School Psychology - NASP

 

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is a national organization that provides resources to members and nonmembers so that we may all help students succeed. As a NASP-accredited School Psychology training program, we aim to incorporate the NASP Blueprint Domains for Training and Practice into all of our courses, field experiences, and practica. The NASP website includes information, position statements, fact sheets, links, and numerous other resources for those who are involved with children in the schools, such as parents, principals, teachers, and school psychologists.

 

NASP Annual Convention 2008

NASP hosts an annual convention for students, practitioners, and trainers to present research and learn about current trends in the field. This past year's convention had the theme "Resilience: Building Strength for Life" and took place in New Orleans February 6-9, 2008. UNO faculty and students presented poster, paper and/or symposia presentations at this convention.

 

Decatur Street, New Orleans 2008

 

First years dressed up for Mardi Gras

 

The Corn Fence in the Garden District- Go Huskers!

 

After the Nebraska Dinner

 

Abstracts of Faculty Presentations for the 2008 National Convention

 

Submitting Proposals: Maximizing Your Success
(Special Session)

Lisa Kelly-Vance, Brian McKevitt

The process of preparing a proposal for a NASP Convention and tips for maximizing chances of being accepted will be presented. This sesion is appropriate for individuals who have never submitted a proposal as well as those who want to learn how to improve their proposals.

 

School Psychologists’ Knowledge and Use of Evidence-based Social-Emotional Learning Interventions
(Paper Presentation)

Brian McKevitt

This presentation describes the results of a national survey pertaining to school psychologists’ knowledge and use of evidence-based social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions. For the study, seven hundred school psychologists were sent a survey that listed (a) techniques for identifying SEL interventions, (b) 16 SEL programs that have been identified by more than one source as have strong evidence for their effectiveness, and (c) factors that school psychologists may use for deciding on a program to use in their schools. Participants in the survey were asked to rate their opinions about selecting and using SEL interventions, as well as their knowledge and experience with various SEL programs that have received much research attention. This presentation will highlight the results of this study and provide recommendations for research and practice regarding evidence-based SEL programs.

 

Making the Jump to Academia: Perspectives from Early Career Academics
(Symposium)

Brian C. McKevitt, University of Nebraska-Omaha; Jennifer L. Schroeder-Steward, Texas A&M University-Commerce ; Angela D. Mitchell, Texas Woman’s University; Kashunda L. Williams, Texas A&M University-Commerce; Judith Kaufman, Fairleigh Dickinson University

The purpose of this symposium is to provide graduate students and practitioners with information about transitioning to a career in academia. The field of school psychology is facing a shortage of university trainers. Many graduate students or early career practitioners may be interested in a career as a professor, but are intimidated about entering what some perceive as a competitive, “publish or perish” lifestyle. Presenters hope to dispel this stereotype by providing their own experiences with life in early career academia. Participants in the session will learn about the application process, general job requirements, and pros and cons of working in academia. The discussant, an experienced university trainer, will provide further perspectives to help participants make informed decisions about entering this rewarding career.

 

Abstracts of Student Presentations for the 2008 National Convention

How to Integrate Service Learning with Practical Experience
(Poster Presentation)

Sarah Engelhardt, Abbey Modica, Lisa Kelly-Vance

The purpose of this presentation is to help familiarize school psychology trainers with the importance and relevance of service learning projects, provide examples of these opportunities, and demonstrate how to integrate these projects into existing curriculum. The session will incorporate information, experiences, and data obtained by graduate students who participated in a service learning project in a school psychology training program, as well as the components necessary when implementing a service learning project, information on how to provide a service and a learning opportunity in one experience, and defining the role of response to intervention in service learning. The objective of this presentation is to present data which supports the relevance of integrating service learning into school psychology training programs.

 

Web-Based Program Reviews: How Do You Know Which to Choose?
(Poster Presentation)

Megan Fair,  Trina Uvaas, Jennifer Stober, and B rian C. McKevitt

The purpose of this poster is to provide a description and comparison of various web-based agencies which review programs. Presenters will provide techniques for selecting appropriate methods when choosing a program. This poster will demonstrate how the various agencies that review programs differ in regards to type of programs of interest and requirements involved with the review process. There are hundreds of programs designed for students and also many styles of rating and standards. It is important to understand how to find programs that are proven to effectively benefit students. All of these agencies provide useful information to school psychologists; however they do vary in the rating criteria and type of programs selected.

 

RtI in an Early Childhood Setting: A Play-based Approach
(Poster Presentation)

Abbey Modica, Jessica Mallory, Sarah Engelhardt, Lisa Kelly-Vance

This presentation examines the importance of the Response to Intervention method in early childhood settings and explains how it can be used with play-based assessments and interventions to promote cognitive development. A multi-tier approach will be discussed, with the first tier involving a universal screening of all children using play assessment to determine which children are in need of an intervention. The second and third tiers will include the implementation of varying levels of interventions which will be delivered through play. Case examples from Headstart and preschool classrooms will be discussed and the procedures and outcomes of the interventions will be shared. The role of teachers and school psychologists in this process will also be discussed.

 

Implementing Empirically-Based Interventions for Children with Selective Mutism
(Poster Presentation)

Sameena Noetzel, Ph.D., University of Nebraska at Omaha; Jackie Ternus, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Valerie Gortmaker, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center; Mark Shriver, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center

This study will illustrate the practical use of empirically-based school interventions for children with Selective Mutism (SM). Three case examples of children with SM will be provided to highlight the procedures for assessing and devising interventions for children with SM. Examples of how to utilize parents, teachers, and other school staff as agents of change will be shown, along with various assessment and progress-monitoring techniques. Results of the case examples will be shown and procedures to describe target behavior change in children with SM will be discussed. Finally, recommendations for how practitioners can carry out similar assessment and interventions in their settings, as well as directions for future research, will be delineated.

 

Building Resiliency in Students with ADHD: A Service-Learning Experience
(Poster Presentation)

 Jackie Ternus

Children with attention problems face many challenges in school, including problems completing work, staying organized, and reaching their academic potential. Research suggests that providing students with ADHD more external structure and more frequent feedback and rewards, as well as teaching them self-monitoring techniques can help the student become more academically successful. This poster highlights empirically-based methods used to help students with attention problems succeed in school. It also gives a case example illustrating the successful implementation of these methods with one student. The empirically-based methods presented are ones that practitioners can easily implement as well as train teachers and students to apply in the classroom.

 

Implementing Published Evidence-based Social-emotional Learning Programs: Make Your Money Count
(Paper Presentation)

Trina Uvaas, Megan Fair, Jennifer Stober, Brian C. McKevitt

The purpose of this presentation is to provide a resource to identify evidence-based social-emotional programs that have been found to be effective, and are required under No Child Left Behind. The presenters will identify various on-line program rating agencies, and their unique mission and goals in rating social-emotional programs. The differences in these rating systems have been reconciled into one cohesive system. Areas where there is currently a need for evidence-based programming to be developed and researched will also be identified. Attendees will benefit from an increased knowledge of resources available to use when selecting social-emotional programming. In addition, program evaluations, research and purchasing information will be available to school psychologists through an online web-based resource tool.

 

NASP Annual Convention 2007

The theme for the 2006-2007 year was "Responsiveness: The Fourth R" and the conference was held in New York City from March 27-31, 2007. Many UNO students and faculty from School Psychology had poster, paper, and/or symposia presentations.

Lower Manhattan from the Empire State Building

Students Dining Outside in Little Italy

 

Abstracts of Student Presentations from the 2007 National Convention

Generalization of Material in Trials of the Folding In Procedure

Brooke Lamp, Joe Woracek, & Metta Volker-Fry

The purpose of this poster is to educate practitioners on a potential procedural problem with the folding in technique. A methodological system of interspersing unknown material into known material, the folding in technique is a product of the ideals espoused in curriculum based assessment (CBA). Principles of applied behavioral analysis ( ABA) however may reveal a potential problem with the card placement of known and unknown material regarding the folding in procedure. An understanding of this potential problem will occur through exploration: 1) ABA; 2) direct skills assessment; 3) CBA; and 4) generalization of material. Knowledge gained from this poster will provide participants a better understanding of the influential forces of ABA on intervention techniques as well as empower practitioners to respond to these forces accordingly.

 

Using Brief Experimental Analysis to Improve Reading Fluency

Courtney Bussey, Brooke Lamp, Karie Martin, & Metta Volker-Fry

The purpose of this presentation is to educate school psychologists on the implementation of Brief Experimental Analysis (BEA) for improving reading fluency. The session will incorporate information, experiences, and data obtained by graduate students within a clinical setting. Throughout the session, the presenters will address the following information: 1) definitions and theoretical support for BEA; 2) demonstrations on how to conduct a BEA; 3) data supporting BEA for use with individual students; 4) elements to maximize BEA effectiveness; 5) practice and potential scenarios that may be encountered. It is the goal of this presentation to help school psychologists utilize BEA components to help facilitate reading fluency for individual students, apply BEA across multiple settings, and make data-based decisions responsive to the reading intervention.

 

Responding to student populations: Dual Language reading and comprehension outcomes

Lori Kruger & Casie Olsen

The purpose of this research: describe and compare English and
Spanish-speaking students enrolled in a Dual Language program performance
on oral reading and comprehension measures. This poster demonstrates
English and Spanish-speaking students progression during two academic years
in oral reading fluency in both languages and the relationship of their
oral reading fluency score with one comprehension measure. Participants
will learn how responding to students needs by implementing Dual Language
programs and regularly monitoring student progress in the native and
learning language may be a preventative tool in reducing potential future
academic difficulties.

The Relationship between Acculturation and Parental Involvement in Latino Parents

Casie Olsen

This research examines the relationship between acculturation and parental involvement in Latino parents. Parent responses from questionnaires were analyzed to examine the relationship between levels of acculturation and the types of parental involvement they engage in. The poster will provide information about: 1) how Latino parents define involvement; 2) the relationship between parents’ levels of acculturation and their definitions of parental involvement. Parental involvement has received a lot of attention for being a crucial part to a child’s academic success. However, parental involvement can be defined in numerous ways and parents tend to engage in numerous types of parental involvement. There are differences between the types of involvement seen in White, middle-class parents and types of involvement seen in Latino parents. Furthermore, cultural differences, specifically acculturation to the dominant culture, have had an impact on children’s academic success as well. Unfortunately, there is little knowledge regarding the relationship between acculturation and the types of parental involvement seen in the Latino population. This poster will provide insight into how parents from different cultural backgrounds define their involvement in their children’s education.

 

Comparing the Effectiveness of Two ESL and Dual-Language Schools

Michael Downes, Joseph Woracek, & Jennifer Feyerherm

The objective for our poster presentation is to highlight the benefits of Dual-Langauge (D-L) instruction for students who use Spanish at home. The presentation of our research findings compares a D-L program’s effectiveness to the more prevalent programs, which are focused primarily on teaching only English literacy. The reading scores that were analyzed came from a basal reading program that all four of the school groups completed. Those who attend this poster session will become more knowledgeable in how our nation should be better educating these students, who do not have English as a primary language.

 

Using Play Assessment to Evaluate the Developmental Level of Preschoolers

Melanie Lempke

Assessment is a critical component of early intervention programs. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA 97) includes infants and toddlers in this group in need of early intervention to prevent and/or reduce difficulties later in life. Assessment need not only be reliable and valid, but it should also lead to interventions. Traditional cognitive assessments have been criticized for providing only placement data and not intervention strategies. Play assessment provides a means of observing a child’s play behavior. Through these observations, a child’s areas of strengths and weaknesses can be determined which can lead to effective interventions. Interventions can be developed that expand on the child’s highest level of play and facilitate the development of the next level in the play sequence. Play assessment can then be used to monitor the child’s progress.