Congratulations on finishing the program Overview, Preamble, Course 1, and the first part of Course 2! You are now prepared to engage in your first Skill Enhancement Exercise: Individual Counseling. Before we get started, please take a moment to review the following explanations and expectations.

What are Skill Enhancement Exercises?

A Skill Enhancement Exercise, or "SEE" for short, is an opportunity to apply the information you learned in the courses and a risk-free opportunity to practice your skills in one of our state-of-the-art simulation labs.

"A risk-free opportunity to practice your skills."

As explained in the program Overview, we have two types of labs: a virtual simulation lab and a virtual reality lab. Please click the hyperlinks to recap the differences between the labs.

Why should I do the SEEs?

The labs are designed to build your confidence and competence in real-life scenarios typically encountered by VR professionals. If you are a new counselor, you will feel better prepared for what lies ahead. If you're a seasoned counselor who has not yet worked with youth in groups or with employers, the SEEs will help you stretch your existing skill sets into new arenas. We believe you will find it worth your while. VR professionals, both new and experienced, who've participated in the labs say they are:

"Informative and engaging."

"A real confidence booster!"

"A real game-changer!"

What are the expectations?

Prerequisites

We want the SEEs to be rich learning experiences in which you draw from the content of the courses. Likewise, we require participants to complete the courses preceding each Skill Enhancement Exercise before engaging in a SEE.

Time Investment

There are three SEE scenarios. They include:

1. 1. Individual Counseling: An initial intake meeting with a student and her father.
   2. Group Counseling: Vocational exploration with a group of five students who live with various disabilities.
   3. Employer Engagement: Introducing an employer to vocational rehabilitation and business services.

The first scenario (individual counseling) has only one part. The other two scenarios have two parts each. Each part, scheduled on separate days, will run for 1.5 hours each. Please see the table below for further clarification regarding the prerequisites, the purpose of each SEE, and the time requirements.

To download an accessible version of this table, click this link.

Assignments

Each scenario is divided into four sections. Each participant will be assigned to facilitate one of the four sections for 10 to 12 minutes. Below is an excerpt from a SEE assignment highlighting the first section to be facilitated.

Feedback & Guidance

Upon completing each section, the participant will receive feedback and encouragement from one of our instructors. Past participants have shared that they found the immediate feedback to be invaluable. One participant stated:

"I liked the opportunity to practice and learn from the feedback."

When you are not facilitating, you will observe other participants as each facilitates a section. Past participants have shared that they found the opportunities to observe others very valuable. One participant shared the following:

"It was great to observe others who have more experience."

A Note of Encouragement

If you feel apprehensive about participating, you are not alone. Several participants reported feeling anxious before their first virtual lab experience. However, shortly after their sessions began, participants shared that they forgot they were in a simulation. They stated that the experience felt "real" and that their awareness shifted from apprehension to engagement with the students. One participant shared:

"I was really apprehensive at first, but I really, really liked it,

especially before we talk to living, breathing, unpredictable humans."

Following their experiences, participants shared that they felt more prepared for what lies ahead in the "real world." Those of us who serve as instructors have marveled at the growth in comfort and competence we have witnessed between the first and second 10-minute sessions. The following is an observation from a past participant.

"Not only is it realistic, but it's effective."

Lastly, this experience really is risk-free. We are here to answer your questions, provide suggestions, and offer encouragement. And if you get stuck in a session, no worries! You can simply pause the simulation, and we'll be there to help. One participant shared,

"It was great to get the answer right away. Being able to pause the session and

ask the facilitator a question felt like a lifeline."

RSVP

Much time and funds are invested in delivering each Skill Enhancement Exercise. Therefore, we kindly request that you show up if you sign up. Unless, of course, you have bubonic plague. Then, a note from your mom will suffice. (Wink!)

Live in Eastern Standard Time!

Lastly, when you sign up, please know that ALL labs are conducted in real-time. That means that people, including a facilitator, an instructor, lab staff, and other students, are scheduled to be there along with you at the appointed time. And, speaking of time, please note that the scheduling is in Eastern Standard Time. If you're joining the session from a different time zone, please adjust accordingly.

Sign Up!

Interested in participating? If the instructor at your school has not already scheduled you, please send an email to our program manager, Enis Schauffner, providing the following information and preferences:

• Your name and academic institution
• Are you interested in 1) the virtual simulation lab or 2) the virtual reality lab?
• Do you require accommodation? If yes, please describe your accommodation needs.

Enis will respond to begin the scheduling process with you. Once scheduled, Enis will forward a link to the Skill Enhancement Exercise unit in Canvas. There, you will find everything you need to engage in the experience successfully.

See you in the lab!