Citizens of the Internet in 2000 and Beyond

1. Citizens of the Internetin 2000 and Beyond Jane Morgan Bost, Ph.D. Jonathan Kandell, Ph.D. Sherry Lynch, Ph.D. David Gilles-Thomas, Ph.D.

2. Introduction University of Texas at AustinCounseling and Mental Health web pagehttp://www.utexas.edu/student/cmhcPresenter: Jane Morgan Bost, Ph.D.

3. Community in Y2K • Hard to imagine without including the Internet • Exploration of ways to understand the impact of this new electronic medium • Finding ways to use the Internet to promote community and/or allow students/professionals access to valuable resources in the community

4. The UT Counseling Center’s Path to Today . . . . • 1996 University of Texas research study on Internet Dependence • Increasing use of Internet by students for broader range of activities • Currently investigating an interactive Web site for students who want to examine and/or change their use of the Internet

5. Internet-Based Counseling Center Services • Interactive study skills self-help web site - Virginia Tech • On-line “question and answer” bulletin board service - University of Maryland at College Park • Resource page for counseling center professionals - State University of New York at Buffalo

6. Format for Today • Describe each of 3 programs, including history • Present problems and solutions associated with each • Discuss benefits and challenges of using Internet-based electronic forums • Opportunity for questions and answers

7. Virginia Tech’s Interactive Study Skills Program http://www.ucc.vt.edu Presenter: Sherry Lynch

8. Creation of Web Site • Established 1994 • Web site included: • All study skills self-help flyers • Cook Counseling Center programs, services and professional staff activities

9. 1998-99 Usage • 187,000 visitors to Cook Counseling Center web site • More than 444,000 web pages viewed • Average of 519 user sessions and 1,234 page views per day

10. Study Skills Self-Help Pages • A study skills self-help information page was the entry point for 29% of viewers • 22 of the top 25 most frequently requested pages were study skills self-help pages

11. New Developments with Student Affairs Grant • Project Goals • To construct an on-line study skills assessment • To offer guidance to the student completing the assessment • To develop streaming videos to enhance text-based study skills information • To develop on-line evaluation and feedback forms

12. What’s Been Done? • On-line Study Skills Assessment developed • Streaming videos to advertise in-house study skills and relaxation training programs • On-line evaluation and feedback forms added to many pages; data being collected

13. How Does It Work?

14. Video Usage

15. Study Skills Assessment

16. Scoring the Assessment

17. Assessment Results

18. Study Skills Links

19. Next Steps • Enhance streaming videos with title and introduction of speaker • Add links to study skills pages • Enhance visual appeal and user friendliness of pages • Add more interactive pages, such as PowerPoint video presentations

20. “Paging Dr. WEBster” University of Maryland Counseling Center www.inform.umd.edu/CC Presenter: Jonathan Kandell

21. UM Counseling Center Homepage

22. UMCC Website Facts • Started 10/1/96 • Self-Help section visited most frequently (Anger is #1) • Now includes the AUCCCD Document Data Bank (password protected)

23. UMCC Website Usage Hits Origin (%) Month Pages Graphics No Graphics OnC OffC 10/96 84 3,096 --- 54.5 45.5 2/00 207 14,156 6,371 25.6 74.4

24. “Paging Dr. WEBster” • Online Q & A service for counseling issues and campus information • All communications are confidential; names and locations are disguised • Previous answers archived for browsing

25. “Paging Dr. WEBster” • Direct e-mail link to ask questions • Responses take up to one week -- not an emergency service

26. Warning NOTE: Since responses to questions may take up to one week, "Paging Dr. WEBster" is not designed to be an emergency service or a replacement for counseling or psychotherapy. This question-and-answer forum is designed to provide information and assistance on a variety of issues.

27. Warning If you are in crisis, please link to the Urgent Situation? page now for more immediate help. If you feel you need counseling soon, call or drop by the Counseling Center or the Mental Health Service.

28. Warning If you do not live in the College Park area, or you are not a student of the University of Maryland, please check your local telephone book for services in your area.

29. Types of Questions Asked • Academic Policy (20%) • Relationships/Marriage (16%) • Anxiety/Stress (10%) • Concern about, or Issue with Friend or Roommate (8%)

30. Types of Questions Asked • Depression (6%) • Family (6%) • Fear of Intimacy/Trust (6%) • Loneliness/Adjustment (6%)

31. Types of Questions Asked • Career/Vocational (4%) • Divorce (4%) • Financial Aid/Money (4%)

32. Miscellaneous Questions (14%) • Agent White • AIDS/HIV • Anger Management • Grief • Obsession with a TV Star • Prescription Benefits

33. Popular Topics (4 mo. hits) • Getting Asian Transcripts/Info (120) • Fears of Intimacy (43) • Relationships; Financial Aid (35) • Feeling Alone (35) • Family Issues; Credit for Mil. Exp. (35)

34. Popular Topics (4 mo. hits) • Withdrawal From School (34) • Depression/Premenstrual Syndrome (33) • Adult Education Issues (32) • Reviving a Relationship (32)

38. Future Upgrades • Develop In-House Webserver • Revise Website • Put Surveys Online • AUCCCD Data Bank • Counseling Follow-up

39. Future Upgrades • Audio Versions of Self-Help Pages • Academic Majors on Tape • Video Clips of “Intake” Session

40. The Counseling Center Village http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/ccv.html Presenter: David Gilles-Thomas State University of New York at Buffalo

41. Just as a real world village is made up of many individual homes, the Counseling Center Village is made up of the many home pages -- and other web resources -- created by college and university counseling centers around the world. You will find here a wide range of resources for the counseling center professional. Collaboration has never been easier!

42. Some Early Efforts • Cornell: Dear Uncle Ezra • Ball State: Concerned Charlie • Eastern Michigan University

43. SUNY Buffalo 1993: Gopher on-line resource • Counseling Center • About the Counseling Center • What is Counseling? • What is Group Counseling, and is it for me? • Adjusting to life at UB • Stress and Anxiety/* • Relationships/ • Alcohol and Drugs/ • Overcoming Depression, and Preventing Suicide/ • Coping with Death & Grief/ • Health, Diet, Body Image/ • Miscellaneous stuff (quotes, poems…you never know!)/ • Recommended Readings on various topics/ • Workshops/ • Links to Psychology resources on the internet/

44. Rationale • Efforts up to this point are largely insular • Defining feature of the internet: interconnection • We are duplicating efforts, recreating the wheel

45. Disconnection March, 1996 • 64% of Counseling Center internet sites have no links to external sites. • And almost half of those that do, do not use resources at other counseling centers.

46. Mission • To bring together in a single organized web site the expertise and resources of counseling center professionals across the country. • collaboration, sharing, and building on each others’ strengths.

47. An Organized Web Site

48. Expertise and Resources • Policies, procedures, paperwork, forms, including the AUCCCD Document bank • Virtual Pamphlet Collection • Workshop outlines and materials • Practice resources • Professional development resources • Job search resources • Pre-doctoral training • Web site development guidelines

49. Counseling Center Professionals • The majority of the content of the Village web pages is created by counseling centers professionals.Although links to non-counseling center sites are included, the emphasis is on gathering together resources, information, and services created by counseling center professionals.

50. Development of the Village • 1996Wendy Settle & David Gilles-Thomas discuss possibilities, create initial web page. • 1997The Village was formally announced at ACPA in Chicago.