The assessment of cognitive functions and personality in adults (4 SP)

Didactical model explanation

The didactic model presented here is quite self-explanatory. It has been somewhat modified from my original model for course development. The main modification is the inclusion of the levels of didactic action and reflection (Plan -> Process -> Analyze) from Jank and Meyer’s theory ¹ that has been introduced on the course. Course planning begins with checking/creating course goals and moving on to constructing course content/methods for achieving learning goals. When the course is taught (processing), feedback should be taken and used to adjust course contents if possible. When the teaching situation has ended, course outcomes, feeback and the teacher’s experiences should be analyzed. It is assumed that learning goals, course content and methods are reflected on in every phase of the model.

Other additions to the model follow.  First, a focus on problem-based learning in designing learning situations, especially if the course aims to transfer clinical and/or practical skills^{2, 3}. Second, using Bloom’s taxonomy⁴ as a general guideline for setting up learning goals / levels of competence that should be achieved for different areas of the course (beginning from basic knowledge, moving on to comprehension, application, and to further analysis and evaluation). Extra course content above the minimum/average level required for passing may be constructed for students who are interested. Third, learning methods supported by research, such as self-testing, interleaved practice and distributed practice should be used when creating course content⁵.

Course explanation

Course name: The assessment of cognitive functions and personality in adults (4 OP)

Learning goals = The course should give basic knowledge and skills about performing cognitive and personality assessment on adults. After course completion the student should know how to utilize the most commonly used instruments for assessing cognition and personality in real clinical/client situations.

Requirements for course registration: Bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Completion requirements: Attending the lectures and seminars (80 % attendance requirement) and successfully completing the practice assessment with client.

Methods, learning space and media = Physical lectures and seminars. Extra reading materials found in Moodle. Tests found in the test archive at the university.

Content/Structure:

1. Twelve lectures (24 h)
   Theoretical and practical knowledge about assessment and methods is given.
   The course also includes two guest lectures from people outside the university to give perspectives that are more informed by practical application.
   1. History, intercultural aspects & ethics of psychological assessment
   2. The concept of intelligence, basics about cognitive assessment
   3. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV
   4. WMS-III, CERAD & other cognitive tests
   5. Integration & interpretation of results
   6. Clinical interview & questionnaires
   7. Assessing personality with five-factor models: NEO-PI-III & PK5,
   8. Assessing pathological changes in personality and mood: MMPI-2 & mood inventories
   9. Overview and critique on ROCS, Wartegg & other projective personality tests
   10. Writing the statement & summary of course contents
   11. Guest lecture 1 (cognitive assessment)
   12. Guest lecture 2 (personality assessment)
2. Three seminars. (6 h)
   • Participants are divided into smaller groups, given medical information and test results about a fictional patient, and have to work together and formulate answers to a set of questions regarding the interpretation of test data.
     The patient cases and questions reflect the contents of recent lectures.
   • The cases are discussed together with all at the end of each seminar.
3. Self-study (20 h)
   • Getting familiar with the test instruments and reading related material.
4. Real practice cases (58 h)
   • Participants divide into workpairs. Every pair receives a first-year student that they assess.
   • Assessment includes performing a psychological interview, as well as several broad batteries of cognitive and personality tests, and writing a statement based on these.
   • The students get two instruction sessions (2 x 45 min) with the teacher to help in interpreting results and writing the statement.

References

¹Jank, W. & Meyer, H. (2002). Didaktiske modeller, p. 57–60, 151–154. København: Hans Reitzel.

²Spiers, J. A., Williams, B., Gibson, B., Kabotoff, W., McIlwraith, D., Sculley, A., & Richard, E. (2014). Graduate nurses’ learning trajectories and experiences of Problem Based Learning: A focused ethnography study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 51, 1462-1471.

³Rovers, S. F. E, Clarebout, G., Savelberg, H. H. C. M., & van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2018). Improving student expectations of learning in a problem-based environment. Computers in Human Behavior, 87, 416-423.

⁴Bloom, B. S. (Ed.), Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy  of educational objectives: The  classification of educational goals. Handbook 1: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay.

⁵Dunlosky (2013): Strengthening the study toolbox. American educator, Fall 2013.