Interview: Assessment Professional Instructions

Overview

The Assessment Professional Interview assignment is designed to help you connect assessment and research content in this course to the professional world of teaching, administration, assessment, and special education.  (MLO: A, E)

Materials

Interview: Assessment Professional Instructions

Interview: Assessment Professional Template

Interview: Assessment Professional Grading Rubric

Instructions

The individual you choose to interview could have a number of professional titles [special education coordinator, testing coordinator, assessment coordinator, etc.].  The “Assessment Professional” should meet the following criteria:

·      should be a full-time school district employee

·      deal directly with the assessment of special education students and/or programs

·      coordinate the collection, evaluation, and dissemination of special education academic and/or behavior data

·      collect and analyze special education student data

·      work with academic support units to develop and assess special education services and/or outcomes

·      assist special education teachers in evaluating the effectiveness of tests and test items

You are responsible for locating a viable individual; please DO NOT contact the School of Education Field Office. Please note that, even though some guidance counselors perform many assessment tasks, you should not interview a guidance counselor for this assignment.

For this assignment you will turn in:

• Brief introduction and description of the individual’s professional background.
• Interview questions
• Original interview responses (scan of handwritten notes).
• Typed summary of interviewees response to each question (If you want, you can turn in a transcript of your interview.)
• (see rubric for more specific information)

When contacting an individual that meets the above criteria for this assignment, be sure to explain the assignment and its requirements. Be sure to gain permission to take notes or to audiotape the interview. Upon agreement, set up an appointment that is convenient to conduct the interview. 

Possible Interview Questions:

You may want to write additional questions to gather information specific to your interest or focus.

·      Identify and describe your role as an assessment specialist in this school/district

·      How long have you been with this district?

·       What is your background in education?

·       Where did you get your degrees? In what?

·       Dealing with assessment, what is the best part of your job?

·       Dealing with assessment, what is the one thing you dislike about your job?

·       What is your opinion regarding assessment and professional development?

·       How do you define a good assessment?

·       What is the spectrum of students with special needs at this school/district?

·       What would you suggest I do to learn more about assessment in the field of special education?

·       What do you see as the current trends regarding assessment?

·       Did you have any key mentors or people who deeply influenced you are as a professional? How?

Submit this assignment by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module 4: Week 4.