Past Projects
The following projects were derived from requirements for my doctoral coursework.
An Examination of
the Social-Communication Test of the AEPS, Second Edition
The purpose of the study was to gain perceptions of the items contained in the Social-Communication Area of the Assessment, Evaluation, and, Programming System (AEPS), Second Edition (Bricker, 2002), for use with children who speak a nonstandard dialect of English. A nonstandard dialect is defined as an English dialect that is not used as the primary means of instructions in schools (Cheatham, Armstrong, & Santos, 2009). Examples of nonstandard dialects include African American English, Hawaiian Creole, Hispanic English, North Midland Dialect, and Southern Mountain English. A basic interpretative approach and focus group methodology was used to gather data and analyze the findings. A sample of content experts and practitioners were assembled to review and discuss the items of the Social-Communication Test of the AEPS. The purpose of the study was to use the findings to plan a subsequent study that will be used to provide feedback and recommendations to the developers of the AEPS and add to the existing literature base regarding bias in curriculum-based assessments for children who speak a nonstandard dialect of English. The primary research question was answered through this project was: What are experts perceptions regarding using the AEPS to assess the social-communication of children who speak a nonstandard dialect of English?
IRB Application
Final Paper
The purpose of the study was to gain perceptions of the items contained in the Social-Communication Area of the Assessment, Evaluation, and, Programming System (AEPS), Second Edition (Bricker, 2002), for use with children who speak a nonstandard dialect of English. A nonstandard dialect is defined as an English dialect that is not used as the primary means of instructions in schools (Cheatham, Armstrong, & Santos, 2009). Examples of nonstandard dialects include African American English, Hawaiian Creole, Hispanic English, North Midland Dialect, and Southern Mountain English. A basic interpretative approach and focus group methodology was used to gather data and analyze the findings. A sample of content experts and practitioners were assembled to review and discuss the items of the Social-Communication Test of the AEPS. The purpose of the study was to use the findings to plan a subsequent study that will be used to provide feedback and recommendations to the developers of the AEPS and add to the existing literature base regarding bias in curriculum-based assessments for children who speak a nonstandard dialect of English. The primary research question was answered through this project was: What are experts perceptions regarding using the AEPS to assess the social-communication of children who speak a nonstandard dialect of English?
IRB Application
Final Paper
Grant Proposal: An examination of Social-Communication Bias in Early Childhood Assessments
The purpose of the proposed project is to examine the content validity of the Social-Communication Area of the Assessment, Evaluation, and, Programming System, Third Edition (Bricker, in preparation). Content validity will be established by (a) conducting a synthesis of existing literature on social-communication development to examine the scope and sequence of assessment items, (b) conducting a synthesis of existing literature on social-communication development for children who are dual language learners to determine if the AEPS items are in the correct sequence for that population, (c) conducting a synthesis of existing literature on social-communication development for children who speak a nonstandard dialect to determine if the AEPS items are in the correct sequence for that population, (d) having experts in social-communication examine the items of the social-communication area of the AEPS test to confirm that the scope and sequence of items matches their expert opinion of social-communication development, and (e) conducting analysis of the items in the social-communication area of the AEPS test using Item Response Theory to determine if bias exists.
Generic Grant RFA
Final Grant Proposal
The purpose of the proposed project is to examine the content validity of the Social-Communication Area of the Assessment, Evaluation, and, Programming System, Third Edition (Bricker, in preparation). Content validity will be established by (a) conducting a synthesis of existing literature on social-communication development to examine the scope and sequence of assessment items, (b) conducting a synthesis of existing literature on social-communication development for children who are dual language learners to determine if the AEPS items are in the correct sequence for that population, (c) conducting a synthesis of existing literature on social-communication development for children who speak a nonstandard dialect to determine if the AEPS items are in the correct sequence for that population, (d) having experts in social-communication examine the items of the social-communication area of the AEPS test to confirm that the scope and sequence of items matches their expert opinion of social-communication development, and (e) conducting analysis of the items in the social-communication area of the AEPS test using Item Response Theory to determine if bias exists.
Generic Grant RFA
Final Grant Proposal