The school psychologist in evaluating educational programs

A discussion of school psychology practice is presented, with emphasis on school programs rather than on individuals. While pressures exist to continue emphasizing the individual as the unit of study, current literature in evaluation theory and community psychology suggest a more viable model for the practice of school psychology. The learning process as it occurs in school programming is discussed, illustrating potential sources of involvement for school psychologists in effecting change in education. It is suggested that school psychologists, operating from a framework of evaluation theory, are well suited to be evaluators of school programs.     

The school psychologist as an organizational boundary role professional

An organizational perspective on the school psychologist's role can provide a basis for integrating disparate activities, reduce ambiguity produced by lack of role consensus, and facilitate more effective role behavior. The school psychologist is herein described as an organizational boundary role professional. Relevant theory and research on this conception are presented and parallels to school psychological practice are drawn. Implications for practice, training, and research in school psychology are also discussed.     

Law, educational reform, and the school psychologist

The law has become a major vehicle for those seeking to reform education. The two areas of reform which most affect school psychologists are the extension of the right to a public education to previously discriminated against and excluded groups, and the extension of the protection of the Bill of Rights to all school children. The potential impact of these areas on the role of the school psychologist is suggested by preliminary findings on one such reform, the right of retarded children to an appropriate education and the guarantee of that right through the provision of procedural due process. Any response to the reform by school psychologists will involve risks and opportunities which must be carefully weighed if a wise choice is to be made from the point of view of both children and the profession.     

The school psychologist as program evaluator

School psychologists are being required to evaluate educational programs. This paper discusses the role and responsibilities of a program evaluator, the programs of measurement, and the staff fear of evaluation. A model for program evaluation is then described with an illustrative example.     

The school psychologist as behavioral ecologist

Some psychologists involved in the implementation of applied behavioral psychology in educational systems must increasingly attend to the ecological impact of such interventions. An ecological orientation emphasizing system-like interdependencies among environment, organism, and behavior suggests several substantial additions to conventional role functions of behavioral school psychologists. Such functions involve taking an active part in evaluating and assessing second-order consequences of behavioral interventions. Recommendations for functional and procedural changes are provided within this framework.     

The role of the school psychologist: Teachers'' preferences as a function of personal and professional characteristics

Teachers were surveyed concerning the importance of 12 potential roles for school psychologists (e.g., counseling, case or program consultation, community liaison, psychodiagnostics). Results showed that direct and remedial services which did not require the school psychologist to intrude on the teacher's prerogatives were in general considered to be most important. However, teachers who reported using “open education” methods were significantly more likely to value more indirect, preventive, and collaborative school psychology services than their colleagues. Grade level taught, gender, experience, and teaching specialty had virtually no effect on respondents' ratings of the school psychologist roles.     

The school psychologist as a source of power and influence

This essay reviews the historical role of the school psychologist and examines his impact on educational systems. Past influences of the school psychologist in effecting understanding and acceptance of individual differences of children are examined in relationship to the contemporary need to relate this knowledge to appropriate educational planning for a culturally diverse school population.     

Precision teaching: A tool for the school psychologist and teacher

The authors of this paper have tried to provide an introduction to the language and problem solving approach called Precision Teaching. Reasons for using a specific language and reporting techniques are listed. Definitions of the terminology and examples taken from the classroom are provided. The main point of this paper is that systematic interventions, precisely described and systematically recorded, lead to the most successful interventions.     

The educational psychologist in England and Wales

This article reviews the background to the development of the profession in England and Wales. It traces the recent pressures for expanding the size of the profession which led to the establishement of a working party by the British Government's Department of Education and Science, under the chairmanship of Professor Summerfield. The recent report of this working party (Department of Education and Science, 1968) is discussed and its analysis of the functions of the educational psychologist is summarized. The article selects a few of the report's main recommendations for the future. Those recommendations relating to training, numbers of educational psychologists required, the nature of the work, and the structure of the profession are outlined. Finally the article discusses initial reactions to the recommendations of the report.     

The actual and preferred roles of the school psychologist according to secondary school administrators

This paper examines the perception of the role of school psychologists as viewed by secondary school administrators. Particular attention is focused on differences of priority in terms of rank-ordering of functions between actual and ideal. Data were drawn from questionnaires returned by 361 principals representing every tenth school of the 3,683 listed as members by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools in 1983. Several results emerge from the study. There is little difference in rank order between actual and ideal roles. Significant rank order differences were in the areas of “Counseling with students” and “Staffing for special education.” Administrators in this sample clearly desire more involvement of psychologists with counseling and less with staffing. Results raise questions with regard to prevalent training programs if psychologists are to assume a greater counseling role.     

The appropriate domain of the school psychologist

It is argued that efforts to delineate the roles and functions of school psychologists for the purpose of establishing national guidelines are useless. The “appropriate domain” is a function of the competencies and interests of the psychologist, the characteristics of the situation in which he works, and the effects of the interaction between the two. Preparation in basic areas of behavior and psychological methodology are advocated as essential for adaptability to changes and development of leadership in this field. Efforts should be devoted to increasing effectiveness in the use of psychological knowledge and methods in the school setting.     

The school psychologist as expert witness in due process hearings

As a consequence of the Consent Agreement reached between the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, school of psychologists are finding themselves increasingly in the role of expert witness in due process hearings. The paper identifies a number of problems regarding the witness behavior of psychologists in these hearings and proposes some recommendations and resolutions.     

Adversary evaluation and the school psychologist

This article describes adversary evaluation and explains its use in evaluation of school-based programs by school psychologists. The authors discuss the history of adversary evaluation, the various models which have been used, and major research findings. Three diverse examples of adversary evaluation are presented, along with criteria for evaluating such models. In addition the article raises some potential concerns regarding the use of adversary evaluation, and suggests potential roles that school psychologists might play within this paradigm.     

The roles of the secondary school counselor and the secondary school psychologist as perceived by educators of counselors and by educators of school psychologists

This study has indicated that counselor educators and educators of school psychologists are substantially in agreement regarding their perceptions of the roles of guidance counselors and school psychologists in the secondary school. Functions which are perceived as being performed by both counselors and psychologists have been described. These may lead either to collaborative endeavor or role conflict. Basic counselor and school psychologist roles have been presented. The perceived role of the counselor is broad and extensive; the perceived role of the school psychologist appears narrow and intensive.     

The role of the clinical psychologist on a burn unit in a general teaching hospital

This paper reviews the core skills that a clinical psychologist brings to a burn unit and suggests a model for optimal psychological management of burn patients, families, and staff. Recovery from a burn injury involves three stages that comprise (a) acute treatment of severe medical complications, (b) adjustment to hospitalization, and (c) long-term rehabilitation. Each stage contains numerous issues that the clinical psychologist should monitor and manage. Assessment of patients at risk, early intervention, and specialist management are highlighted as critical components of effective psychological management of burn injury in a multidisciplinary team context.     

The role of the school psychologist in the inclusive education of school-age children with autism spectrum disorders

Two independent trends are impacting school psychologists with regard to their involvement in the education of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs): increasing prevalence estimates of ASDs and an emphasis on the inclusion of students with special needs in regular education classrooms. In light of these trends and growing awareness of the need for evidence-based practices in the field, school psychologists can expect to be involved in the educational programming of students with ASDs and should be knowledgeable about empirically supported strategies relevant to inclusive education of these children. The purpose of this review is to familiarize school psychologists with currently available intervention techniques by describing each strategy and outlining the degree of empirical support for each. Strategies for managing disruptive behaviors, promoting learning, and facilitating social integration are reviewed.     

Hemispheric asymmetries in the perception of musical intervals as a function of musical experience and family handedness background

This study examines the effect of musical experience and family handedness background on the categorization of musical intervals (two-note chords). Right-handed subjects, who were divided into four groups on the basis of musical training and presence (or absence) of left-handed family members, categorized musical intervals which were monaurally presented to left or right ear. The results, based on consistency and discreteness of categorization, showed: (1) Musicians' performance is superior to nonmusicians'; (2) musicians and nonmusicians differ significantly on their ear of preference; (3) family handedness background significantly affects ear of preference among musicians but not among nonmusicians.