Perspectives on Administration and Supervision

Coordinator's Column

Hudson, M. W. — 2013-04-16T09:00:24-07:00

Technology: Project Using iPads for Clinical Supervision

Brown, K. H., Heggs, A., Millican, K. — 2013-04-16T09:00:24-07:00

The University of West Georgia Speech and Hearing Clinic is a part of the Comprehensive Community Clinic (CCC) located in the College of Education. Each semester, 20-25 graduate students complete an Advanced Clinical Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology rotation in the CCC. In this article, authors article discuss the use of technology, namely iPads, to (a) enhance the skills of graduate student clinicians preparing for entry into the 21st-century work environment and (b) determine the treatment efficacy of particular methods in communication and swallow applications for the clients they serve. Authors highlight specific cases and provide background information regarding the development and implementation process.

University: Supervisor and Supervisee Perceptions of an Adult Learning Model of Graduate Student Supervision

Gordon-Pershey, M., Walden, P. R. — 2013-04-16T09:00:24-07:00

Adult learning models rarely are applied to clinical supervision in communication sciences and disorders. Little evidence exists to attest to the utility of implementing adult learning models during clinical supervision of graduate students. To explore supervisor and supervisee perceptions of clinical supervision that used an adult experiential learning model as its theoretical approach, we conducted a semester-long study of university clinical supervisors and first-year speech-language pathology graduate students. Five university supervisor-supervisee dyads implemented a model of adult experiential learning during weekly supervisory feedback sessions for one semester. Use of the adult experiential learning model yielded perceived benefits for clients, students, and supervisors. Supervisors noted that use of the model was somewhat of a departure from their usual ways of supervising. Overall, participants perceived the model as beneficial to supervisees' learning of clinical skills and decision-making. The model facilitated students' generalization of clinical skills across their clinical experiences. The impracticalities of this method of implementing the model could be reduced in future studies by providing a longer period of pre-implementation supervisor training, during which supervisors would adapt their current supervision practices to the model. Ton conclude, authors offer a proposed decision tree to guide implementation of the model.

Current Issues: Social Hour: Clinical Training in Cognitive-Communicative Disorders

Salley, S. W., Pulliam, W. J. — 2013-04-16T09:00:24-07:00

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) clearly defines the role of speech-language pathologists in the area of cognitive-communicative disorders across the lifespan. It is the responsibility of university training programs to provide graduate student clinicians with a wide range of clinical training opportunities that prepare them to enter the profession of speech-language pathology with all the requisite knowledge and skills. Therefore, university programs must be creative in designing training opportunities that fulfill this requirement. This article explores one clinical training approach, a program called Social Hour, that provides graduate student clinicians the opportunity to gain experience addressing cognitive-communicative disorders in a group setting.

Supervision: Opportunity for Effective Feedback: A Supervision Tool

Wilson, D. A., Emm, M. J. — 2013-04-16T09:00:24-07:00

Literature recognizes that the supervision of student clinicians is an essential part of the learning process, including the successful development of clinicians' knowledge and skills. This two-part study compares a student clinician survey and data collection from supervisor observations regarding positive and corrective written feedback. In addition, it provides the benefits of an observation tool developed for written feedback in the supervisory process, as well as the results of supervisor and student clinician surveys regarding the tool's usefulness. This information could benefit supervisors in improving feedback to student clinicians and developing a means for appropriate feedback in a given clinical setting.