Chapter 9-Teaching Assessment and Testing Flashcards
Assessment and testing can be traced to:
Scientific physiognomy, phrenology, craniometry, and anthropometry
Psychological assessment can credit its genesis to:
- APA
- Commonwealth Fund
- Carnegie Corporation
- legislative and executive action
Testing was impacted by what disciplines?
Psychology, psychiatry, and philanthropy
What is the social constructionist perspective on assessment?
It values multiple identities, mental illness is only one.
What are the values of psychological testing?
- Provide a shorthand for counselors and a confirmatory tool
- Can help decide next phase of treatment
- Clients find comfort in having a name for a condition and possible treatment options.
The testing and assessment course prepares future counselors:
- understand role of psychological testing and clinical evaluation during the diagnostic process.
- explore ethical issues in handling and administering psychological assessment instruments
Besides the DSM-IV-TR, what other assessment measures can be used with clients?
- client’s verbal narrative
- psychological assessment scores
- DSM criteria
- other relevant info in collaborative construction of the client’s reality
What are challenges in teaching the assessment and testing course?
- CITs may have dread, limited interest or anxiety
2. Helping students “get behind” the testing paradigm to deconstruct its foundations.
Vygotsky (1962) asserts that the relationship between thought and language is:
a continual back-and-forth process and that learning can be seen as both developmental and relational.
A primary element of social constructivist education is:
recognizing learner readiness, in the form of the learner’s zone of proximal development (ZPD).
Define ZPD
Difference between a learner’s actual current development capacity and next potential level of development
Describe scaffolding.
Learners are not just taught content.
elped to see how their thinking changes through interactions with a teacher or peer, and how their knowledge evolves.
What are 4 units in Assessment and Testing course?
(1) Learning Historical Perspectives and Types of Assessments
(2) Understanding Statistical Concepts, Basic Assessment Concepts, and Reliability and Validity
(3) Conducting Unstructured Interviews and Mental Health Assessments
(4) Conducting a Standardized Assessment Battery and Writing an Assessment Report.
What is taught in Unit 1: Historical Perspectives and Types of Assessments?
- Historical evolution of assessment instruments and their sociocultural contexts
- Cultural biases and ethical considerations for using assessment measures
- Types of assessments
What are the goals of Unit 2: Understanding Statistical Concepts, Basic Assessment Concepts, and Reliability and Validity
- Link the knowledge of psychometric concepts to cultural and ethical competency.
- Demonstrate the relationships among knowledge of psychometric principles, advocacy, and social justice issues.
Describe Objective 1: Understanding Statistical Concepts
- Use lecture to review types of scales, descriptive statistics, interpretation of standard scores, and evaluation of data based on sampling procedures.
- In small groups, apply lecture to particular situations.
Describe Objective 2: Understanding Basic Assessment Concepts and Concepts of Reliability and Validity
- Review test standardization, test bias, and appropriate test environment.
- Review ACA ethical code as it relates to assessment
- Mathematical properties of different types of correlations
- Review Reliability and Validity
Describe Objective 3: Mastering Concepts in Context of Client Need
- Students review test manuals and locate sample size and type, reliability, validity, type of scale, and test construction.
- Review manuals for:
A. age-range limitations
B. reliability and validity
C. face validity and possible cultural bias - Case study with reflective questions
Describe Unit 3: Conducting Unstructured Interviews and Mental Health Assessments
- Students learn in-person interviews and more comprehensive assessments.
- Become aware of the potential for subjective bias
- Learn potential impacts of bias on clients
Describe Objective 1: Viewing Self as an Assessment Tool Through the Use of a Self-Narrative Assignment
- Students write autobiographical narrative.
- Increase understanding of their narrative as a product of cultural influences
- Understanding of a client’s phenomenological reality
Describe Unit 4: Conducting a Standardized Assessment Battery and Writing an Assessment Report
Teach students how to administer, score, and interpret the standardized assessments most commonly used by master’s-level counselors.
Basic mastery of conducting assessments
RE: assessment report, what are two social constructivist assumptions?
- Students have the potential to assimilate new information higher reaches of their ZPD.
- Students must be active in their learning.
Describe Objective 1: Learning to Conduct a Standardized Assessment Battery
- Demonstrate the administration of several tests
2. Students take test/administer, score, then discuss interpretation in large group.
What are 5 tests typical for training students?
- career test
- achievement test
- intelligence test
- personality test
- substance abuse assessment
Describe Objective 2: Conducting a Standardized Assessment
- Students conduct an assessment battery on partner
- Unstructured interview
- Score battery and summarize interview
Describe Objective 3: Writing an Assessment Report
- Teach students how to write report that covers behavioral observations, test limitations and bias, scores, and relevant recommendations.
- Students write report based on group assessment battery and interview data.
