Selecting and Designing Assessments

Because of my participation in this course, I have done a lot of thinking about my role in administering and interpreting assessments as a school counselor. Until reviewing this week’s readings, though, I did not really think much about my responsibilities for selecting and designing assessments. The textbook provides some really valuable resources in this area, confirming my assumption that this book will be one that I keep close at hand for future reference in my practicum and job. The text outlines five important steps for selecting instruments, including identifying the type of information needed, identifying available information, determining the methods for obtaining information, searching assessment resources, and evaluating and selecting an assessment instrument or strategy. I especially liked the various resources described in the assessment resources section, such as the Mental Measurements Yearbook, Tests in Print, and the various assessment journals, as these manuals are good starting points for collecting general, unbiased information about specific assessments or categories of exams. I also appreciated the questions suggested for evaluating and selecting an assessment instrument or strategy, as I can envision myself using this as an initial checklist when I am presented with this particular task. The article, “Producing Evidence to Show Counseling Effectiveness in the Schools,” reminds us that we will also be responsible for evaluating our own counseling programs. It was interesting to read about some of the interviewed counselors’ fears of accountability as I have had many of these same thoughts throughout the progression of this course. Similar to the information presented in the text, this article also describes some practical questions that a counselor should consider before selecting an assessment. In this discussion, I really liked the suggestions for question formation, as this provided some good “dos and don’ts” for designing assessments that I think I could follow. I also found the practical examples useful, especially the description of the middle school counselor who was tasked with designing a leadership group for 22 eighth-grade students. The process the counselor engaged in, such as conducting a literature review, locating an assertiveness test, using a pilot study to gauge the effectiveness of the assessment, and designing pre-test and post-test Likert scales, are all activities I can see myself engaging in while at my school. Additionally, presenting this information in this practical way makes the process seem less intimidating and actually achievable. Drummond, R., and Jones, K. Assessment Procedures for Counselors and Helping Professionals. (2010). 7th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Studer, J.R., Oberman, A.H., and Womack, R.H. (2006). Producing evidence to show counseling effectiveness in the schools. Professional School Counseling, 9 (5).