M.S. Portfolio

The Counseling Development Assessment Portfolio

Tutorial

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Counseling Development Assessment Portfolio and why should I develop it?

The Counseling Development Assessment Portfolio allows you to collect and keep a continuous systematic digital record in VIA of your performance and development as a professional counselor during your time in the Counselor Education and Supervision Program. It provides evidence that you have achieved appropriate levels of proficiency and competencies expected of counselor education candidates and beginning professional counselors.

During your professional preparation you will be collecting samples of evidence from all courses and activities that demonstrate your competency in meeting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), CACREP standards, and developing a professional counselor identity.

Your completed portfolio should not only provide evidence of your levels of proficiency in the competencies expected by the Counselor Education and Supervision Program, but it should also provide documents and information that you wish to present to a prospective employer as well evidence of your professional performance required by licensure boards and certification committees.

What is evidence of competency performance?

Each class may have a variety of assignments that provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your competency and achievement of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). All completed assignments related to KPIs & CACREP standards as well as the results of your level of achievement should be included in your portfolio. Examples include test results, research & position papers, presentation PowerPoints and evaluation results, results of video counseling performance, results of rating scales, etc.

When should I begin developing my portfolio?

Students will begin developing their portfolio during the first semester and continue adding content in VIA each semester throughout their program.

When is the portfolio due and how will my portfolio be evaluated?

You and your major advisor will monitor your progress of developing the portfolio in VIA throughout the program. The completed portfolio will be due toward the end of your final semester. You will submit it on VIA for CNED faculty to review. Students will retain access to VIA for 6 years so you can access the portfolio for use as a record of your achievements and evidence of meeting CACREP standards as needed for purposes of certification, licensure etc.

How should I organize my portfolio?

The sections that follow provide directions for the organization and content of the portfolio and examples of what to include. Use the video above to help guide you get started.

Main Content Folders

There should be three main sections titled (1) Professional Identity, (2) Counseling Core and (3) Counseling Specialty (either clinical mental health counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or school counseling). In the professional identity section you list all activities that provide evidence that you identify with the profession of counseling in general and your specialty counseling area specifically. In each of the two remaining main sections, there should be subsections that contain evidence for meeting CACREP standards and KPIs in the core and specialty areas. The counseling core and counseling specialty sections will include a subsection for each class. Each class section will include all completed assignments and scores that document your competency and achievement of KPIs and CACREP standards for that class. Content areas for professional identity and subsections for core counseling and specialty area are as follows:

I — Professional Identity

The following are examples only. You may not have activity in all of these areas and you may have activity in an area not listed below. Include all activity that you believe contributes to the development of your identity as a professional counselor and as a counselor in your specialty area.

  1. Professional Counseling Organizations — List all the professional counseling organizations that you hold memberships in (Chi Sigma Iota, ACA, ArCA, ASCA, ArASCA, AMHCA, ArMHCA, etc).
  2. Professional Counseling Development Activities — Provide a list of the conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. related to counseling or other activities that contribute to personal and professional growth.
  3. Service to the Profession - List all volunteer and service activities that you provide (volunteer service for ArCA, the CNED program, community counseling programs (i.e. NWA Rape & Crisis Center, etc. and other counseling organizations).
  4. Advocacy — List activity related to promotion of the counseling profession such as wring letters to members of Congress or organizational leaders (local, state or national) in support of the profession, presenting to non-counseling audiences about the counseling profession, "going to bat" for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups served by the counseling profession, etc. i.e. chronically mental ill, etc.
  5. Research and Scholarship — List activity commensurate with the role of a counselor-in-training (assisting faculty and others with research and scholarly activities, presentations at conferences and meetings, self-directed research, etc.).
  6. Counseling Related Networks — List all networks associated with counseling that you participate in such as the CNED Facebook page, other counseling related Facebook pages, counseling related student listserv (i.e ACA student listserv, ACES student listserv, etc.)
  7. Other — List any activity not covered above that you believe contributes to the development of your identity as a professional counselor or counselor in your specialty area.

II — Counseling Core

(In each of the subsections listed below place a copy of the course syllabus and all completed assignments and results that related to learning)

  1. CNED 50003 — Counseling & Human Development
  2. CNED 52003 — Foundations of the Counseling Profession
  3. CNED 52103 — Lifestyle and Career Development
  4. CNED 53003 — Individual Appraisal
  5. CNED 53203 — Counseling Theory
  6. CNED 53303 — Basic Counseling Techniques
  7. CNED 53502 — Psychopharmacology
  8. CNED 53603 — Dynamics of Group Counseling
  9. CNED 54003 — Diagnosis and treatment in Counseling
  10. CNED 54803 — Research in Counseling
  11. CNED 55103 — Diversity and Human Diversity
  12. CNED 55401 — Telemental Health Counseling
  13. CNED 62003 — Foundations of Marriage and Family Therapy

III — The Counseling Specialty Area Folder

(In each of the subfolders listed below place a copy of the course syllabus and all assignments and results that relate to student learning outcomes and CACREP standards)

Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  1. CNED 51903 — Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  2. CNED 53703 — Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling
  3. CNED 53803 — Crisis Intervention
  4. CNED 60003 — Theories and Foundations of Addiction
  5. CNED 53403 — Practicum
  6. CNED 5740V — Internship (6 Credit Hours)
  7. Elective
Rehabilitation Counseling
  1. CNED 54403 — Vocational Rehabilitation (Intro to RHAB)
  2. CNED 54503 — Medical Aspects of Disability
  3. CNED 54603 — Rehabilitation Case Management
  4. CNED 54703 — Psychosocial Aspects of Disability
  5. CNED 55803 — Placement of Persons with Disability
  6. CNED 53403 — Practicum in Rehabilitation Counseling
  7. CNED 574V — Rehabilitation Counseling Internship (6 Credit Hours)
School Counseling
  1. CNED 52203 — Introduction to School Counseling
  2. CNED 53103 — Program Organization and Information Management
  3. CNED 53803 — Crisis Intervention Counseling
  4. CNED 61303 — Introduction to Play Therapy
  5. CNED 60903 — Counseling Children & Adolescents through Play
  6. CNED 53403 — Practicum in School Counseling
  7. CNED 5740V — School Counseling Internship (6 Credit Hours)