Career Navigator 4: Effective Communication Toolkit for Career Navigators- SELF-PACED

Career Navigators are education and career specialists who assist and empower students to develop and pursue goals in post-secondary education, career pathways, and employment.  Communication is a core competency for Career Navigators.  Navigators must be able to use effective communication techniques and strategies to develop a rapport and connect with students.  The ability to ask questions and actively listen is essential for Career Navigators to develop collaborative partnerships and engage students in the career exploration and goal setting processes.  Through developing a rapport and engaging students, Navigators are able to fully understand their goals and challenges.  Communication is the key to partnering with students to develop concrete action plans to successfully reach their educational and career goals.

This course focuses on developing Career Navigators’ knowledge and comfort using essential communication techniques (“Effective Communication Toolkit”) including:

• Non-Verbal Communication
• Active Listening
• Effective Questioning and Active Silence
• Reflection Statements (Mirroring, Paraphrasing and Feeling Reflections)
• Constructive Confrontation
• Expert Opinions

Trainees will explore how to incorporate these effective communication techniques into student-centered interactions focused on motivating, supporting, and empowering students in the career navigation process.  Trainees in the course will explore practical communication tools needed to customize their approach, meet students’ unique needs, synthesize key information, facilitate goal setting, and promote student success. 

This course is aligned with the Communication Competency of the Career Navigator Core Competency Framework.

Target Audience:

Adult Education Career Navigators and professionals who will be providing career and academic coaching services to adult education students.

Learning Objectives:

By the completion of this professional development offering, trainees should be able to:

• Identify essential attributes to foster rapport and engagement.
• Analyze non-verbal communication cues and facial expressions.
• Describe appropriate non-verbal communication techniques included in the attending position.
• Identify open and closed-ended questions.
• Analyze the benefits and challenges of different questioning techniques.
• Define different reflection statements/techniques.
• Describe appropriate situations to use each type of reflection statement.
• Provide an example of effective communication techniques to connect with students and develop rapport.
• Summarize key characteristics of student-centered interviewing.
• Describe benefits of employing student-centered interviewing in intake and initial appointments.
• Discuss best practices to incorporate effective communication techniques into student sessions.
• Define constructive confrontation and expert opinions.
• Discuss situations where constructive confrontation is necessary.
• Describe best practices for using constructive confrontation and expert opinions in career navigation sessions.
• Demonstrate effective communication techniques to build rapport and partnerships with students.
• Discuss incorporating effective communication and active listening techniques into during interviews and initial appointments.
• Incorporate constructive confrontation techniques to guide realistic goal setting and action planning with students.

Duration:

5 hours (asynchronous instruction)

After meeting the requirements of this course, participants may be eligible to receive 5 hours of Continuing Education (SCECH) Credits that will fulfill the state licensure requirement for either teachers or counselors.

NOTE: After enrolling in this course, click here for easy access to the Keywe login screen, where you can login and access this course.