The Effect of Anxiety on the Measurement of Reading Fluency and Comprehension

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between anxiety and performance on measures of reading fluency and reading comprehension in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. The study found that there is a significant negative correlation between social anxiety and reading comprehension but no significant correlation between social anxiety and reading fluency. These findings further demonstrate the distinction between the cognitive processes that underlie reading fluency and reading comprehension. The results also align with the tenets of Processing Efficiency Theory in that more complex tasks that significantly tax working memory (like reading comprehension) are more likely affected by anxiety than those tasks that do not rely as heavily on working memory (such as reading fluency)

The Role of the School Psychologist in K-12 Online and Blended Learning Environments

With the appropriate preparation and training, school psychologists are uniquely suited to provide support within the K-12 online learning environment for students, teachers, administrators, and families. The preparation and training needs at the level of graduate training and professional development are highlighted. Specific emphasis is placed on the adaptation of the school psychologist’s functions in the areas of consultation, intervention, assessment, and counseling. Additionally, the development of better credentialing models for interstate service delivery and the need for empirical research related to school safety are discussed

Job Satisfaction in School Psychology Graduate Preparation: A Pilot Study

This pilot study investigated the status of job satisfaction among school psychology faculty with the hope of gaining insight in to factors that may encourage doctoral-level graduates to pursue jobs in academia. A second purpose of the study was to discover areas of improvement in job satisfaction to support current faculty members in continuing in their chosen careers. Finally, the study sought to establish the reliability of a job satisfaction instrument for use in larger-scale studies. A total of 94 school psychology faculty members in specialist-level and/or doctoral-level National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)-approved programs completed an author-designed survey. The 34-item survey was clustered into the following categories: Compensation, Role/Function, Personal Fulfillment, Colleagues, Graduate Candidates, and Administrative Support/Resources. At an item level, participants reported overall satisfaction with their jobs and satisfaction in most areas of their employment. Exploratory analyses revealed only a few significant differences in individual item satisfaction. Specifically, participants ranked as Full Professor reported significantly higher satisfaction with the tenure and research expectations than those participants who identified themselves as Assistant Professors. Additionally, participants indicated job satisfaction in four out of six categories. Cronbach’s alpha for the overall instrument was .92 with the current sample

The Continuing Professional Development of School Psychologists in Georgia: A Comparison to National Practices and Preferences

The current study investigated Georgia school psychologists’ continuing professional development (CPD) practices and preferences for comparison to a national study of school psychology professional development by Armistead, Castillo, Curtis, Chappel, and Cunningham (2013). Utilizing the same instrument as Armistead et al., a survey was emailed to 442 members of the Georgia Association of School Psychologists (GASP). Ninety-five surveys were completed at a 21.5% response rate. Both Georgia school psychologists and national school psychologists reported receiving a median of approximately 40 hours of professional development in the previous year. Georgia school psychologists differed from the national sample with a higher percentage expressing satisfaction with the amount of professional development provided by their state professional association, with lower personal costs associated with CPD, and with greater participation in online professional development opportunities

A Culture of Extrinsically Motivated Students: Chemistry

Recent research indicates that students are adopting a consumerist approach to education, while data shows that the best academic outcomes are associated with intrinisc motivation. The goal of the study was to explore student academic motivation in an undergraduate Principles of Chemistry I class. The pilot study targeted approximately 432 students at a large, public four year university enrolled in 9 sections of the class over two semesters. Student academic motivation was measured using the adapted Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). A total of 311 students returned the survey (response rate = 72 %). The results indicated that students enrolled in Chemistry I classes were extrinsically motivated more than intrinsically motivated. The types of extrinsic motivation identified by students were the least autonomous ones, such as external and introjected regulation

Child and Adolescent Psychopathology for School Psychology: A Practical Approach

This is the only text to address child and adolescent psychopathology from the viewpoint of the school psychologist. Integrating, comparing, and distinguishing DSM-5 diagnoses from IDEA disability classifications, it provides a comprehensive overview of mental health conditions in this population. This book addresses the impact of these conditions at school and at home, along with a description of practical, evidence-based educational and mental health interventions that can be implemented in school environments. It addresses the role of the school psychologist and details a variety of educational supports and school-based mental health services as they apply to specific conditions. This resource provides comprehensive coverage of school psychologists\u27 responsibilities, including assessment, educational and skill-based interventions and supports, consulting with key stakeholders, and advocacy. Case studies address classification issues and varied approaches psychologists can use to support students. Chapters provide a variety of features to reinforce knowledge, including quick facts, discussion questions, and sources for additional resources.https://ecommons.luc.edu/facultybooks/1207/thumbnail.jp

Mobile App Selection for 5\u3csup\u3eth\u3c/sup\u3e through 12\u3csup\u3eth\u3c/sup\u3e Grade Science: The Development of the MASS Rubric

Tablets devices for student use present several advantages over laptops and desktops including portability, touch-screen features and numerous applications. However, the magnitude of apps available also presents a challenge for secondary science educators who struggle to select content-appropriate applications that support the development of science literacy and science content acquisition. This paper details the process of creating, developing and testing a mobile science application rubric so as to aid secondary science classroom teachers in selecting and rating science applications for a K-12 student target population and its curricular needs. Quantitative and qualitative data collected during four design cycles resulted in the Mobile App Selection for Science (MASS) Rubric, comprising six items on a four-point response scale. Further comparison of the science content-specific MASS rubric with a general mobile app selection rubric (Evaluation Rubric for Mobile Applications; ERMA) revealed expected results with three item pairs (Pair A, Pair C, and Pair D) demonstrating concurrent validity through significant correlations and one pair (Pair B) displaying the expected divergent validity. Additionally, paired t-tests among each pair indicated a significant difference in participants\u27 ratings of the apps using the two rubrics. The differences in ratings were also in the expected direction given the content-specific nature of MASS versus the more general nature of ERMA