Abstracts Category : Other

A professional decision you have to make': a sociocultural exploration of practice and impact within educational psychologists' use of dynamic assessment

by Gabrielle Stacey

Evidence suggests that despite convincing arguments as to why Educational Psychologists (EPs) should use Dynamic Assessment, use of the approach amongst professionals may be low. There is also little evidence to show the impact of Dynamic Assessment other than a handful of case studies. This research aimed to better understand EPs use of Dynamic Assessment in two Local Authorities by exploring specific practices and influences on practitioners using semi-structured interviews based on Engestrms Activity Theory Framework. This framework was complemented by a Personal Construct Psychology technique known as the Repertory Grid Method to ensure due weight was given to the beliefs experiences and choices of EPs interviewed. A case study was also carried out to look at the impact of Dynamic Assessment on a Special Needs Coordinator working with an EP in one of the Local Authorities. The research found that Dynamic Assessment provides information about a childs strengths, difficulties and approach to learning, along with insight into what helps the child to learn more effectively. When used within a consultative approach where the adult working with the child is an integral part of the assessment process, this increased understanding can result in changes to the way the member of staff thinks about and works with the child, and potentially how they work with other children too. Despite these benefits the research showed that there are many constraints to EPs using the approach that require personal commitment and effort to overcome, sometimes in spite of the prevailing culture.