REVISION NEEDED : ASAP

SAMPLE #1

Criterion-Referenced Versus Norm-Referenced Assessments

As an educator, I must remain cognizant of different learning styles (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2014).  I believe that my role as an educator is to provide learners with opportunities to be challenged, affirmed, and to grow as ethical and competent counselors.  I find that the eclectic philosophical approach to teaching allows me to best meet learners’ needs and uphold CACREP (2016) standards.  Overall class and specific lessons’ goals and objectives provide a framework for which teaching style will be used in each class and individual units (Mwanza, 2017). 

 

My proposed development for the Research and Program Evaluation class are, first and foremost, aligned with CACREP (2016) standards.  CACREP (2016) standards noted in section 2.f.8.a-j include: 

 

a. the importance of research in advancing the counseling profession, including how to critique research to inform counseling practice 

b. identification of evidence-based counseling practices

c. needs assessments 

d. development of outcome measures for counseling programs 

e. evaluation of counseling interventions and programs

f. qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods 

g. designs used in research and program evaluation 

h. statistical methods used in conducting research and program evaluation

i. analysis and use of data in counseling

j. ethical and culturally relevant strategies for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research and/or program evaluation.

 

Students in the Research and Program Evaluation class increase their knowledge base regarding program evaluation based on the strengths and limitations of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches.  Both criterion- and norm-referenced assessment are used to evaluate student success. The criterion-referenced assessment will evaluate student success in identifying the strengths and limitations in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches to program evaluation.  Strengths and limitations of specific program evaluations are based on evidence-based research and therefore, can be measured via a criterion-referenced assessment.  A norm-referenced assessment will measure how well students achieve curriculum goals and objectives relative to other learners’ scores.

 

Time to be totally transparent here.  I find the two assessments to be quite confusing.  I wonder if I am making it more difficult than it needs to be.  I wish there was a “For Dummies” book out there for someone like me J

 

 

References

 

Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs. (2016). 2016 CACREP standards.

 

Mwanza, D. S. (2017, February). The eclectic approach to language teaching: Its conceptialisation and misconceptions. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education, 4(2), 53-67. doi:dx.doi.org/10.20431/2340-0381.040226

 

Svinicki, M. D., & McKeachie, W. J. (2014). McKeachie’s teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (14th ed.). Belmonst, CA: Wadsworth.

SAMPLE # 2

My preferred teaching philosophy is that of learner-centered pedagogy, which parallels humanistic learning theory as coined by Carl Rogers. With a learner-centered pedagogy, the goal is to foster a classroom setting based on three things: attitudes of congruency, or transparency within the classroom; unconditional positive regard, or valuing and respecting students for where they are on their professional journey; and empathic understanding, or a genuine attempt to understand each student and their situation rather than solely focusing on evaluation (Purswell, 2019).

Regarding the development of the online course, Research and Program Evaluation, the following assessment strategies are proposed: journaling and a comprehensive exam. Both of these assessment strategies align with learner-centered pedagogy as they assist students in developing critical reflection and self-awareness (Svinicki & McKeachie, 2014). A journaling assignment for the Research and Program Evaluation course could be to practice dissecting one quantitative or qualitative research article each week. Journaling would be considered criteria-referenced assessment strategy, as it would be evaluated by utilizing the rubric method. A comprehensive exam, such as the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE), which would be considered a norm-referenced assessment strategy, as a student’s test performance is compared to a national norm group (Erford et al., 2015). The CPCE covers the eight common core areas as indicated by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP, 2016) standards II.F.1-II.F.8.

Both of these assignment strategies, journaling, and a comprehensive exam, align with CACREP standard II.F.8.a, critiquing research; standard II.F.8.f, qualitative and quantitative research methods; and standard II.F.8.i., ethical and legal considerations in research (CACREP, 2016). These assignment strategies would provide learner outcomes by means of student achievement, or continuous knowledge as evidenced by a summative, or comprehensive exam. Learner outcomes would also be predicted by the demonstration and application of the following competencies: an understanding of research methods, basic statistics, and ethical and legal considerations in the counseling practice (Bonner, 2016; CACREP, 2016).

References

Bonner, M. W. (2016). Grading rigor in counselor education: A specifications grading framework. Educational Research Quarterly, 39(4), 21–42.

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). (2016). 2016 CACREP standards. Retrieved from http://www.cacrep.org/for-programs/2016-cacrep-standards/

Erford, B. T., Hays, D. G., & Crockett, S. (2015). Mastering the National Counselor Examination and the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination. Second edition. Boston: Pearson.

Purswell, K. E., (2019). Humanistic learning theory in counselor education. The Professional Counselor, 9(4), 358-368. https://doi.org/10.15241/kep.9.4.358

Svinicki, M. D., & McKeachie, W. J. (2014). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (14th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. ISBN: 9781133936794.

SAMPLE # 3

Working from a learner-centered teaching philosophy connecting content to the learner's future role as a clinician is one important key factor (Bonner, 2016). When developing assessments to gauge where learners are with understanding the course content I would ensure the assessment is similar to how course activities have been set up. The course syllabus will also include specific components of how the learner will be able to achieve each assessed activity. According to McKeachie (2014), to support learner motivation and encouragement each assessment will describe how the specific components of the assessment support the learners future self as a clinician (McKeachie, 2014) When developing assessments for a course I would utilize the backward approach to design  which involves identifying desired results, determining acceptable evidence, and planning learning experiences (Bonner, 2016). Open-ended questions seek to challenge the knowledge learners have acquired through course content by measuring their abilities through written feedback (McKeachie, 2014). When developing an open-ended question for assessment as a criterion-referenced assessment learners will take a scenario from a clinical session responding in 5 sentences about how they would handle the case using a specific theory (McKeachie, 2014). Providing a limited response allows the learners to focus on the specifics of the question and how they can show their knowledge through written response (McKeachie, 2014).  As a norm-referenced assessment, I would require learners to develop a portfolio throughout the course with specific criteria they would need to show within the activities of the portfolio. Portfolios are a great way for learners and instructors to see progress from early learning to later learning (McKeachie,2014 ).

 

The instructors ability to have a specific criterion is part of a norm-referenced assessment that students either meet or do not meet (Capella, 2020). CACREP (2016) standards states course syllabi must contain student evaluation criteria and procedure for grading. When developing the two assessments above I would ensure the syllabus includes detailed directions on how to master each component. CACREP standards require instructors to assess students throughout the course, the open-ended question assessment would be utilized to assess learners throughout the course and the portfolio would be used to assess the learner's overall progress and knowledge of course content (CACREP, 2016). The two assessments also align with the ACA (2014) code of ethics by providing opportunities for self-growth (F.8.c). When learners are given assessments they can visually see their growth they are more motivated to continue their learning (Fazio-Griffith & Ballard, 2016).

American Counselor Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/Resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

 

CACREP. (2016). CACREP Standards. Retrieved from https://www.cacrep.org/section-2-professional-counseling-identity/

 

Bonner, M. W. (2016). Grading rigor in counselor education: A specifications grading framework. Educational Research Quarterly, 39(4), 21–42

 

Fazio-Griffith, L., & Ballard, M. B. (2016). Transformational learning theory and transformative teaching: A creative strategy for understanding the helping relationship. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 11(2), 225–234.

 

McKeachie, W. J. (2014). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.