Workshop Effective Strategies for High School Guidance Counselors in Addressing Students’ Psychosocial Issues

Abstract

Psychosocial issues among high school students in the digital age are becoming increasingly complex, requiring Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers to develop service strategies that are adaptive, interactive, and relevant to the characteristics of Generation Alpha. This training activity aims to enhance the professional competence of Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers in addressing students’ psychosocial issues through experiential learning and gamification approaches. The implementation method consists of three stages: planning, implementation, and evaluation. The training was attended by 25 high school Guidance and Counseling (BK) teachers in Magetan Regency and was conducted through interactive lectures, case study discussions, simulations, experience reflections, and a workshop on developing Guidance and Counseling (BK) service programs. Evaluation was conducted using observation, assessment of participants’ works products, and a satisfaction survey using a valid and reliable instrument (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.921). The results of the activity indicated that the training proceeded successfully and achieved a participant satisfaction rate of 87.6% in the “very satisfied” category. Participants found the training materials to be relevant to the practical needs of school counseling services and effective in enhancing their understanding and skills in designing counseling services based on experiential learning and gamification. In addition, the training also fostered the formation of a community of practice as a platform for collaboration and the continuous development of innovative counseling services. Thus, this training was effective in enhancing the professional capacity of school counselors to create services that are more adaptive, reflective, and supportive of students’ psychosocial well-being in the digital age.