cyberspace: new place for counselor supervision

Abstract

When first introduced to counselors, computers were viewed as magnificent, albeit mysterious, machines that promised to expedite routine clerical tasks and offer students innovative learning opportunities. Tools for information retrieval would be at the hand of the counselor, who could examine a student's record in the blink of an eye. Counselors were about to enter the twenty-first century of modern technology and computer-assisted programs. However, it did not quite work out that way. First, most schools relied primarily on mainframe computers, which were usually located in an administrative office. They increased the amount of student information collected and stored, and they enabled school personnel to transmit data to and from the district's central office. Nevertheless, the school computer's remote location and the high demand for it often restricted general use. Until recently, few personal computers were making their way into school systems and this limited counselor communication within and outside the district.