The 2nd Guidance and Psychological Counseling Summit Was Held at IZU

The “2nd Guidance and Psychological Counseling (PDR) Summit,” jointly organized by Birikim Schools and Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, was held with the theme of “self-efficacy.” Academics working in the field of PDR, guidance and psychological counseling experts, and students attended the summit.

The “2nd PDR Summit,” organized in cooperation with Birikim Schools and Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU), was held this year with the theme of “self-efficacy.” Organized to draw attention to the decisive role of guidance and psychological counseling in educational processes, the summit brought together academics, guidance and psychological counseling experts, and students. Throughout the program, the individual’s belief in their own potential, decision-making skills, and the factors shaping life success were addressed from multiple perspectives.

BİLGİN: “SUCCESS IS DETERMINED BY THE INDIVIDUAL’S BELIEF IN THEMSELVES”
Speaking at the opening of the summit, which was attended by IZU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Nihat Erdoğmuş, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education Deputy Director Dr. Ömer Avcı, academics, expert teachers, and students, Birikim Education Group General Manager Ersan Bilgin drew attention to the increasing importance of guidance in today’s world. Noting that humanity needs guidance more than ever before, Bilgin stated, “Our aim is not only to transfer knowledge but also to help our students discover their own potential.” Stating that the concept of “peer kindness,” which they addressed last year, received strong recognition in the education community, Bilgin emphasized that this year they focused on the concept of “self-efficacy.” “What determines success more than knowledge is the individual’s belief in themselves. Self-efficacy is built with belief, knowledge, and patience. For a student to believe in themselves, we must first believe in them,” said Bilgin, underlining the decisive role of teachers in this process.

AVCI: “SELF-EFFICACY IS PART OF A HOLISTIC FRAMEWORK THAT GIVES MEANING TO LIFE”
In his speech, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education Deputy Director Dr. Ömer Avcı evaluated the concept of self-efficacy within the framework of education policies and the system of values. Emphasizing that guidance teachers play an active role in every area of students’ lives, Avcı said, “All philosophical accumulation is built on the ‘self.’ The element that must be continuously engaged with and that does not change is the self.” Referring to the Turkey Century Education Model, Avcı stated, “Our priority is to raise individuals who correctly understand life, humanity, and their own cultural framework. The Turkey Century Education Model offers us a holistic approach that takes into account the needs of the age.”

ERDOĞMUŞ: “SELF-EFFICACY IS THE EFFORT TO REVEAL THE POTENTIAL WITHIN A PERSON”
IZU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Nihat Erdoğmuş, in his speech, drew attention to the relationship between the university’s educational approach and the concept of self-efficacy. “As a university, we continue Sabahattin Zaim’s ideal of ‘raising good individuals.’ In this context, self-efficacy is a concept that directly aligns with our values,” said Erdoğmuş, noting that values are nourished by history, religion, and culture, and continued: “The values we inherit from the past need to be transformed into tools that people today can use. When this is not achieved, the resulting gap is filled by different elements. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop holistic approaches in educational processes that strengthen self-efficacy, enabling individuals to recognize their own potential and put it into practice.”

ERYILMAZ: “POSITIVE EMOTIONS COMPENSATE FOR THE NEGATIVES OF THE PAST”
Following the opening program, the keynote speaker of the summit, Prof. Dr. Ali Eryılmaz, a faculty member of the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Department at Yıldız Technical University, sought answers to the questions: “What is self-efficacy? What do studies and theoretical explanations say? How can it be developed?” Emphasizing the decisive role of motivation in self-efficacy, Eryılmaz stated, “Self-efficacy is related to expectation. Motivation is the outcome of expectation, value, and emotion.” Referring to the outcomes that arise when self-efficacy is low, Eryılmaz continued: “When self-efficacy is low, psychopathologies emerge. Educational models do not focus on children’s emotions. It is important to consider individual differences in educational processes. Not everyone is motivated in the same way. This should not be forgotten. Positive emotions have a transformative effect. A positive emotion you develop in your students compensates for the negatives of the past.”

The summit continued with workshops conducted under the guidance of IZU academics; topics such as developing self-efficacy in psychological counseling, neurodiversity, decision-making processes in careers, resilience, character development, and inner balance were discussed.