The Reality of Psychological and Educational Counseling Services in Virtual Schools in the Gaza Strip as Perceived by Students and Psychological and Educational Counselors

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the reality of psychological and educational counseling services in virtual schools for students of the Gaza Strip, using a mixed curriculum that combines descriptive curriculum and qualitative curriculum. The study community consisted of (46550) students and (20) mentors, the descriptive sample consisted of (262) students and (20) mentors, and the qualitative sample of (10) students and (6) mentors, selected randomly. The researcher used the questionnaire and semi-structured interviews as data collection tools. The results revealed a high level of satisfaction (79.11% for counselors and 79.4% for students) with psychological and educational guidance services in virtual schools. No significant statistical differences were found based on students' academic stage, gender, or place of residence, nor counselors' gender.

Challenges identified by counselors included:

* Technical aspects: Weak connectivity and technical issues.

* Social aspects: Difficulty reading body language and lack of privacy.

* Organizational aspects: Large student numbers and young ages.

* Emergency circumstances: Ongoing war dependencies impacting communication effectiveness and continuity of guidance sessions.

Students identified challenges primarily in:

* Technical aspects: Internet connectivity problems and outages, hindering interaction and free expression.

* Social aspects: Lack of privacy, difficulty expressing emotions, and absence of complete physical and verbal communication.

Counselors proposed improving guidance services through the integration of digital technologies, counselor training, incorporating guidance into the educational process, family involvement, and infrastructure improvements. Students suggested easy access, flexible scheduling, diverse topics, individual support, family involvement while prioritizing privacy and safety.