I know many, many SLPs who are ‘blank sheet of paper’ data collectors — they can walk in a session with just a notebook, and write down notes or tallies as they go.  I am not that sort of SLP.  Whether it’s just my strong preference for structure, or my fears of forgetting something important, I have always liked setting up data collection sheets which provide both some space for specific targets (outlined according to the goals), and some space for writing down subjective impressions or notes for consideration.  When I started working as an instructor for clinical practicum experiences (aka, “supervisor”), I found it was no different:  I greatly benefit from having key points or skills designated.

McCrea & Brasseur, discuss Observing in the Supervisory Process in Chapter 6 of The Supervisory Process in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (2003), and specifically lend insight into different methods of data collection (p. 166 – 171).   My own “take-away” thoughts from their discussion included, “The understanding and appropriate use of systematic observation and data collection methods by supervisors is important for establishing supervision as a thoughtful, scientific, and validated process.  Supervisors need to be skilled observers, but more than that, they must also develop efficient, practical procedures for recording their observations for later use.” (p. 166).

This also meant that I had set up the opportunity to model:

— the value of data collection — I’m not a fan of “do as I say, not as I do.”  If I tell the students that it is critically important for them to take notes and keep track of learning trends, I think it is just as important that I am also doing so as a means of informing my own teaching,

— at least one example of how data collection can be structured.  We talk about how this is a very personalized endeavor and what works for one person may not work for another; that whatever the method of data collection/coding/tallies is, it should have low cognitive demands (if I have to think to much about my system of note-taking, it means I am distracted from my teaching and at risk for inaccuracy).

— a shared sense of expectations.  When we review my note-taking tools, I talk about what I will be looking for in their conduct, and the rationale.  We discuss how some learners may be curious about the notes they take, and that it can be an opportunity to engage them in self-monitoring.  Others may be distracted by the side activity or wonder about how they are performing, and so these are important considerations to take into account.  If, for whatever reason, it was not appropriate to directly share my  data, I always used to say, “I take notes to help me remember everything I’m learning about you.”

The SOAP format always basically made sense to me, and I designed the sheet that I use to include that structure  as well as the key points required in the grading rubric we use for either intervention or assessment.  I print two copies of the form and use carbon paper — the graduate student clinician gets the top copy (immediately following the session), and I keep the carbon version.   I do have a rating scale at the bottom and I need to track down where specifically I found these categories — they are not mine, but I am using them for now as a means of gauging my presence in the clinical process, how much influence or instruction was imparted for those areas.  I’m not convinced this is meaningful for me, but I’m giving it a try for a bit longer.

Although their particular tool didn’t quite work for me (see also, “data collection is very personal…”), I hope that it reflects the findings discussed in Wilson, D. & Emm, M. (April 2013).  Opportunity for Effective Feedback:  A Supervision Tool.  Perspectives on Administration and Supervision:  28-34.

Specifically, in brief:

(1) “Tracy, Van Dusen, and Robinson (1987) state that effective feedback needs to provide the recipient with knowledge and rationales for improvement.” (p. 28)
(2) balance with positive reinforcement and corrective feedback; “Supervisors are encouraged to be respectful, goal-based, non-judgmental, specific, and focused on behaviors, and to give the right amount of feedback and suggestions for improvement.” (p. 28)
(3) Be mindful of types of feedback:  vague-positive, specific-positive, vague-corrective, specific-corrective.  This is also consistent with McCrea & Brasseur, who cautioned about overuse of “…evaluative statements reflecting their perceptions of the appropriateness of the behaviors in the treatment or assessment session as they view it; for example, “Your directions were too difficult for the client” (p. 167).  They caution that although these kinds of statements may be needed at times, they should be associated with immediate plans for learning more effective strategies and self-evaluation.  That “it is these active, direct behaviors of the supervisor that do not encourage, in fact probably discourage, self-analysis and creative thinking on the part of supervises.” (p. 168).

(4) Finally, for Wilson, D. & Emm, M. (April 2013):  “The observation record was a single sheet form containing identifying information, a list of possible focus areas, and narrative space for both positive and corrective feedback comments.” (p. 29)

Over time, I have modified the forms I use based on feedback from the students, my experience with using it, and trying to apply principles of andragogy (how adults learn), as described in  Gordon-Pershey, M. & Walden, P. (April 2013).  Supervisor and Supervisee Perceptions of an Adult Learning Model of Graduate Student Supervision.  Perspectives on Administration and Supervision:  12-27.  Specifically, that my feedback is hopefully consistent with:  “The hallmarks of reflective practice are conscious thought about clinical situations, critical evaluation of possible solutions in clinical situations, and self-reflective assessment of the outcomes of one’s clinical actions (Jarvis, 1987; Schon, 1990; Walden, 2011).” (p. 13)

These are all under Resources (“m4ter14ls”), and should be findable with the search term “SOAP” but the one for intervention is not coming up for me unless I use the search term “observing”.  I don’t know why that is.  There is a series of supervision SOAP notes for assessments which follow the different phases of the model we use for AAC assessments at PSU.

End blip.