2022-2023

Section

ONL01

Campus

Online

Instructor

Dr. Diane O'Brien

Email Address

dobrien@piedmont.edu

Office Hours

By appointment

Open hours after Experiential Group on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM

Textbooks and Class materials

Corey, M.S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and Practice (10th ed). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN-13: 9781305865709 (Hardcover). ISBN-13: 9780357689622 (Ebook).

Corey, G., Corey, M.S., & Haynes, R. (2014). Groups in action: Evolution and Challenges (2nd ed). Boston, MA: Brooks Cole/Cengage. ISBN-13: 9780357686126 (Ebook and videos).

Educational Technology Requirements

• Online/Hybrid

  Minimum technology requirements for online and hybrid courses may be found at the following URL:  https://www.piedmont.edu/academics/technology-requirements/.

  Active, weekly participation is required as a minimum standard to register attendance in an online or hybrid course. Logging onto a course, in the absence of active participation, is not sufficient to register attendance.

Grading Scale

To promote fair and consistent assessments, the following grading guidelines will be applied on the total points:

Grading System

Grading Scale

To promote fair and consistent assessments, the following grading guidelines will be applied on the total points:

Grading System

Subjective aspect of grading

The grading of this course includes a subjective component to it based upon the professional experience and expertise of the instructor. The Counseling faculty recognize that counseling skills, counselor effectiveness, and professionalism cannot be assessed in the same manner as academic performance in typical university coursework. Students completing this course should demonstrate marked progress toward the course objectives as noted above as well as be able to write coherently about counseling theories and techniques. Your final grade in this course will reflect not only your academic performance but also your counseling and interpersonal skill development as evaluated by the instructor. It is possible to excel academically and receive a less than satisfactory final grade. Thus, all grades will reflect a combination of objective and subjective assessment.

Attendance

Course Attendance

Once you have submitted the Introduction to Online Courses Quiz and Student Responsibility Agreement for your courses, you are considered "attending" and are responsible for officially withdrawing from the course if you choose to no longer participate, or accepting the grade that is ultimately assigned to you. 

Active, weekly participation is required as a minimum standard to register attendance in an online course. Just logging onto a course, in the absence of active participation, is not sufficient to register attendance. Within the online course community, you will be credited for progress/attendance by the achievement of objectives through participation in discussion forums and/or submission of assignments. 

You will, of course, still have deadlines for various items. Plan to check in to your online course daily to complete the assigned modules. “Modules” include content that could reasonably be completed during a typical course “seat time” plus time spent completing work outside of class including required readings, field experience activities, and assignments.  

Class Policies

Self-awareness, safety of disclosure, appropriate interpersonal skills, and ACA Code of Ethics

This course is taught in a manner that provides a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for students of all racial, ethnic, gender identities and variances, sexual orientations, economic classes, ages, ability statuses, and religions. Students are encouraged to use language and communication that is respectful and culturally appropriate.

In the interaction between class members, self-disclosure and personal examination will occur. All interactions fall under the same umbrella of confidentiality as do client/counselor relationships, i.e., what is discussed in the class stays in the class and is not discussed with other students outside of the course or friends. Maintaining confidentiality is the primary ethical principle of counselors and violations are serious.

We will be learning from each other in addition to the text throughout the semester. Therefore, it is important that everyone feels safe, comfortable, and free to discuss and elaborate on their thoughts around their developing knowledge and skills. In class, it is important for each of us to be respectful of one another’s positions; relating to others in an empathic manner occurs in class just as with clients. You are encouraged to make your feelings and thoughts known, yet, to do so in a “counselor manner”, i.e., respecting the position of listener while giving voice to your thoughts and using your budding counselor attending skills. This is an opportunity for you to practice and evidence your basic skills of empathy, warmth, genuineness, and congruence by communicating in a manner consistent with a good counselor. The building of trusting alliances with your classmates is as important as doing so with your clients. Therefore, you will be practicing some of the same skills when participating in class as in counseling sessions with your clients one day.

Further, openness to supervision and instruction by the faculty (or site supervisor) is an important element of counselor development. Openness to supervision is defined as: accepting supervision—both individual and in class; recognizing your own personal strengths, weaknesses, biases, needs, and beliefs; sensing personal and professional impact on others—both positive and negative; accepting and applying feedback from instructor; being proactive in seeking out needed experiences, feedback, etc.; and accepting feedback in a non-defensive manner with a professional attitude.

Students who do not evidence openness to supervision or appropriate interpersonal skills are subject to remediation by the Counseling Advisory Committee at the campus. See the student handbook and or catalog for further detail.

ACA Code of Ethics (2014)

Counselors [Counselors-in-training] have a responsibility to read, understand, and follow the ACA Code of Ethics and adhere to applicable laws and regulations (see C.1.). Students and supervisees have a responsibility to understand and follow the ACA Code of Ethics. Students and supervisees have the same obligation to clients as those required of professional counselors (see F.5.a.).

Make-up Policy

Makeup work is allowed with AN EXCUSED ABSENCE (as per grad catalog)

Course Outline/Schedule

Piedmont Policies

Non-Discrimination Policy: It is the policy of Piedmont University not to discriminate in its educational programs, activities, or employment on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, race, age, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Piedmont University adheres to the federal definition of a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. For the purposes of this definition, an instructional hour equates to direct instruction of 750 minutes for each credit hour awarded. The standard expectation for direct instruction classes is that students will spend a minimum of two hours outside the classroom for each hour spent in class, which is, 1500 minutes per credit hour awarded. Courses that are offered on a schedule other than the full 15-week semester contain the same number of hours as if the course were scheduled for a full semester. No reduction in direct instruction time or work time outside of class is permitted for courses offered in accelerated terms.

The Learning Center exists to help our students reach their various academic goals. The Learning Center offers academic support in all areas, including accounting, foreign languages, math, science, writing, and more. All tutors have excelled in the subjects that they help support and tutors are trained in the art of tutoring. Tutoring sessions and athletes in the Study Hall are monitored to provide the individualized attention our students need to achieve their personal best. We offer support by appointment in Starfish and walk-in availability is provided on a first come first served basis. For more information, please contact Oliver Howington ohowington@piedmont.edu or call 706-778-8500, ext. 1176 or visit: https://www.piedmont.edu/learning-center.

Piedmont University strives to make learning experiences accessible to all participants and will provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If you experience difficulties, based on the impact of a disability or health condition, please contact the Office of Accessibility, Resources, and Services (OARS) to initiate a conversation with our Director of Compliance, Equity, and Inclusion, Courtney Snow, about your options. Please know that accommodations are not retroactive, so avoid any delays. Contact Courtney Snow. at csnow@piedmont.edu or 706-778-8500, ext. 1504, or visit Daniel 303 Suite D. To request accommodations (academic, dietary, housing, or emotional support animals) please click the link below and use your Piedmont email and password: https://piedmont-accommodate.symplicity.com/public_accommodation/. If you are already receiving accommodations and need to update your memo or information, please click the link below and use your Piedmont email and password: https://piedmont-accommodate.symplicity.com/students

Statement on Academic Integrity: Students must be familiar with the university academic integrity policy. Plagiarism and other violations of this policy will not be tolerated. Instructors must send any academic integrity concerns directly to the dean who is responsible for the discipline in which the course is taught. See catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/ for complete policy.

Directives on Completion of Student Work: Course activities designated as quizzes, tests and exams are always to be completed by a student individually and without assistance from other people or resources UNLESS permission for collaboration or the use of external resources is explicitly permitted by the course professor(s). Hence all quizzes, tests and exams are to be considered closed-book/closed-notes and closed-internet (e.g., Google searches). Artificial intelligence apps are also banned on quizzes, tests and exams unless explicitly permitted by the course professor(s).

Student Email Policy: All Piedmont University students are required to use their Piedmont Lions email account (see Catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/ for complete policy). Since the Lions account is an official communications channel of the university, students are responsible for all information distributed to them through their account. Students are expected to check it daily.

Withdrawal Policy: Within the first several days of a term, students may add and drop courses with the permission of their advisor. The ranges for drop/add vary depending on the term (Fall, Spring, or Summer) and duration of the class (8 week or 15 week). Students should check the academic calendar for specific information. After this time, students may withdraw from a class. Please refer to the university catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/ for the particulars regarding the withdrawal policy.

Excused Absence Policy: Student absences for university-sanctioned events are generally considered excused absences because they are supportive of the university program. However, there are exceptions to the policy as noted in the University catalog. When absences are excused, instructors must allow students to make up any work that has been missed. Students are responsible for notifying their instructors, in advance, about absences from class due to participation in university-sanctioned events. See full policy in the University catalog at https://piedmont.smartcatalogiq.com/.

Starfish^®: We Care About Your Success! We have partnered with Starfish Retention Solution, creating a platform for communication and resources focused on supporting your efforts throughout your educational journey. During the semester you may receive emails or texts from Starfish® regarding your course grades or academic performance. Please pay attention to these communications and consider taking the recommended actions. They are sent to help you be successful. In addition, your instructor may: (1) request that you schedule an appointment by going to Starfish, or (2) recommend that you contact a specific campus resource, such as tutoring or counseling. You may also be contacted directly by one of these services. You can quickly connect to many resources using Starfish. We hope you will choose to use the tool to support your success. You may access Starfish at https://piedmont.starfishsolutions.com/starfish-ops/support/login.html?tenantId=9379.

Piedmont University Library is dedicated to the success of our on- and off-campus students. The Library's website (https://library.piedmont.edu/home) offers the fastest, simplest solution to finding the authoritative sources you need: journal citations and full-text articles, access to books and eBooks, study guides, encyclopedias, streaming video, and more. Overwhelmed? Need help navigating? No problem: speedy assistance is available via chat or email with the Ask a Librarian service.

Additional Information

Experiential Group

Meets weekly on Tuesday 6:00-7:00 PM

Active participation in this group is required for successful completion of this course and the the counseling degree. The Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) requires that students participate as a client for a minimum of 10 hours of group counseling in order to meet the standard. At Piedmont, we are providing that counseling group for you through the Experiential Group requirement of this course.

For several weeks, your instructor will act as the group leader and conduct the group with each of you as a participant. During the group, we must be able to see your face and hear your voice. No one, other than yourself, can be in the room with you while group is being conducted. Make sure you are sitting up, preferably at a desk or table, and that you are appropriate during group. You can have your water with you, but it is asked that you not eat during the group session.

Beginning in the fifth week of group, students will be assigned to lead the group. For the most part, there will be two students assigned to lead each group. The instructions for group leadership are found in the course as the Experiential Group Leadership Assignment.