University of WisconsinPlatteville

Office of Continuing Education

Course Syllabus

Graduate Credit Only

Title:Supervised Field Work(Core Requirement)

Number:

Semester:

Credits/Contact Hours:3 Graduate Credits Only / 45 Contact Hours

Days and dates:TBD

Times:TBD

Location:TBD

Instructor:Dr Roger Bass

Office Address:2001 Alford Dr

City/State/ZipKenosha, WI 53141

Office Phone:262-853-1951

E-mail Address:

Office Hours:TBD

Prerequisites:Completion of Applied Behavior Analysis and either completion of

or concurrent registration in Research Design and Ethics for

Behavior Analysts.

Course Description

Students will complete field work in accordance with the requirements of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. Coursework is summarized in the Module-x-Module Table following this syllabus. Two hours of lecture discussion will be supplemented with one hour of on-site instruction. This field training will not count toward BACB field experience hours. A schedule of observations and Task list skills to be demonstrated will be set by the BCBA supervisor and student. The observation record will be kept on BACB Supervised Field Placement forms. All content areas of the BACB Task list will be addressed during Supervised Field Work.

Texts

A handbook containing the following will be required:

*Readings (see module-by-module outline for specifics).

*Forms for field work supervision (these will be the form currently required by the BACB).

*Assignment form outlining skills the student will demonstrate in the field during supervisor observation/evaluation.

In addition, you must maintain communication with your supervisor regarding placement issues, supervisory schedule, and potential opportunities to gain additional experiences relevant to the Tasklist and your emphasis (e.g., PBIS training, BACB-approved workshops, etc.)

Assignments

*Reading assignments will be discussed in class for two hours per week and form the basis for field supervision assignments where specific skills are demonstrated (one hour of instructor guidance and evaluation in the field).

Field work is a collaboration between students, on-site staff, and the BCBA supervisor, who has the primary responsibility for molding each student’s skill sets into a complete, fluent repertoire.

Current Supervision Requirements

The Behavior Analysis Certification Board’s field supervision requirements for BCBAs is located at (

Tasklist Objectives

Each area of the Tasklist will be addressed during field work. To briefly exemplify that point students will address issues from each area including but not limited to:

*Ethics: Issues including confidentiality, program selection, restraint and seclusion issues,

*Definition and Characteristics: programs will be evaluated based on Baer, Wolf, & Risley (1968) criteria, the literature will be interpreted to discern best current practices, translational research, etc. will be addressed.

*Principles and Processes: The principles and processes underlying the behavior of interest will be discussed and written in technical and lay terms demonstrating that the student can discuss behavior analysis at numerous levels.

*Behavior Assessment. Data collection will be central to decision making and programmatic change.

*Experimental Evaluation of Treatment. The purpose of Supervised Field Work and Thesis research is to experimentally evaluate applied behavior analysis procedures.

*Measurement of Behavior. Numerous data collection procedures will be used to measure multiple response dimensions.

*Displaying and Interpreting Behavioral Data. Behavioral data will be summarized in several ways with the relative merits of each identified. Where possible, data displays that allow parents and teachers to most efficaciously identify relationships will be developed and used by Board Certification candidates to explain outcomes.

*Select Interventions/Strategies. Data-based decision making will be used throughout the field work. This will entail using data to select and modify procedures. Where appropriate, treatment comparisons will be made to illustrate their relative effectiveness.

*Behavior Change Procedures. A range of behavior change procedures appropriate to the area addressed (DD/Autism, Behavioral Education, etc.) will be used.

*Systems Support. In all cases where applied work is carried out, the student will be responsible for ensuring that the program’s positive effect endures after the student leaves the setting. This will require teaching techniques to others, ensuring that behaviors are maintained (or at least maintainable), and that the proper resources have been marshaled to give the client or student the best chances for enduring progress.

How these Content Areas are addressed specifically will, of course, require adapting behavior analysis to the client’s or student’s needs. Although the specifics will vary, the general principles and methodologies will be remain constant.

Module # (each module is two weeks) / Readings / Projects/Assignments / BACB Tasklist Emphases
1 / *Review of BACB Ethics statement.
*Ethical statements from ABAI, APA, and CEC. / *Write a paper to compare and contrast these ethical statements.
*Indicate how BCBAs should address ethical violations encountered in the field.
*Locate a placement site and meet the staff with whom the student will work. / Content Areas:
_X__1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
___3 Princ & Processes
___4 Beh Assessment
___5 Exp Eval of Treat.
___6 Meas of Behavior
___7 Display/Interp Data
___8 Select Interv/Strats
___9 Beh Change Proced
___10 Systems Support
2 / *Review characteristics of the field (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968).
*Review FBAs and basics of alternating treatments designs. / *Identify several targeted behaviors to address during field work. Indicate how each can be properly evaluated with an FBA. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
_X_2 Df & Charc
___3 Princ & Processes
_X_4 Beh Assessment
_X_5 Exp Eval of Treat.
___6 Meas of Behavior
_X_7 Display/Interp Data
___8 Select Interv/Strats
___9 Beh Change Proced
___10 Systems Support
3 / *Review how basic principles will be applied in the field work site. At the following: reinforcement (two kinds), escape-avoidance and it’ role in inappropriate behavior, stimulus control (stimulus equivalence and relational frames), schedules of reinforcement, establishing operatioins. / *Complete the FBA and cite techniques that remediate problems with contingencies (e.g., change existing contingencies, institute new contingencies, change schedules of reinforcement etc.) / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
_X_2 Df & Charc
_X_3 Princ & Processes
_X_4 Beh Assessment
_X_5 Exp Eval of Treat.
___6 Meas of Behavior
_X_7 Display/Interp Data
___8 Select Interv/Strats
_X_9 Beh Change Proced
___10 Systems Support
4 / *Describe how procedures suggested by FBAs can be experimentally evaluated in the field work context. / *Institute the program in the field work site and begin identifying resources (individuals and material resources) that cab used to maintain the behavior by others. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
_X_3 Princ & Processes
___4 Beh Assessment
_X_5 Exp Eval of Treat.
_X_6 Meas of Behavior
_X_7 Display/Interp Data
___8 Select Interv/Strats
_X_9 Beh Change Proced
___10 Systems Support
5 / *Data display procedures for data collected in the field (histograms, frequency polygons, standard celeration charts, etc.)
*Refine data collection procedures to simplify and retain sensitivity. / *Evaluate the relative merits of various data-display formats.
*Evaluate data collected thus far to determine possible trends and program enahancements. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
___3 Princ & Processes
_X_4 Beh Assessment
_X_5 Exp Eval of Treat.
_X_6 Meas of Behavior
_X_7 Display/Interp Data
_X_8 Select Interv/Strats
___9 Beh Change Proced
___10 Systems Support
6 / *Review published data
on tactics for ensuring generalization and maintenance of the behaviors addressed in field work / *Coordinate field site resources to develop a system for maintaining and generalizing students’ behavior. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
___3 Princ & Processes
___4 Beh Assessment
___5 Exp Eval of Treat.
___6 Meas of Behavior
___7 Display/Interp Data
___8 Select Interv/Strats
___9 Beh Change Proced
_X_10 Systems Support
7 / *Review literature relevant to practicum project.
*Refine behavior change procedures based on data--bring data to class, discuss with students.
*Poster session of previously published data in the area in which field work is completed. Summarize for other students and evaluate one’s own work in light of this literature. / *Poster session (seereadings). These reviews will follow the format provided by the instructor and will be made available to the class. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
___3 Princ & Processes
___4 Beh Assessment
_X_5 Exp Eval of Treat.
___6 Meas of Behavior
___7 Display/Interp Data
_X_8 Select Interv/Strats
___9 Beh Change Proced
___10 Systems Support
8 / *Review generalized behavior change literature in the area addressed by the field work. / *Begin maintenance program that transfers behavior change programs to others. This will involve explaining the program in lay and largely non-technical terms, training individuals to run the program, and serving as consultant rather than primary program provider. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
_X_3 Princ & Processes
___4 Beh Assessment
___5 Exp Eval of Treat.
___6 Meas of Behavior
___7 Display/Interp Data
___8 Select Interv/Strats
___9 Beh Change Proced
_X_10 Systems Support
9 / *Prepare literature review of area addressed in field work. This will be in the format of a presentation rather than poster session. / *Make presentation before students and faculty as part of a series of talks given by all students covering the programs they’ve run. The talks will address at least (a) ethical issues, (b) assessment, (c) behavioral principles used, (d) data collection and interpretation, (e) behavior change procedures used, and (f) how the program’s improvements will be maintained by others in the natural environ,ment. / Content Areas:
___1 Ethics
___2 Df & Charc
_X_3 Princ & Processes
_X_4 Beh Assessment
_X_5 Exp Eval of Treat.
_X_6 Meas of Behavior
_X_7 Display/Interp Data
_X_8 Select Interv/Strats
_X_9 Beh Change Proced
_X_10 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.