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The Practice of Audiology: A Study of the Clinical Activities and Knowledge Areas for the Certified Audiologist ASHA

Author(s):
Rosenfeld, Michael; Tannenbaum, Richard J.
Publication Year:
1996
Report Number:
RR-96-10
Source:
ETS Research Report
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
120
Subject/Key Words:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Audiology, Job Analysis, Licensure, Surveys

Abstract

In 1994, responding to the changing nature of professional practice, the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) commissioned ETS to conduct an independent job analysis study of the practice of audiology. The purpose of that study was to modify and update the audiology performance domain identified in 1987 so that it accurately reflected the current state- of-the-art in audiology. This report describes the job analysis study conducted by ETS. It documents both the methods used in developing the performance domain of audiology and the analyses conducted to verify the importance of the performance domain; it also presents the results of these and related analyses, and the implications of the study outcomes for standards modification, curriculum redesign, and test development. The results of this study indicated that practitioners, educators, and clinical-fellowship supervisors were in agreement in terms of the clinical activities and knowledge areas that form the performance domain for entry-level audiologists. Only one clinical activity was not considered part of the performance domain. All three groups were also in agreement in terms of their classifications of more and less important clinical activities and knowledge areas; agreement in classification ranged from 89% to 97%. Finally, both practitioners and clinical-fellowship supervisors agreed that many of the clinical activities and knowledge areas should be learned and acquired earlier in the educational process than is currently the case. Educators, however, did not share this belief; they believed that most clinical activities and knowledge areas were being learned and acquired where they should be learned and acquired. The results of this study provide a solid foundation on which to base decisions regarding standards modification, curriculum redesign, and test development

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