Encounter and interaction in guidance work (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Objective

The aim of the course is exploring the significance of interaction and encounters in guidance work in different operating environments.

Course competences:

Operating in a workplace
Ethics

Rehabilitation counselling and guidance (Degree Programme in Rehabilitation Counselling)
Competence in social client work (Degree Programme in Social Services)
Professional interaction competence (Degree Programme in Physiotherapy)
Therapeutic interactive relationship and multiagency (Degree Programme in Occupational Therapy)

Intended learning outcome:

You know how to act professionally in different encounters and interactive situations of guidance work. You are able to act constructively when guiding clients and in network co-operation.

You are able to take others into consideration in encounters and interactive situations as well as promote the realisation of equity in them. You work to promote the realisation of diversity and accessibility.

You are able to take into consideration the significance of professional, comprehensible and dialogical interaction in different operating environments. You are able to justify the significance of person-centered and client-centric work in guidance work.

Content

The key content of the course includes the significance of dialogical encounters and interaction skills as well as a person-centered approach in good guidance work. The course explores promoting equity in individual and diverse counselling situations as well as a person-centered approach in guidance work in different operating environments face to face, digitally and in writing.

Materials

Lahti, J. 2021. Kohtaava asiakastyö ohjauksellisena lähestymistapana ja käytännön työotteena. Raportteja 3/2021. Kaakkois-Suomen elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus. E-julkaisu.

Mönkkönen, K. 2018. Vuorovaikutus asiakastyössä. Asiakkaan kohtaaminen sosiaali- ja terveysalalla. Tallinna: Gaudeamus. E-julkaisu.

Mönkkönen, K., Kekoni, T. & Pehkonen, A. 2019. Moniammatillinen yhteistyö: vaikuttava vuorovaikutus sosiaali- ja terveysalalla. Helsinki: Gaudeamus. E-julkaisu.

Stevanovic, M. (toim.). 2023. Yhdessä päätetty: kohti tasa-arvoista vuorovaikutusta ja osallistumista. Helsinki: Gaudeamus. E-julkaisu.

Vehviläinen, S. 2020. Ohjaustyön opas: yhteistyössä kohti toimijuutta. Helsinki: Gaudeamus. E-julkaisu.

Teaching methods

In addition to the introductory webinar, the course is taught entirely face-to-face on campus.

In the classroom, you will demonstrate and reflect on interaction and encounter situations from the perspective of counselling in different settings. Teaching and learning methods used in the classroom are collaborative learning in groups under the guidance of teachers. Therefore, you will always come to the tutoring days prepared with a pre-assigned task. Continuous feedback, self-assessment and peer feedback are part of the learning process.

As preparation and practice, you will search and read information, watch videos and do exercises on Moodle independently. With your group, you will design and implement a learning activity that you will demonstrate in the final day of the in-class course.

During the face-to-face sessions, you will receive guidance and support in working and progressing through the course. Teachers will also send guidance messages via the Moodle workspace. If necessary, you can also contact the teachers by email.

Any full-day absences from the face-to-face days cannot be replaced by assignments, but by attending the corresponding face-to-face day of another implementation.

Employer connections

Visits by experienced experts and professionals where possible.

Exam schedules

There is no exam.

International connections

During the course you will learn internationality skills related to encounter and interaction from the perspectives of intersectionality, cultural sensitivity and multilingualism.

Student workload

Orientation to the course, 2h
Familiarisation with teaching materials, 37h
Completion of learning tasks (including data mining), 74h
Participation in teaching and supervision, 21h
Peer and self-assessments, 1h

Total 135h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

You are able to describe the significance of interaction skills, dialogical encounters and working with a person-centered and client-centric approach in guidance work. You are able to describe what taking individuality and diversity into consideration means in case management and promotion of equity. You are able to describe how person-centered guidance work is carried out in different operating environments face to face, digitally and in writing. You know how to act professionally in different encounters and interactive situations of this course.

Further information

In the classroom, you will receive continuous feedback from other students and teachers and self-assess how you perform in different meeting and interaction situations. The group assignment and other assignments in the course will be assessed on the basis of separate assessment criteria, which will be announced at the beginning of the course in the Moodle workspace.

The course can be accredited through the Recognition of Prior Learning if you can demonstrate your ability to act in a dialogical, equal and professional manner in different situations of encounter and interaction in counselling. In your application for admission, please indicate
- How professionalism has been demonstrated in your guidance work in different situations of encounter and interaction.
- How you have acted when working constructively in client counselling and networking.
- How you have been sensitive to others in encounter and interaction situations and how you have promoted equality in these situations.
- Give examples of situations where dialogue and client orientation have been implemented in your counselling work.

To be eligible for full credit, you must have at least six months' experience in guidance work and at least a university degree in guidance.

Partial accreditation is possible on the basis of experience in guidance work if you do not have a university-level education in guidance. In this case, you will attend the introductory webinar and the first two days of face-to-face teaching (3 credits). Credit is awarded for the group assignment and the last day of face-to-face teaching (2 credits).


The application for admission must be submitted to the teacher of the degree programme of the course at least one week before the start of the course, so that the teacher can make a decision on the admission before the start of the course. Once the course has started, applications for admission will no longer be processed.

You can see the responsible teachers per degree in the course description.

Absence policy:
If you have to miss an in-class day, you will be compensated by attending the corresponding in-class day of another implementation.