University of Wisconsin Platteville
Office of Continuing Education
Course Syllabus
BCaBA
Title: Assessment for BCaBAs
Number: TBD
Semester:
Credits/Contact Hours: 3 Undergraduate Credits / 45 Contact Hours
Days and dates: TBD
Times: TBD
Location: TBD
Instructor: Dr Roger Bass
Office Address:
City/State/Zip
Office Phone: 262-853-1951
E-mail Address:
Office Hours: TBD
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Behavior Analysis Certification Program (BCaBA).
Course Description
*Description: At least the following assessment procedures commonly used in Behavioral Education will be studied:
-Functional Behavior Analysis.
-Methodologies used in efficacy studies (e.g., effect sizes, meta-analysis, how single-subject designs address these issues, etc.)
-Time Sampling (including agreement statistics, observer training, agreement-vs-accuracy data, etc.)
-Checklists (e.g., BRP, SSRS, etc.)
-Commonly used assessments in autism, developmental disabilities and severe emotional disturbance (e.g., VB-Mapping, A
-Reinforcement menus and their use in instruction and classroom management.
-Interviewing techniques.
-ABC analyses.
-PlaCheck.
-Standard celeration data.
-Probability profiles and generativity.
-Measurements of relational frames, especially combinatorial entailment.
Emphasis will be placed on developing unobtrusive, easily applied data collection procedures that are sensitive to independent variables, dependent variables, and control procedures.
Field work required: None
Texts
Ennio Cipani PhD and Keven M. Schock MA BCBA. Functional Behavioral Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment, Second Edition: A Complete System for Education and Mental Health Settings.
You will also need a course handbook with readings, reading objectives, data collection sheets, Standard Celeration Charts, and projects.
Introduction to the Course
The structure of this class may be unlike any you have taken. Here are the key elements starting with overall course structure and ending with the elements of each class.
1. Overall Course Structure. The 18 weeks of this course will be divided into nine 2-week modules. These modules will each address a general area and consist of the following components:
(a) Reading objectives. Reading objectives are a reading assist. They come in two types:
(1) Comments. Comments are my remarks that clarify, extend, or correct your readings. They are fair game for test questions and are considered to be part of the reading assignment.
(2) Questions. Questions addressing you readings are posed and require you to provide a written answer.
Locating the material addressed by a reading objective. Reading objectives are preceded by numbers that indicate the location of the material being addressed. For example, "(122-123) indicate that the relevant material is found on pages 122 and 123 whereas "(122,2-123,1) means that the relevant passage is on page 122 paragraph 2 and extends to page 123 paragraph 1.
(b) SAFMEDS. "SAFMEDS" stands for "Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffle" and consist of key terms and concepts that are provided on cards. These will be studied cumulatively throughout the course.
(c) White boards. You will be given a dry erase board and magic marker. During class, you will write answers to questions and present them on the boards. Note that 15% of your grade is in-class participation—largely measured as your accuracy when answering questions in this format.
(d) Project. Each module will have at least one project that groups or individuals will complete.
(e) Module exam. Each module will terminate with an exam. This exam will be given on the last day of each module.
(f) Day 1 module test. Each module will begin with a check test over readings from that module. Questions may be posed prior to the test. Passage is 90% or better. Less than 90% requires retaking and passing the test prior to the end of the module.
(g) Course project: As part of Module 9, you will present a project. This presentation should be in the form of a professional presentation, as if you were presenting at a convention to a group of teachers. You will prepare your project for easy viewing by the audience, the key issues in your project will be succinctly stated, and you will field questions from the audience, including the instructor.
The focus of this project is how to improve Improve a published study.
(2) Daily Class Structure. Each class period will be structured thus:
(a) SAFMEDS check test. (about 5 minutes) Each class will start with a check test over the key concepts and vocabulary covered up to that point. SAFMEDS cards will be tested cumulatively throughout the course. These test scores will be recorded and count toward the final grade. You will keep daily data on your SAFMEDS performance.
(b) Q/A discussion. (variable) Lecture will be largely replaced with sets of questions I will ask and discuss with you. The entire class will respond via the white boards described above. Often, students will write their answers on blank cards and hold them up on the instructor's signal. Participation and answer accuracy are part of the final grade. You will keep data on your performance during class and record as per instructed by the professor.
(c) Module Projects. Class members will either individually or in small group work on projects related to the core issues addressed within a module.
Grading
Grades will be weighted thus:
*Reading objectives: 25%
*Module Projects: 20%
*Check tests (SAFMEDS/Reading Objectives): 25%
*Lesson revision project: 20%
*In-class lesson presentations: 10%
*Class participation can add up to 15% additional credit or lower your grade by 15% if absenteeism, obvious lack of preparation, etc. occur.
Grading follows this table:
100-90=A
80-89=B
70-79=C
60-69=D
59 and less=F
Grade remediation. You may remediate any grade by day 4 of the next module. I will not accept remediation at any point later than that.
The amount of remediation possible is described in this table:
100-90=Total credit
80-89=3/4 credit
70 and below=1/2 credit
This sliding scale encourages all students to do their best on the first attempt and makes it possible for anyone to pass the course with a C as long as they achieve an initial grade of 47.
Test Preparation. Be sure to enclose the test or paper on which the original error occurred. I will use this to evaluate your remediated version.
Late tests will be graded thus:
100-90=C
80-89=D
79 and less=F
Module # (each module is two weeks) / Readings / Projects/Assignments / BACB Tasklist Emphases1 / Chapter 1: Basic Concepts / *Write a paper describing the Science of Behavior for someone unfamiliar with it.
*Complete reading objectives.
* Prepare SAFMEDS (these are terms a the beginning of each chapter of CHH)
*Review BACB Ethical Guidelines / A. __Ethical considerations. B. B 3 Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 2 Behavioral assessment D .1 Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
2 / Chapter 2: FBA / * Write a set of taxonomically balanced set of target behaviors.
*Taxonomy project in handbook
* Evaluate the use of published timesampling procedures / A. __Ethical considerations. B. B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 6 Behavioral assessment D .__Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
3 / Chapter 3: Function-based Classification System. / *Prepare to identify research designs from examples presented in class. Practice with those in handbook. / A. __Ethical considerations. B. B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 6 Behavioral assessment D .__Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
4 / Chapter 4: Replacement Behavior Options / *Analyze vignettes into contingencies (see handbook exercises and preparation) / A. __Ethical considerations. B. B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 6 Behavioral assessment D .__Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
5 / Chapter 5: Vignettes—program development practice / *Categorize vignettes’ based on type of motivating operations described.
*Create original vignettes illustrating motivating operations. / A. __Ethical considerations.
B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 2 Behavioral assessment
D .4 Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
6 / Chapter 5: More vignettes and program development / *Describe applications of these techniques in your current or projected line of work.
*Write a task analysis for three skills. Use stimulus equivalence and relational frames in this (see handbook). / A. __Ethical considerations.
B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 6 Behavioral assessment
D .__Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
7 / FBA Field Project—develop FBA / *Describe applications of these procedures.
* Complete an FBA (forms are in handbook). / A. __Ethical considerations. B. B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 3 Behavioral assessment
D. 3 Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
8 / Complete FBA / *Distinguish between basic types of verbal behavior (e.g., mands, tacts, intrverbals).
*Describe how to do V-Mapping.
*Describe how to ensure lasting behavior change by using resources in the environment (content areas 8 & 10) / A. __Ethical considerations. B. B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. 3 Behavioral assessment
D .3 Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
9 / Report FBA and program suggestions to class / *Describe ethical responses to problems described in vignettes. Indicate how these ethical issues affect the selection of behavior change procedures. / A. 2 Ethical considerations. B. B __Definitions, principles, concepts
C. __Behavioral assessment
D .__Behavior change considerations
E. __Discretionary
Totals
A. 5 Ethical considerations in behavior analysis
B. __Definitions and characteristics & principles, processes and concepts
C. 25 Behavioral assessment & selecting intervention outcomes strategies
D .15 Experimental evaluation of interventions & in measurement of behavior & displaying and interpreting data
E. Behavior change procedures and systems support
NOTE: Students with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills are encouraged and have the responsibility to contact the Office of Continuing Education toll free 888-281-9472 regarding reasonable accommodation needs. Students requiring reasonable accommodation needs must be registered as a student with a disability. Please contact Roxanne Johanning at the Continuing Education Office.