive career guidance. The tool is designed to help individuals reflect on the relationship between gender and career. As part of their coursework, students had completed the online tool prior to the lesson, which consists of a series of statements that the users are asked to engage with.
Visit the tool here!
During the class, students discussed the potential uses and limitations of this tool in comparison to a previous method they had learned about the co-creation model with reflection cards. This approach involves collaborative exploration of career development, with a strong emphasis on reflective dialogue between the counselor and the counselee. The students approached both tools from a scientific-theoretical perspective, evaluating them in light of their own practical experience in counseling. They critically assessed the structure of the online tool, particularly the way in which the statements were framed. Many felt that the questions were overly directive and guiding, which they believed could hinder reflective thought rather than encourage it.
In their discussion, the students raised concerns about how such tools, while useful in making clients aware of gender and career dynamics, might limit the scope of deeper exploration. The critique highlighted the tension between structured methods that aim to provide clarity and the open-ended, reflective processes that foster personal insights and growth.
Ultimately, the students were encouraged to consider how these tools could be adapted in their own counseling practices, ensuring they strike a balance between structured guidance and promoting genuine reflection on complex issues like gender and career.
Stay tuned!
