Faculty Contact Information:
Dr. Calvin's e-mail - jcalvin@faculty.ed.umuc.edu
U S Address - P O Box 936, Barnstable, MA 02630
U S phone - (508) 362-2410 | |
Consultation:
For comments that you want the WHOLE class to see, post in WebTycho.
For personal, confidential comments or problems, please e-mail Dr. Calvin. Thanks! | |
Required Texts and Readings:
Whiston, S. (2005). Principles & Applications of Assessment in Counseling. 2nd Ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Zimmerman,M. (1994). Interview Guide for Evaluating DSM-IV Psychiatric Disorders & the Mental Status Examination. East Greenwich, RI: Psych Products Press. | |
Supplementary Readings:
| Recommended but NOT Required Text: Sperry, L. et. al. (2003). Becoming an Effective Therapist. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Required Materials: Internet tests, available at web sites which will be posted, including: various abilities tests, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, NEO Five Factor Inventory, and the Self-Directed Search, each of which each student MUST take – on line. Students pay, on line, by credit card, when they take the NEO and the SDS; details and directions will be provided.
Recommended (but NOT required) Text: American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th Ed. - Text Revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Recommended Resources - World Wide Web: additional tests/assessments will be sought on the World Wide Web. Relevant and useful World Wide Web Resources will be posted into WebTycho. Here are some, to start: American Psychological Association (APA): Tests and Assessment (http://www.apa.org/science/testing.html); APA: Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education (http://www.apa.org/science/fairtestcode.html); APA Division 5: Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics (http://www.apa.org/divisions/div5/)
WebTycho Technical Assistance: Please visit UMUC’s Help Site http://tychousa.umuc.edu/wtdocs/wthelp/html/contact_us.html
or contact the WebTycho Support staff by e-mail at
webtychosupport@umuc.edu. You may also use our live Help Desk Chat, available in the Help pull-down menu at the top of the classroom.
All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students’ research and writing skills. | |
Recommended Journals:
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Course Description:
This course explores the basic concepts of quantifying behavior including validity, reliability, norms, and methods of expressing test scores statistically. The course examines theoretical and multicultural
issues in assessment and emphasizes standardized and non-standardized instruments, methods of communicating test results, and planning the school and non-school testing program. Practice in test interpretation is provided. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: GUCO 510 or EDCP 615. | |
Course Goals:
| This course is designed to enable students to become familiar with general theories of counseling as they apply to subjective assessment, tests and their measurement. It will assist students in preparing for the comprehensive exam and will prepare them for professional practice. | |
Course Objectives:
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At the conclusion of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Respond to verbal and non-verbal behavior of clients so as to facilitate the process of assessment.
2. Identify and assess problems presented by the client.
3. Formulate counseling strategy appropriate to the client’s concerns and needs.
4. Use and interpret various interest inventories, aptitude tests, and other measures related to education and career choices.
5. Identify assessment limitations that stem from gender, multicultural, special needs clients, and other issues. | |
Grading Information:
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Students who wish to excel in this course must give evidence of critical thinking, and demonstrate an ability to thoughtfully compose and carry out the written assignments. Students should interact with their fellow students in WebTycho Topic Areas. Diversity of opinion is encouraged; it will serve our learning if we respect each other, and the values and opinions of each of us. If we cultivate an atmosphere in which we can challenge ourselves and each other supportively, we all learn and grow!
Grading Summary (%):
WebTycho Assignments/Participation - 45
Written Projects
Mental Status Exam Report - 10
Case History Report - 10
Self Assessment Report - 20
Final Exam - 15
(Total 100)
Course GRADES will be given as follows:
92-100 points - A;
80-91 - B;
70-79 - C
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade "F" is used to designate academic failure. "FN" is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available in your local Education Center or online at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs.
Students are reminded of UMUC’s policies on academic dishonesty and plagiarism, and UMUC’s penalties for same - including course failure and/or dismissal. Because there is NO Research Paper in this course, any work or research done for a previous course would not apply to written project in this course; thus, there is NO “prior work” caveat in this course. | |
Course Requirements:
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Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, grades will be given based on: mastery of course objectives, class (WebTycho) participation and written assignments, and written Projects.
Students with special needs are requested to discuss their situation with the Professor, so that reasonable accommodation may be addressed.
CONFIDENTIALITY - Because self-analysis is so important to promote understanding ourselves, and therefore important to counseling, each of you will be introspecting and analyzing yourselves. This is a course that will involve some self-examination and some degree of sharing personal information with the class. Therefore, students must be sensitive to the right to privacy of other students. It is important to be discrete and appropriate in your personal sharing in our “classroom”; therefore be VERY mindful of what personal information you post onto WebTycho (which goes to each of us, and to no one else). It is important to self-disclose about yourself; BUT ALSO, to be very mindful of what you share in “class” and NOT to share those personal things that you might regret sharing, at some later point. Further, you must be sensitive to the privacy of your fellow students, and that all information shared REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL! During the first week of class, you MUST go to the Topic Area titled “Self-Disclosure and Confidentiality” and AGREE TO the terms of self-disclosure and confidentiality in this course. | |
Description of Course Requirements:
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Mastery of objectives will be tested by a “Take Home” Final Examination, during Week 15, December 10th – 16th. The Final will be worth 15 points, and will consist of essay questions.
WebTycho Assignments and Participation - There will be WebTycho assignments to be posted, each week (except Term Break, 10/16 – 10/22). These assignments are listed in the week-by-week assignments section, below. “Due date” means midnight, on the due date, in your time zone. You will be further reminded, AND can ask questions about, upcoming weekly assignments, week by week. Please do not be tardy with work. Because we are working on the internet (WebTycho), class participation is significant!! You are expected to read the required readings by the beginning of the appropriate week, then must log onto WebTycho, submit work and comments, and respond to others – weekly. WebTycho assignments and Participation are worth 45 points.
An important note, for WebTycho assignments: on your WebTycho postings, I want YOUR thoughts and observations, NOT a “cut and paste” from your textbooks; it is important that you take the ideas and concepts from the texts and “make them your OWN”!!
Written Projects – There are THREE Written Projects.
The first Written Project is doing (giving) and writing up a Mental Status Exam (MSE). Your Zimmerman text gives guidelines on a MSE; and I will post further guidelines and instructions. You will DO a MSE on a friend or family member. This MSE and the report of your MSE should include ALL the elements of a complete MSE (see Zimmerman, pp 121-122). You’ll post your MSE report onto WebTycho, in your MSE Assignment Folder, by 12/11 (IMPORTANT note – your MSE Report, for confidentiality, should have NO identifying data: NO name). This Project is due on Saturday, October 8th, and is worth 10 points.
The second Written Project is a Case History – a complete psychosocial history assessment and write-up of another person – your professor, ME! Guidelines for the Case History subject will be posted. This assessment will include my posting history on me, and an in-depth interview (by all of you) of my past and present psychosocial history, in four major areas: family of origin and childhood; marriage and adult family; education and occupation; and lifestyle and habits. Your findings and analysis will be summarized and written, in an appropriate format. This Case history will be submitted directly to Dr. Calvin – posted in your Case History Assignment Folder. This Project is due on Saturday, October 15, and is worth 10 points.
The third Written Project is Self Assessment: Self-Administration of a Test Battery (numerous tests), and Report on YOURSELF. Each student will be purchasing a collection of tests and assessments – the Assessment Packet (see above); in addition, Web Site tests will be used. All these will be self-administered, scored, interpreted and summarized in a test report on yourself, in an appropriate format. ALL the assessments you take, should be included in your Self Assessment. Your Self Assessment MUST include your psychosocial history, assessment of your own Mental Status, and ALL the tests that you self-administer, as listed in the syllabus and on WebTycho. This Self-Assessment will be submitted directly to Dr. Calvin – posted in your Self Assessment Assignment Folder. This Project is due on Friday, December 9th, and is worth 20 points.
Students are reminded of UMUC’s policies on academic dishonesty and plagiarism, and UMUC’s penalties for same - including course failure and/or dismissal. Because there is NO Research Paper in this course, any work or research done for a previous course would not apply to written project in this course; thus, there is NO “prior work” caveat in this course.
In addition to formal course requirements, personal journaling is strongly encouraged. | |
Course Schedule:
COURSE CALENDAR
Week 1 – August 29 - September 3, 2005 - Welcome, Getting Started, Introductions, and Why Study Assessment
Reading – None, this week
Projects/Assignments - Under Topic Area “Week One Assignments” - SIX INDIVIDUAL Projects (plus Questions for Jim), all to be posted by 9/3:
1. Questions for Jim - questions about syllabus, assignments, etc.
2. Go to the Topic Area titled “Self-Disclosure and Confidentiality” and AGREE TO the terms of self-disclosure and confidentiality in this course
3. Read my Introduction (Topic Area – “Jim’s Introduction”). In that Topic Area, respond to my Introduction by answering the following TWO questions: How does my Introduction of myself relate to the issues of self-disclosure and confidentiality? And, what else would you like to ask about ME?
4. Introduce YOURSELF - in the Topic Area “Student Introductions”
5. Respond to the Introductions of at least TWO of your fellow students, in the Topic Area “Student Introductions”
6. In the Topic Area “Why Study Assessment” - briefly answer the following question: Why is it important to study assessment and appraisal, as it relate to YOUR practice of counseling?
7. Read my thoughts in the Topic Area “My philosophy on this Course and on Distance Education”; post any thoughts or questions you have.
Week 2 & 3 – September 4 - 17, 2005 – Foundations and Principles of Assessment
Reading - Whiston, Chapters 1 – 5
Projects/Assignments – There are SIX Assignments/Projects (plus Questions for Jim) to be posted, these two weeks:
1. Questions for Jim - questions about definitions, concepts, etc.
2. Post onto WebTycho, your answers to this question: Why is reliability important in assessment? Post your response by 9/14
3. RESPOND to the postings of (at least) TWO of your fellow students on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 9/17
(The “Respond to Others” assignments are to encourage dialogue, discussion, feedback, and even debate – amongst each other)
4. Post your answers to this question: Why is validity important in assessment? Post your response by 9/14
5. RESPOND to the postings of (at least) TWO of your fellow students on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 9/17
6. Post your answers to this question: Why is standardized administration important in assessment? Post your response by 9/14
7. RESPOND to the postings of (at least) TWO of your fellow students on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 9/17
IMPORTANT NOTE: In many of the following Assignments, I pose the Assignment as, “In YOUR future Counseling practice….” Please respond to these questions in terms of the counseling practice (children, adults, school setting, families, drugs and alcohol, etc.) that YOU hope, plan, or intend as the kind of future counseling work that you will be doing.
Week 4 & 5 – September 18 – October 1, 2005 – Initial Assessment and Mental Status Examination (MSE)
Reading – Whiston, Chapter 6; Zimmerman, pages 120 – 141
Projects/Assignments – There are SIX Assignments/Projects to be done/posted:
1. Questions for Jim
2. DO a MSE on a friend or family member. This MSE and the report of your MSE should include ALL the elements of a complete MSE (see Zimmerman, pp 121-122). Post your MSE report in your MSE Assignment Folder (or e-mail it directly to me), by 10/8 (end of Week SIX) (an IMPORTANT note – your MSE Report, for confidentiality, should have NO identifying data: NO name, no age, etc.)
3. Post your response to this question: In YOUR future counseling practice, how important and useful will a Mental Status Examination be, and why? Post your response by 9/28
4. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ posting – on the above (MSE Use) question. Post your Responses to Others by 10/1
5. Post your response to this question: What are some SPECIFIC multicultural considerations (e.g. related to language, ethnicity, religion, etc.) that you MUST keep in mind when doing any MSE? Post your response by 9/28
6. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ posting – on the above (Multicultural and MSE) question. Post your Responses to Others by 10/1
7. START your Case History – the Case Study will be introduced. Your assignment will be to ask the Case (me), questions about my Psychosocial History (family of origin and childhood; marriage and adult family; education and occupation; and lifestyle and habits); I will answer these questions (on WebTycho), ONE by ONE.
Week 6 & 7- October 2 - 15, 2005 - Abilities Assessment
Reading – Whiston, Chapters 7 & 8
Projects/Assignments – There are SEVEN Assignments/Projects to be posted:
1. Questions for Jim
2. Post your response to this question: Are Abilities Tests and assessments (IQ tests, aptitude test, achievement tests, etc.) culturally reliable, valid, and culturally fair, and why? Post your response by 10/12
3. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ postings, on the above question; post those responses by 10/15
4. Self-Assessment: TAKE (at least) TWO On-Line Intelligence Tests. Web Sites for potential tests will be posted (I have found several which are free and available; you may use the ones I’ve found, or find others). These “www” tests are self-scoring; Dr. Calvin will help you to score and interpret these only if/as needed.
5. Then, post a response to the following question: Comment on the tests you took, what it felt like taking those tests, and YOUR opinion of the tests’ reliability and validity (IMPORTANT Note – do NOT post ANY of your test scores, or ANY interpretations of your test scores; all that goes into your Self Assessment, NOT onto WebTycho). Post your comments by 10/12
6. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ postings, on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 10/15
7. Mental Status Exam Report – SUBMIT your MSE Report; your write-up of your MSE should include ALL the elements of a complete MSE (see Zimmerman, pp 121-122). Post your MSE report in your MSE Assignment Folder (or e-mail it directly to me, if you can’t post in the Assignment Folder), by 10/8 (end of Week SIX) (an IMPORTANT note – your MSE Report, for confidentiality, should have NO identifying data: NO name, no age, etc.)
8. Case History - Your assignment will be to continue to ask the Case (me), questions about my Psychosocial History (family of origin and childhood; marriage and adult family; education and occupation; and lifestyle and habits), up to the END of Week SIX (10/8); I will answer these questions (on WebTycho), one by one. Then, SUBMIT (in your Case History Assignment Folder) your Case History Report – by 10/15
October 16 - 22 – TERM BREAK
(Self Assessment suggestion – your Self Assessment Report will contain a write-up of your own psychosocial history, about ˝ page, single spaced; start working on that, during Term Break)
Week 8 - 10 – October 23 – November 12, 2005 - Personality Assessment, and Ongoing Assessment
(Notes – this represents TWO weeks of assignments, spread over THREE weeks; the extra week is for: a) extra time for you to work on your Self Assessment, and b) to encourage you to attend the EB ACA Conference in Mannheim, November 3 – 4.
Self Assessment suggestion – start analyzing, interpreting, and writing up the results of your intelligence and personality tests. Remember – your Self Assessment Report should have ALL the major scores, and interpretation of all these tests you are taking. Contact Dr. Calvin, if you have questions)
Reading – Whiston, Chapters 10, 12, & 13
Projects/Assignments – There are SEVEN Assignments/Projects to be posted:
1. Questions for Jim
2. Comment on the cultural/multicultural fairness and appropriateness of personality tests. Post your response by 11/9
3. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ postings, on the above (cultural) question; post those Responses to Others by 11/12
4. Post your response to this question: In YOUR future counseling, which PERSONALITY tests and assessments are most appropriate, and which ones are “best” – with credible reliability, validity, and cultural fairness, and why? Post your response by 11/9
5. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ postings, on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 11/12
6. Self-Assessment: Take, score and interpret three personality tests (on line) - the NEO, the BDI, and the BAI. You may take other (web based) tests, if you wish. These tests are self-scoring; Dr. Calvin will help you to score and interpret, as needed.
7. Then, post a response to the following question: Comment on the tests you took, what it felt like taking those tests, and YOUR opinion of the tests reliability and validity (IMPORTANT Note – do NOT post ANY of your test scores, or ANY interpretations of your test scores; all that goes into your Self Assessment, NOT onto this week’s WebTycho). Post your response to this question by 11/9
8. RESPOND to (at least) ONE of your classmates’ postings, on either of the above questions; post those Responses to Others by 11/12
Week 11 & 12 – November 13 - 26, 2005 – Career and Interest Testing; and Marriage and Family Assessment
Reading – Whiston, Chapters 9 & 11
Projects/Assignments – There are SEVEN Assignments/Projects to be posted:
1. Questions for Jim
2. Post your response to this question: In YOUR future counseling, which OCCUPATIONAL and CAREER tests and assessments are most appropriate in a MULTICULTURAL WAY – with credible reliability, validity, and cultural fairness, and why? Post your response by 11/23
3. RESPOND to TWO of your classmates’ postings, on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 11/26
4. Comment on the gender (male – female) fairness and appropriateness of career interest testing. Post your response by 11/23
5. RESPOND to TWO of your classmates’ postings, on the above question; post those Responses to Others by 11/26
6. TAKE the Self Directed Search (SDS), ON-LINE; directions for taking the SDS will be provided. The SDS is self-scoring; Dr. Calvin will help you to score and interpret it only if/as needed.
7. Then, post a response to the following question: Comment on the SDS, what it felt like taking it, and YOUR opinion of the test’s reliability and validity (IMPORTANT Note – do NOT post ANY of your SDS scores, or ANY interpretations of your SDS; all that goes into your Self Assessment, NOT onto WebTycho). Post those responses by 11/23
8. RESPOND to TWO of your classmates’ postings, on either of the above question; post those Responses to Others by 11/26
Week 13 & 14 – November 27 – December 9, 2005 – Multicultural Assessment, Ethics, and Future Trends
Reading – Whiston, Chapters 14, 15 & 16
Projects/Assignments - Under Topic Area “Assignments - Week Twelve/Thirteen” – THREE Assignments/Projects (NO Responses to Others required, these two weeks, but you MAY if you wish!):
1. Questions for Jim
2. What is YOUR opinion of the most important ETHICAL issue we face in Assessment – in particular in YOUR future counseling? Post your respons by 12/7
3. What do YOU personally anticipate and expect the FUTURE of assessment to “look like” (computerized testing, computerized interpretation, etc.)? Post your response by 12/7
4. SUBMIT your Self-Assessment Report, by 12/9 (NOTE – 12/9 is the due date for your Self Assessment Report; but you may submit it earlier, if you wish)
Week 15 – December 10 - 16, 2005 - **** ”Take Home” FINAL EXAM*** | |
Academic Policies:
Note: Any written assignment in this course may be submitted to TurnItIn.Com. This statement constitutes prior notice.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center. | |
Faculty Bio:
| Your Professor is Dr. Jim Calvin, who: took over 100 undergraduate semester hours (and got B.A. degree) and took two graduate CAPS courses, from UMUC, on Okinawa; got his M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Kent State University; and did his Clinical Psychology Internship at National Naval Medical Center Bethesda. Jim is a Board Certified, Licensed clinical psychologist, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties. He served 27 years in the United States Navy - 9 years enlisted and 18 years as a clinical psychologist and health care manager; he was Chief of Mental Health, Quantico Naval Hospital; Clinical Psychologist, SERE San Diego; Chief Psychologist, Naval Submarine Medical Center; Executive Officer, 1st Medical Battalion; Commander, MPS Medical Battalion; and Clinical Director, Naval Alcohol Rehabilitation Center San Diego. Jim has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses since 1990; he has taught at National University, Norwich University, Plymouth State University, American University in Kyrgyzstan, and for the Civil Education Project at Yale; he is presently a Collegiate Professor for University of Maryland University College Europe, teaching for UMUC Europe since January 2001. He was Resident Graduate Professor in Counseling for United Kingdom, Academic Year 2001-02. Jim is Abbot and Head Dharma Teacher of the Cape Cod Zen Center. | |