Week 1: Introduction to Assessment, Methods, and Sources

Welcome to the Appraisal and Testing course! It is good to see each of you here, and it is hoped that this course will satisfy many questions that you might have regarding testing, and help you to be at ease with appraisal methods and issues. As you think of questions while completing the readings this week, be sure to write them down and ask them during the synchronous session – if you have questions, it is likely that others will too.
 

Assessment is easily thought of as “the process of gathering information about a client” (Drummond, 2010). We can easily gain information from many sides – the nature of the problem, the impact the problem has on family, relationships, etc., or even how past events are currently affecting the client and the client’s relationships. Other tests can tell us whether counseling can even be beneficial to the client.
 

So – we will learn how to get this information, and we will learn what to do with the information once we have it! Understanding the process of assessment is the first task, and then we will work on the effectiveness and accuracy of the testing procedures.
 

This week, we are covering the first two chapters of the textbook. The first chapter will cover the methods and sources of assessment, computer assisted appraisal, as well as some historical background on testing. The second chapter is where “the rubber meets the road”, and the text reviews different types of interviews, categories of tests, and different types of observation. It goes into methods of recording information as well.
 

By the end of Week 3, you should be receiving some testing materials in the mail. Please be sure that the address you have on file in ISIS is current because that is where the materials will be sent.

Session Objectives

By the end of this week, you will:

• Define assessment
• Describe and list the steps in the assessment process
• Describe the competencies necessary for effective use of assessment instruction
• Identify and describe data collection methods
• Describe the initial interview and explain its purpose in the assessment process

Tips and Reminders

Please log into ISIS (http://isis.jhu.edu) at some point this week to ensure that the address you have on file is current because that is where the testing materials for the course will be sent.