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PSY640 Week Two Interactive Assignment: Developing Age-Appropriate Psychoeducational Materials

Part of your role as a psychology professional is to educate the public about the practices of the profession. This week’s interactive assignment will provide you with unique opportunities to try on this expert role while developing a work product that you may be able to use in a professional context.

To prepare yourself for this assignment, place yourself in the role of a psychology professional. Your receptionist tells you that there are very anxious parents on the line who just made an appointment for their child to be tested by you. The child’s parents asked for a recommendation about how to explain to their child what to expect and why the family is coming to see you. Fortunately, you have written several books and psychoeducational materials for different ages and developmental levels to inform new clients about what to expect during their psychological testing appointments.

For your interactive assignment this week, you will develop and present a book to educate children about the psychological testing experience in a developmentally appropriate manner. Be sure to incorporate imagery that will catch the attention of the child along with your story. Your colleagues will then have an opportunity to provide feedback on your book, and you will have the opportunity to evaluate your colleagues’ books as well.

Clearly, the ability to understand concepts is an important accomplishment in learning. However, the ability to break down complex concepts and explain them to different audiences demonstrates deeper learning and is a highly desirable professional skill. I hope you will use this assignment to create a product that you—as a professional—could recommend to parents to educate children in developmentally appropriate ways. If you have access to children, it might be helpful to get their feedback on your book. Have fun!

Detailed version of assignment:

In this interactive assignment, you will create a story for children to educate them about psychological assessment. To begin, select a targeted developmental or reading level pre-K through grade 6. Review the elements required for each section of your storybook below. Visit the Storybird website to familiarize yourself with this technology. You may review the Storybird Quick-Start Guide for additional assistance with using this platform.

Your username will become the professional author name for your book. Therefore, when you register for your Storybird account it is recommended that you use the following format for your username: first initial followed by last name (e.g., JSmith). If you receive a message that your username has been taken, it is recommended you include your middle initial (e.g., JASmith). Do not use Internet handles and/or other unprofessional appearing pseudonyms.

Review the information in Chapter 5 of your textbook corresponding to the assessments appropriate for the age group you selected and review the Mental Health Assessment (2013) article for examples of information provided to the public about psychological testing. You may choose any appropriate title for your story. Be sure to address each of the following questions in your storybook in an age-appropriate manner:

• Why is the character in the story being referred for testing?
• Who will conduct the assessment?
• What is being measured?
• How long will testing take?
• Who will be present during the assessment process? If not in the room, where will parents and/or guardians be while the character in the story is being tested?
• How will the results be used? Who will have access to the results (e.g., medical doctor, family, the court, teachers), and why? This will vary depending on the character and plot in your story.
• How will the tests be taken?  
• What will be the outcome of the assessment? How will the information be used? How might this information impact the life of the character in your story?

Include content to address any developmentally appropriate fears that individuals of the age group you selected may have. For example, young children commonly associate going to the doctor with getting a shot.

Be sure to include all the required material from the instructions above in your online storybook. Once you have created your storybook, include the link in your initial post. In your initial post, note the age or grade level for the target audience of the story. Briefly analyze and comment on the challenges and benefits related to explaining psychological assessment concepts using language that is developmentally appropriate for children. Compare at least two assessment instruments used to assess intelligence or achievement for the age group you selected. Include in-text citations and references for all sources used.

Note: It is highly recommended you complete all written work in a separate document first and then cut and paste the required content into your online storybook. This will allow you to edit and save your work separately from the online storybook, should any technical failures occur. This approach will also allow you to work on your content without having to remain connected to the Internet, which will make it easier to develop and edit your content prior to publishing it to your online storybook.  

If you experience any technical difficulties, please visit the Storybird Help Center. The technical support offered through your Student Portal will not be able to assist you with the Storybird website.