A System-Based Approach to Expert Assessment Work-Exploring Experiences among Professionals in the Norwegian Educational Psychological Service and Schools

Abstract

The focus of this Q methodological study was to explore how professionals in the Educational Psychological Service (EPS) and schools experienced a system-based approach to expert assessment work. Forty informants from the EPS and schools sorted 60 statements about the assessment process. The following two shared viewpoints were identified: (1) teacherfocused EPS advisers and (2) principal-focused EPS advisers. While the two groups of EPS advisers seem to approach the school via either the teacher or the principal, joint collaboration on developing knowledge during the assessment process seems scarce in both viewpoints. The students' experience with school life is the least emphasized. Challenges related to collaboration on developing expert knowledge between the EPS and the student, teacher and principal are discussed. Three practical implications for the realization of a system-based approach to expert assessment work are suggested and further linked to implications for understanding and interpreting EPS's statutory task.

Collaboration between teachers and educational-psychological service counsellors

“…This means that the collaboration partners entered roles and followed the expected rules and structures (Goffman et al, 2004). Clarification of roles and responsibilities can resolve cross-challenging professional collaboration (Fukkink & van Verseveld, 2020; Kolnes et al, 2021; Mælan et al, 2020). The positioning the parties adopted indicated whether they were working with mutual respect, where this meant more than just professional respect, but also politeness and the willingness to listen and show personal respect (Fasting, 2018; Wiedebusch et al, 2022).…”

“…Before a decision can be made to allocate special teaching funds, an advisory assessment report on the pupil’s needs must be prepared. The local Educational-Psychological Service (EPS), a mandatory service in each municipality, provides an external advisory assessment, and furnishes the teachers with a tool for planning and implementing their teaching (Kolnes et al, 2021). EPS counsellors helps kindergartens and schools to build competence and work on organisational development.…”

“…Even though the counsellor needs access to the teacher’s knowledge when putting together an assessment report, the teacher might be in a more vulnerable position in the collaboration situation. It is her teaching, her differentiation and her pupils in her class that are being assessed (Fylling & Handegård, 2009; Kolnes et al, 2021).…”

“…This may be a very good point of departure for constructive collaboration between the two parties and can strengthen the relationship (Moen et al, 2018). One study examining a system-based approach to assessment reports revealed a lack of collaboration between EPS counsellors and school staff when it came to identifying pupils’ needs (Kolnes et al, 2021). The general conclusion was that more research is needed on interdisciplinary collaboration to illuminate the challenges and to learn how they can be solved.…”

“…This means that the power relationship between the teacher and the EPS counsellor is not equal, as the teacher is to a large degree dependent on the assessments made by the counsellor (Tveitnes, 2018). Both acknowledging each other as equal parties in the collaboration, and using such communicative tools as listening, asking, reflecting and acknowledging, will help to create a progressive process (Fukkink & van Verseveld, 2020; Hynek et al, 2020; Kolnes et al, 2021).…”