EFFECTIVENESS OF VIRTUAL COUNSELLING AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, RIVERS STATE.

Abstract

The work investigated Effectiveness of Virtual Counselling Among Undergraduate Students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State. The research design that was used is the descriptive survey design. Three research questions and three hypotheses were stated to guide the study. The population comprised all the undergraduate students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. A sample of 365 students was selected using stratified random sampling technique. The researcher developed an instrument titled “Effectiveness of Virtual Counselling Scale” (EVCS) was used to collect data. EVCS is made up of two sections, section A comprises the personal data, while section B consists of 30 items designed for the data collection. The reliability of the instrument was established through test-retest method, using Pearson product moment correlation where the reliability coefficient (r) = 0.73. Mean scores was used to answer the research questions while z-test and ANOVA was used to analyze the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The answers to the research questions indicated a difference between the mean scores of male and female students, younger and older students in the effectiveness of virtual counselling also, Social science students had a high mean score of 13.01 in effectiveness of virtual counselling. Results of the analyses of the hypotheses indicated that there is no significant difference in the mean response on the effectiveness of virtual counselling services based on gender, the mean response on the effectiveness of virtual counselling services does not differ significantly based on age, there is a significant difference in the mean response on the effectiveness of virtual counselling services by students in various faculties. Based on the findings, the researcher made some recommendations, some of which are; School based counsellors should inculcate the use of websites as sources of information and direct students to these online resources, online counseling should be encouraged to reduce the stigma associated with people seeking professional help and stakeholders should make available functional counselling unit or online platform where students can go to get professional help concerning their various challenges.