Psychological Assessment in Educational Settings

Overview

This unit prepares students to select, administer, score, interpret, and report the outcomes of a selection of psycho-educational and mental health assessments that are most pertinent to the Educational and Developmental Psychologist’s role. Understanding culturally competent and ethical assessment practices in educational settings is embedded within this unit. Assessments that measure intelligence, academic achievement, behaviour, and common developmental and mental health disorders presenting in educational settings, as well as the importance of differential diagnosis, will be covered. Students will understand the theoretical and psychometric basis of such tests and will learn how to provide practical school and family specific recommendations for a range of client presentations, with a consideration of relevant socio-ecological systems.

This unit features on-campus opportunities for students to practice their skills in undertaking effective psychological assessment in educational settings including all aspects of test selection, administration, scoring, interpretation, reporting, and feedback.

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Choose the most appropriate assessment for a range of common child, adolescent, and adult psychological, educational, behavioural, and mental health presentations in educational settings
2. Administer, score, interpret and communicate the results of a selection of psychological assessments that are most pertinent to educational settings.
3. Apply ethical and professional discipline specific practices to test administration, scoring, interpretation, and reporting in the context of culturally competent principles.
4. Demonstrate reflective skills and self-awareness of positionality regarding the use of assessment in educational settings

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Assessment

Content

• Key learning theories 
• Social-emotional Learning (SEL)
• Principles of assessment selection in the context of clients’ individual needs and socio-ecological systems
• Psycho-educational and cognitive assessment and diagnosis, including specific learning disabilities, intellectual disability, exceptionality, and giftedness. 
• Evaluate behavioural, emotional, social, learning, and other mental health issues to improve instructional and educational outcomes for children, adolescents, and adults. 
• Practice administering, scoring, and interpreting a variety of assessments including the WISC-V, WPPSI-IV, WAIS-IV, WIAT-V, WJ-IV, ADOS-2, and various other assessments relevant to the educational setting. 
• Develop skills with a range of other assessments including: Introduction to the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), play skills assessments, behavioural assessments (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), educational needs assessment, mental health assessments (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; Kessler-10)
• Effectively communicating assessment results and practical recommendations to schools, families, and other professionals 
• Consultation and collaboration with teachers, schools, families, and other relevant professionals to support the needs of a diverse range of students. 
• Ethical and professional issues related to assessment in schools. 
• Apply culturally competent, trauma-informed, and multi-disciplinary practice principles to the assessment process in educational settings.
• Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
• Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
• Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation