Developing a Deeper Understanding of Assessment: from Theory to Practice

Abstract

This practicum report is written as a self-reflective summation of experiences based on my Master of Education (MEd) in Educational Psychology (EPSY) practicum with Educational Psychologist, Joan Helmsing, MEd. This practicum took place in Regina, Saskatchewan from May 2017 to August 2017. In this report, I will describe the learning goals that Mrs. Helmsing and I established. The main goal of this practicum was to gain practical and supervised experience in providing psychological services to clients with a focus on psycho-educational assessments. More specifically, I completed my practicum to increase my competence in conducting psycho-educational assessments, to acquire a deeper understanding of the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory, and to apply the theory, knowledge, and skills that I learned in my graduate coursework. Topics included in this report are: establishing and maintaining rapport throughout the process of psychoeducational assessment; behavioural observations; administration, scoring, and interpretation of the Woodcock Johnson IV assessment system, the Integrated Visual Auditory Continuous Performance Test, and various rating scales and forms; writing reports with recommendations; and delivering the findings of the assessment in post-conferences.