COURSE OUTLINE for ASSESSMENT I
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, New York
College of Liberal Arts
School Psychology Program
COURSE: 0514-726
Section 70
Title: Assessment I Date: Fall 2007
Credit Hours: 4
Prerequisite: Matriculation in the school psychology program or permission of instructor
Course proposed by: Stephen Pulos, Psy.D.
Course information:
Classroom: Bldg 01 Room 3367 Wednesday 6:00-7:50 p.m. and Thursday 6-7:50
Maximum students/section: 12
Quarter offered: Fall
Students required to take this course: All first year students in the School Psychology graduate program are required to take this course. Assessment I serves as the foundation for subsequent courses in the assessment sequence.
Goals of the Course:
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the processes involved in assessment through class participation and discussion of case information.
2. Students will display their understanding of the basic statistical and technical properties of assessment instruments through class discussion, written assignments, and practical use of measurement devices.
3. Students will be able to describe the purpose, function, and uses of specific assessment instruments related to the areas of academic achievement, language, and perceptual-motor development.
4. Students will administer and interpret a variety of assessment instruments and will communicate appraisal data in written and oral form.
5. Students will apply ethical and legal standards to the administration, interpretation, and communication of assessment information.
6. Students will demonstrate knowledge of contemporary issues in assessment.
7. Students will be able to critically evaluate the technical adequacy and appropriate use of selected tests.
Course Description: This introductory course in a series of assessment courses will study assessment generally, types of tests and their uses, strengths and weaknesses of specific instruments, principles of reliability and validity, scales, and norms. Students will acquire an understanding of the quantitative and qualitative aspects of measurement. There will be extensive laboratory experience with a variety of instruments that measure academic achievement and sensory-motor perception. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical use of tests in schools and other settings.
Text: Salvia, J. & Ysseldyke, J. (2007) Assessment in Special and Inclusive Education (10th Ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Course Outline
Date Topic Assignment/Chapter
9/5 & 9/6 Introduction/Overview of Assessment Ch. 1 & 2
Lab: Course overview and procedures
9/12 & 9/13 Legal and Ethical Considerations in Assessment Ch. 3 & 16
Lab: Multiple Skill Devices & Diagnostic Systems Ch. 21
WJ3 ACH, WIAT-II, and KTEA-II
9/19 & 9/20 Descriptive Statistics; Quantification of Test Ch. 4, 5, & 6
Performance; Standardization; Norms
(GROUP A)
Lab: Multiple Skill Devices continued;
Report Writing
9/26 & 9/27 Statistical and Measurement Concepts
Lab: Assessment of Language Skills Ch. 24
10/3 & 10/4 Correlation and Reliability Ch. 7
(GROUP B)
Lab: Assessment of Reading, Math, Spelling
& Written Language Ch 22 & 23
10/10 & 10/11 MID-TERM EXAM
Lab: Assessment of Specific Skills continued
10/17 & 10/18 Validity: methods of Validating Test Inferences Ch. 8
(GROUP C)
Lab: Assessment of Perceptual Motor Skills,
Visual Perception, & Sensory Acuity Ch 20 & 25
10/24 & 10/25 Factors Affecting General Validity
Lab: How to Choose a Good Test Handout
10/31 & 11/1 Pre-school Assessment Ch. 28
(GROUP D)
Guest Lecturer (Pre-school assessment)
11/7 & 11/8 Testing Special Populations Ch. 9 & 10
The Evolution of Assessment Practice Pages 678-683
(GROUP E)
Lab: Review and Integration
11/14 Final Exam
Course Requirements:
1. Test administration, scoring, interpretation, and report writing: Each student will administer and score tests from the five different groups below. He or she will also write a report that summarizes the test results and hand it in with the scored protocol on the dates indicated. The report writing requirement will change as the student develops a broader repertoire of assessment skills. Note carefully the requirements for each group.
Newly published tests may be substituted for those on this list as the semester progresses.
GROUP A: Multiple-Skill, Screening and Diagnostic Systems-Administer and score one of the instruments listed below. Report requirement: Identifying information, reason for referral, test administered, behavioral observations, and a table of scores (standard scores and percentiles).
Kaufman Tests of Educational Achievement-Second Edition (KTEA-II)
Peabody Individual Achievement Tests-Revised-Nu norms (PIAT-R)
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition (WIAT-II)
Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement-Standard Battery Tests
Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement-Extended Battery Tests
Wide Range Achievement Test-Fourth Edition (WRAT-IV)
GROUP B: Assessment of Oral Language and Vocabulary-Administer and score one of the instruments below and one from Group A that you have not previously used. Report requirement: Identifying information, reason for referral, background information, tests administered, behavioral observations, a table of scores, discussion of test results, and a summary. The summary should integrate the child’s performance on the two measures administered with background information.
CELF-IV
Expressive One Word Vocabulary Test-Revised (EOWVT-R)
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Fourth Edition (PPVT-4)
Test of Adolescent and Adult Language-3 (TOAL-3)
Test of Language Development-Primary 2
Test of Language Development-Intermediate 2
Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (C-TOPP)
GROUP C: Assessment of Specific Academic Skills- Administer and score one of the instruments below and one from Group A or Group B that you have not previously used. Report requirement: Identifying information, reason for referral, background information, tests administered, behavioral observations, a table of scores, discussion of test results, and a summary that integrates the child’s performance on the two measures. When appropriate, point out why the child’s performance may have been different on the two tests. Include a recommendation(s) section with at least one suggestion for future programming or intervention.
Gray Oral Reading Test III
Test of Reading Comprehension-Third Edition
Test of Early Reading Ability-Second Edition
Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised/NU (Form H)
Test of Early Written Language-Second Edition
Test of Written Language-Third Edition
Test of Written Spelling-Fourth Edition
Key Math Diagnostic Arithmetic Test (Form A or Form B)
GROUP D: Assessment of Auditory and Visual Perception and Perceptual Motor Skills- Administer and score one of the following tests plus a test from Group A, B, or C that you have not previously used. Report Writing Requirement: Identifying Information, Reason for Referral, Background Information, Tests Administered, Table of Test Scores, Discussion of Test Results and a Summary that integrates the two measures. Include a Recommendations section with at least two suggestions for future programming/intervention.
Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test-Second Edition
Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration 5th edition
Motor Free Visual Perceptual Test
Test of Auditory Perceptual Skills
Test of Visual Perceptual Skills
GROUP E: Assessment of Infants and Toddlers-Administer and score one of the instruments listed below. Write a summary describing the salient features of your testing session. Include a Recommendation section with at least two suggestions for future programming/intervention.
Batelle Developmental Inventory
Bracken Basic Concepts Scale
Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning-Third Edition
Differential Ability Scales-PreSchool Version
2. In Vivo Test Administration: You have a choice as to how you fulfill this obligation. You may either a) Test an examinee during the lab class on Thursday using the WJ3 ACH Battery, the K-TEA-2, or the WIAT-II, or b) Come to French Road Elementary School at 488 French Road in Brighton and administer either the KTEA-II or the standard battery of the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement to a student provided by the instructor (the instructor will obtain the parent permission form). In either case the instructor will sit in on the entire testing session and provide feedback. Following administration and scoring, the graduate student will discuss relevant observations, impressions, and hypothetical recommendations with the instructor. He or she will then write a comprehensive report that integrates the test results with other information gleaned from the records.
General Expectations
Attendance and punctuality at all classes are expected. I will take attendance on randomly selected occasions. Students with more than two unexcused absences will lose five points on their final grade. Academic honesty, including writing your own reports and recording “real” responses from children (not contrived responses that conform to sample responses in the manual), is expected. It is also expected that assignments will be turned in on time (the day listed on the course outline). Finally, it is expected that students will be active participants in class.
Intended Learning Outcomes and Associated Assessment Methods
Learning Outcome: Student will demonstrate the ability to administer and score tests from six major domains. Associated Assessment Method: Per the rubric that will be handed out in class.
Learning Outcome: Student will demonstrate knowledge of descriptive statistics, norms, quantification of test performance, and standardization. Associated Assessment Method: Summative examination with a score of 75% or better.
Learning Outcome: Student will develop an understanding of the factors that influence test reliability and validity. Associated Assessment Method: Summative examination with a score of 75% or better.
Learning Outcome: Student will demonstrate familiarity with the ethical standards for testing established by the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists. Associated Assessment Method: Summative examination with a score of 75% or better.
Learning Outcome: Student will demonstrate the ability to write a report that includes reason for referral, background information, a summary of test data, a discussion of test results, and instructional implications. Associated Assessment Method: Report will be evaluated using the defined rubric for content, style, and mechanics.
Grades
90 and higher A
80 to 89.9 B
70 to 79.9 C
69 and below F
I will compute grades in the following manner:
Written Reports and Protocols 40%
In Vivo Test Administration/ Report 15%
Class Attendance/Participation 5%
Mid-Term Exam 15%
Final Exam 25%
Note: All students must pass the final exam with a grade of 75 or better to pass the course
Program Goals Supported by this Course
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the processes involved in assessment through class participation and discussion of case information.
2. Students will display their understanding of the basic statistical and technical properties of assessment instruments through class discussion, written assignments, and practical use of measurement devices.
3. Students will be able to describe the purpose, function, and uses of specific assessment instruments related to the areas of academic achievement, language, and perceptual-motor development.
4. Students will administer and interpret a variety of assessment instruments and will communicate appraisal data in written and oral form.
5. Students will apply ethical and legal standards to the administration, interpretation, and communication of assessment information.
6. Students will demonstrate knowledge of contemporary issues in assessment.
7. Students will be able to critically evaluate the technical adequacy and appropriate use of selected tests.
Students with Disabilities
Please let me know if you have a disability or any other situation or problem that might require some special accommodation. I am sure that we can work out whatever arrangement is necessary, be it special seating, testing, or other accommodation. There are resources on campus that you should know about as well. Be sure to contact me as soon as possible.
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