Monday with MASP: The Expert in the Loop: Navigating AI and the Shift to Problem-Solving Reports

The Expert in the Loop: Navigating AI and the Shift to Problem-Solving Reports

Description of Presentation:

Today’s presentation will start with a brief historical look at report writing and how we came to write reports the way we do today. We will consider the burden of documentation, how it interfaces with the assessment process, the legal requirements for a report, and how it is valued by consumers. We will also consider the advent of AI models and the potential to “lighten” the load or possibly “increase” it, or worse, result in deskilling psychologists. Ultimately, it is important to consider whether school psychologists need to consider moving to reports that document the problem-solving process, rather than focusing largely on “displaying” underinterpreted assessment results to meet special education eligibility requirements. 

Objectives:

• Examine the historical and legal frameworks that shape current psychological documentation
• Assess the benefits and risks of AI in reporting, from reducing workload to the potential for practitioner deskilling.
  
• Identify how documentation interfaces with the assessment process and its ultimate utility for stakeholders.
• Explore transitioning from result-heavy reports to documents that prioritize interpretation and the problem-solving process.

Bio:

Garry Wickerd, PhD, NCSP, BCBA, is an Associate Professor and the Department Chair of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine. A former high school teacher and practicing school psychologist in California and Minnesota, Dr. Wickerd brings varied experience to his role as an educator and advocate for the profession of school psychology. His research and teaching focus on using AI for Instruction, Assessment of Multilingual Learners, History of Psychology, and Report Writing. As a State Certified and Licensed Psychologist, he brings a wealth of field experience to his mission of helping school psychologists and other educational professionals translate research into practice.