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Addressing the Shortage of Rural School Psychologists via Technology

Using Candidate Qualitative Interviews to Inform Practice

University of Northern Colorado, Colorado, USA

Rik Carl D’amato

University of Northern Colorado, Colorado, USA, rik.damato{at}unco.edu

Steffanie Stecker

University of Northern Colorado, Colorado, USA

Elizabeth Mcgrain

University of Northern Colorado, Colorado, USA

For decades Colorado, USA, has had a shortage of school psychologists, especially in rural areas. The program ‘Giving Rural Areas Access to School Psychologist’ (GRAASP) was developed to meet this need by offering a technology based distance education program that trained candidates from remote sites across the state. Through the use of in-depth interviews the authors sought to answer the following question: What are the student-candidate perceptions of the GRAASP program? Students’ perceptions of their experiences added significantly to our understanding of the effectiveness of the GRAASP program. This article offers insight to educators of school psychologists and others who are considering the use of technology to train learners in remote areas to meet current shortages of qualified personnel in education and related areas.

Key Words: curriculum • distance education • e-learning • interactive video • online learning • program evaluation • qualitative approaches • qualitative research • school psychology jobs • school psychology training • shortage • technology

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