An Evidence-Based Practice Approach to School Counselor Education

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An Evidence-Based Practice Approach to School
Counselor Education

• John Carey, Carey Dimmitt, Natalie Kosine
• National Center for School Counseling Outcome
  Research
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Tim Poynton
• Suffolk University

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Evaluation and Research Competencies for School
Counselors

• Knowledge of Evaluation and Research Methods are
  critical knowledge for school counselors to have
  in order to participate in school reform efforts,
  demonstrate accountability, and effectively
  define evidence-based practices for local use

Data
School Counselors
Conceptual and Practical methods for using data
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Prior Research School Counselors and
Accountability

• Early research from the 1970s focused on time
  analysis procedures
• Answers the question
• How does a counselor spend his or her time?
• Still important today, but not in isolation

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Prior Research School Counselors and
Accountability

• Literature from the 1970s describes additional
  data sources for accountability, but relatively
  few school counselors actually engaged in formal
  evaluation activities that used quantitative
  data with relatively large numbers of students
  (Vacc, 1981).
• WHY?
• Relevance

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Accountability Today

• The ASCA National Model is the gold standard
  for school counseling programs, and is driven by
  the NCLB act
• Asserts that counselors must demonstrate how
  students are different as a result of the school
  counseling program in measurable terms (ASCA,
  2003)

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School Counselor Competence in Research and
Evaluation

• Early research arguing that school counselors
  tend to confuse accountability with research
  (Atkinson, Furlong, and Janoff, 1979) is no
  longer true
• Several authors assert that lack of training in
  graduate school (Wilson, 1985 Fairchild, 1993
  Vacc, 1981 Myrick, 1984, 1997) and little
  knowledge of assessment and evaluation procedures
  (Myrick, 1984, 2003) significantly hinder
  counselors accountability efforts

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School Counselor Competence in Research and
Evaluation

• Articles are appearing that describe various
  research methods to engage in accountability
  efforts, such as single-subject designs (Foster
  et al, 2002) and using schoolwide data (Dimmitt,
  2003 Hayes et al, 2002)

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Why School Counselors Underutilize the Research
Literature

• School Counselor Education Programs
• School Counselor Education Programs neglect
  training in research design, statistics and
  measurement
• School counselors have few opportunities to
  engage in research during graduate training
• School Counselor Education programs
  underemphasize research approaches that are the
  most appropriate for school counselors

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Why School Counselors Underutilize the Research
Literature

• School Counselor Education Programs
• School Counselor Education program do not infuse
  research throughout the curriculum
• School Counselor Education programs fail to teach
  that research is an indispensable foundation for
  practice

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Why School Counselors Underutilize the Research
Literature

• Public Schools Present barriers to Research
• Parents are reluctant to allow student to
  participate in research
• Classroom organization precludes strong research
  designs
• School Counselor Role does not include research
• Reward structures do not encourage research

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Why School Counselors Underutilize the Research
Literature

• School Counselor Attitudes towards Research
• School Counselors do not perceive research as
  valuable and relevant to their work
• School Counselors commonly fear statistics
• Gender stereotypes may inhibit research interest
  in female school counselors

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Why School Counselors Underemphasize Evaluation

• School Counselor Education Programs
• Neglect evaluation training in favor of research
  training
• State Departments of Education
• Do not require evaluation competence for
  certification
• School Counselors
• Fear the results of evaluation
• Lack evaluation skills
• Public Schools
• Workload precludes evaluation

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The Uses of Data
Accountability
Using Data
Decision Making
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Evidence-Based Practice

• All of the prior conceptual work on school
  counselor accountability, evaluation and and
  research has missed the mark
• Accountability has historically been viewed as
  the reason school counselors should engage in
  data collection activities
• In EBP, accountability is the end product of a
  process counselors can engage to identify areas
  in need of services, select appropriate
  interventions to address those needs, and
  evaluate the programs effectiveness at meeting
  those needs

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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice
Practitioners Individual Expertise
Best Evidence
Client Values and Expectations
EBP
Adapted from Shlonsky and Gibbs (2004), Will
the Real Evidence-Based Practice Please Stand Up?
Teaching the Process of Evidence-Based Practice
to the Helping Professions. In Brief Treatment
and Crisis Intervention, 4(2), 137-153.
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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice in School
Counselor Education
Intervention and Program EvaluationCompetence
Outcome Research Competence
Assessment of Intervention Targets and
Goals
EBP
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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice in School
Counselor Education
Outcome Research Competence
Intervention and Program EvaluationCompetence
Knowing how studentschanged
Assessment of Intervention Targets and Goals
EBP
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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice in School
Counselor Education
Intervention and Program EvaluationCompetence
Outcome Research Competence Knowing what
generally works
Assessment of Intervention Targets and
Goals
EBP
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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice in School
Counselor Education
Intervention and Program EvaluationCompetence
Outcome Research Competence
Assessment of Intervention Targets and
Goals Knowing what is needed
EBP
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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice in School
Counselor Education
Intervention and Program EvaluationCompetence
Outcome Research Competence
Assessment of Intervention Targets and
Goals
EBP
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An Evidence-Based Practice Competencies

• Our recommendations will be framed across topical
  areas which are domains of knowledge school
  counselors need to be effective practitioners in
  the 21st century

• Topical Areas
• Assessment of Intervention Target and Goals
  Competence
• Outcome Research Competence
• Intervention and Program Evaluation Competence

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An Evidence-Based Practice Competencies

• Developing the knowledge and skills to identify
  areas for program improvement
• Requires developing competencies in
• Analysis of Institutional data
• Processes for obtaining planning information from
  stakeholders
• Quantitative needs assessment techniques

• Topical Areas
• Assessment of Intervention Target and Goals
  Competence
• Outcome Research Competence
• Intervention and Program Evaluation Competence

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An Evidence-Based Practice Competencies

• Developing the knowledge and skills to identify
  and evaluate published research literature
• Requires developing competencies in
• Documentation and replicability of interventions
• Strength of the research design
• Psychometric properties of instruments and
  measures

• Topical Areas
• Assessment of Intervention Target and Goals
• Outcome Research Competence
• Intervention and Program Evaluation Competence

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An Evidence-Based Practice Competencies

• Competencies (continued)
• Evaluate analytic and meta-analytic reviews of
  outcome studies
• Summarize the results of major school-counseling
  related outcome studies
• Conceptual knowledge of statistical significance
  and effect size
• Conduct literature searches and consult panels
  and other information sources for evidence-based
  practices

• Topical Areas
• Assessment of Intervention Target and Goals
  Competence
• Outcome Research Competence
• Intervention and Program Evaluation Competence

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An Evidence-Based Practice Competencies

• Requires developing the knowledge and skills to
  generate local knowledge of school counseling
  intervention and program effectiveness
• Requires developing competencies in
• Strong evaluation designs appropriate for
  educational settings
• Selection and use of sound instruments and
  measures

• Topical Areas
• Assessment of Intervention Target and Goals
  Competence
• Outcome Research Competence
• Intervention and Program Evaluation Competence

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An Evidence-Based Practice Competencies

• Competencies (continued)
• Data analysis techniques, including the use of
  technology tools to assist in data analysis
• Interpretation of the results of data analysis
• Accurate dissemination and reporting of results

• Topical Areas
• Assessment of Intervention Target and Goals
  Competence
• Outcome Research Competence
• Intervention and Program Evaluation Competence

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A Model of Evidence-Based Practice in School
Counselor Education
Intervention and Program EvaluationCompetence
Outcome Research Competence
Assessment of Intervention Targets and
Goals
EBP
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Curriculum Implications

• A course that helps counselors develop skills in
  all three EPB domains is very helpful
• Its important at counselors are also taught how
  to enact an integrated EBP approach that can be
  implemented in a school (Data Based
  Decision-Making, Action Research, Logic Modeling)
• EBP skills should be integrated into all
  professional courses and practica (reading
  meta-analytic reviews and original research,
  evaluating research, writing briefs, designing
  evaluation approaches)

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Questions and Discussion
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Thank You!For additional information,please
visit the Center for School Counseling Outcome
Research websitehttp//www.cscor.org