MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION IN SCHOOL COUNSELING

COUN 504

Summer 2008

Syllabus

3 credits                                                                                         Instructor: Mary Campbell, EdS.

Tues. & Thurs., 7:00 AM – 12:00 noon                                          (208) 869-2091

June 10 – July 10, 2008

Course Description:

Students will access theory and practice of standardized test development and procedures, applications and limitations of standardized tests, techniques of administering individual/group tests and of interpreting assessment instruments and profiles; and communication strategies with clients, parents, school personnel, and relevant professionals. PREREQ:  COUN 512 or similar graduate statistics course.

CACREP Standards Addressed in the Course:

• historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment
• basic concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing and other assessment techniques including norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment, environmental assessment, performance assessment, individual and group test inventory methods, behavioral observations, and computer-managed and computer-assisted methods
• statistical concepts, including scales of measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and types of distributions, and correlations
• reliability (i.e., theory of measurement error, models of reliability, and the use of reliability information)
• validity (i.e., evidence of validity, types of validity, and the relationship between reliability and validity)
• age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, language, disability, culture, spirituality, and other factors related to the assessment and evaluation of individuals, groups, and specific populations
• strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and evaluation instruments and techniques in counseling
• an understanding of general principles and methods of case conceptualization, assessment, and/or diagnoses of mental and emotional status
• ethical and legal considerations

Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to

• participate as part of a team in the decision-making process regarding human beings in relationship to assessment data.
• recognize and describe the different types of assessment instruments (personality, aptitudes, interests, intelligence, achievement, special abilities, group, individual)
• identify test manual items necessary to make appropriate selection of assessment instruments
• define and apply introductory assessment terms and concepts, including basic statistical knowledge
• integrate the “Ethical Principles of Psychologists,” the “Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education,” “Responsibilities of Users of Standardized Tests,” and the “Code of Professional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement” into decisions regarding test selection, administration, and interpretation
• analyze and explain student profiles that result from various assessment instruments
• include cultural awareness, sensitivity, and possible testing/interpretation alternatives in discussions and presentations
• access the Internet, periodicals, and publications relevant to test and measurement research.

Required Text:

Drummond, Robert J. and Jones, Karyn Dayle (2006). Assessment Procedures for Counselors and Helping Professionals, Sixth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Grading Criteria:

A = 100 – 90;   B = 89 – 80;   C = 79 – 70

Assignments not submitted when due will not earn full points. Those submitted more than three days past the due date will not be accepted. Plagiarism is sufficient grounds for failure for the course. See current Boise State Graduate Catalog for academic regulations and appeal procedures.

13.3%          Class participation and attendance

                      Two points per class, 20 points total

33.3%          Journal responses to readings and discussions

         1 – 3 paragraph response to each chapter in the text and supplemental readings provided by instructor. Two points each, 50 points total

53.3%          Final paper—Critique/commentary of psychological test report

                     Test report will be provided by instructor at last class session. Students will write a 3 – 5 page critique/commentary to include an identification and review of assessment instruments used, and summary of evaluator’s interpretations and recommendations. A scoring rubric will be presented to the class. 80 points total

COUN 504               CALENDAR                                               Summer 2008