ABSTRACT This research study examines the supervision of paraprofessionals in the human services using a qualitative methodology. It focuses on the views of the paraprofessionals, who were all women, with the central research question: What are paraprofessionals’ views of supervision in the human service field? The literature on this topic is scarce and the goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the most effective supervisory practices for paraprofessionals and ultimately to improve practice in this area. The qualitative methodology was based on a phenomenological approach and used one on one interviews to capture the views and experiences of the participants. The findings indicated that women paraprofessionals clearly value and benefit from supervision and respond best to approaches that are highly supportive, empowering and collaborative in nature, and use a variety of formats including one on one sessions, group meetings and peer support. It is important to ensure adequate job orientation and relevant training. The supervisory relationship is key to the success of supervision and should include ongoing feedback and validation. Concerns regarding safety in the workplace as well as burnout need to be addressed to improve working conditions and job satisfaction for the paraprofessional. Issues related to oppression and culture are important in understanding the unique experience of the paraprofessional and need to be addressed by both supervisors and the agencies that employ them. Further research on this topic is recommended. / October 2006

No description available.

ABSTRACT This research study examines the supervision of paraprofessionals in the human services using a qualitative methodology. It focuses on the views of the paraprofessionals, who were all women, with the central research question: What are paraprofessionals’ views of supervision in the human service field? The literature on this topic is scarce and the goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the most effective supervisory practices for paraprofessionals and ultimately to improve practice in this area. The qualitative methodology was based on a phenomenological approach and used one on one interviews to capture the views and experiences of the participants. The findings indicated that women paraprofessionals clearly value and benefit from supervision and respond best to approaches that are highly supportive, empowering and collaborative in nature, and use a variety of formats including one on one sessions, group meetings and peer support. It is important to ensure adequate job orientation and relevant training. The supervisory relationship is key to the success of supervision and should include ongoing feedback and validation. Concerns regarding safety in the workplace as well as burnout need to be addressed to improve working conditions and job satisfaction for the paraprofessional. Issues related to oppression and culture are important in understanding the unique experience of the paraprofessional and need to be addressed by both supervisors and the agencies that employ them. Further research on this topic is recommended.

ABSTRACT This research study examines the supervision of paraprofessionals in the human services using a qualitative methodology. It focuses on the views of the paraprofessionals, who were all women, with the central research question: What are paraprofessionals’ views of supervision in the human service field? The literature on this topic is scarce and the goal of this research is to improve our understanding of the most effective supervisory practices for paraprofessionals and ultimately to improve practice in this area. The qualitative methodology was based on a phenomenological approach and used one on one interviews to capture the views and experiences of the participants. The findings indicated that women paraprofessionals clearly value and benefit from supervision and respond best to approaches that are highly supportive, empowering and collaborative in nature, and use a variety of formats including one on one sessions, group meetings and peer support. It is important to ensure adequate job orientation and relevant training. The supervisory relationship is key to the success of supervision and should include ongoing feedback and validation. Concerns regarding safety in the workplace as well as burnout need to be addressed to improve working conditions and job satisfaction for the paraprofessional. Issues related to oppression and culture are important in understanding the unique experience of the paraprofessional and need to be addressed by both supervisors and the agencies that employ them. Further research on this topic is recommended.

No description available.

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-110).

Although there has been a phenomenal growth in the utilization of paraprofessionals in inclusive classrooms in recent years, few researchers have addressed key issues surrounding role changes. A review of the literature indicated a need for additional research in the areas of efficacy of utilization, identification of task assignments, and development of training programs for teachers and paraprofessionals. Often special education and general education teachers are given the responsibility of determining what tasks will be performed by paraprofessionals without receiving guidelines or supervisory training. The purposes of this project were to determine what factors influenced the decisions made about task assignments for paraprofessionals and to ascertain what training programs would be appropriate and helpful. Subjects included in this study were the special education teachers, general education teachers, and paraprofessionals serving students in five, elementary inclusive classes in three school divisions in Virginia. Two observations were conducted in each class to identify the tasks performed by paraprofessionals. The general education teachers, the special education teachers, and the paraprofessionals working in each selected class were interviewed for information about their perceptions of paraprofessional task assignments. Other characteristics that might influence decision-making were examined by collecting demographic information on background, education, and training. Tasks performed by paraprofessionals were categorized by using a competency level checklist adapted from a list developed by Pickett (1994). Competency levels were : Level I (Teacher Aide), Level II (Instructional Assistant), and Level III (Assistant Teacher). Observations conducted in the three school divisions revealed that paraprofessionals usually performed Level II tasks. These tasks involved providing assistance with mobility issues, self-help needs, on task behavior, and assisting with individual programs of study. During the interviews paraprofessionals stated that they did not receive credit for their abilities nor did they receive personal respect. Both teachers and paraprofessionals expressed a desire for more collaborative planning time; paraprofessionals desired more specific training, especially on medical and legal issues. / Ph. D.

The concern in human services as to how to provide skilled manpower of sufficient training and in sufficient numbers to meet public demand has been a source of experimentation and controversy over the past decade. In recent years the rapid growth of social and mental health services has provided a multitude of programs and services for both the poor and non-poor. Traditional services of social welfare -- health care, education, housing and employment -- have been increasingly supplemented by new forms of services (e.g., community organization, youth work, recreation, and personal growth therapy), thus vastly expanding the numbers of actual and potential recipients of such services. The changing nature of social services in recent years has stimulated within the helping professions serious discussion over the proper training and utilization of manpower. The new roles and functions that social workers and other professionals are entering into in order to effectively challenge old and new problems have led many in and out of the professions to call for the development of new levels and types of social service workers. A major response to this call has been the development of a new type of worker, the paraprofessional. Known variously as non-professionals, indigenous workers, subprofessionals and the like, this new breed of worker is meant to fill the gap between low level entry positions in the human services and the more specialized components and job tasks in the field. The development of the paraprofessional movement has sparked considerable controversy and study. Attempts to define and identify the precise elements involved in these new middle level positions -- the skill levels and task expectations of such positions -- and the social and political dynamics involved in their creation, have been primary focuses of such debate and study. Issues such as the relationship between paraprofessionals and professionals, the content and nature of paraprofessional training, the establishment of meaningful career ladders, and the relative effectiveness of these new workers have also invoked close scrutiny in the field. To this point, the examination of such generic issues has suffered from considerable imbalance. In recent years, research into paraprofessionalism has tended to concentrate on the recruitment and training aspects. As such, information concerning where paraprofessionals are employed and what they do once in the field is sadly lacking. This is an exploratory study intended to provide such a profile. It is meant to examine paraprofessional human service workers from three graduating classes of the Human Resources Technology program at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. The study is interested in examining the employment status of these workers, what roles and functions they serve in their agencies, the monetary and career mobility opportunities in those agencies, and the educational status and aspirations of the graduates. The study also intends to examine their personal views and experiences concerning issues of paraprofessionalism, professionalism, and their role as new workers in the human services.

National shortages of special education teachers exist due to increased enrollments, retirements, and teacher attrition. In the Southwest, rapid population growth also contributes to the personnel shortage. Paraprofessionals may be a promising group of potential teachers (Smith, 2003; Tillery et al, 2003; White, 2004). Little research exists concerning the perceptions of paraprofessionals about their training and interest in teaching. This study investigated the perceptions of 48 paraprofessionals concerning training experiences in one Southwestern school district. A 46-item Paraprofessional Training Questionnaire sought opinions about preparation, types of training, the alignment of training with the competencies from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the extent training and length of service were related to a desire to enter the field of education. Responses were analyzed using the SPSS System (2004). Data analysis for closed-ended questions presented response distribution among categories. Descriptive statements were used to clarify, summarize, and interpret the data. Cross tabulation tables assisted in identifying relationships between specific topics and the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Seventy-two percent of paraprofessionals reported being offered training opportunities to assist their work. Eighty-three percent reported the training they received assisted them. Training opportunities varied in topic, but were aligned with the CEC knowledge and skill competencies for special education paraprofessionals.Over 53.2% of the paraprofessionals reported they were Satisfied or Very Satisfied with the training opportunities provided. However, more training opportunities were desired by both beginning and experienced paraprofessionals. Opportunities to meet with supervising teachers varied, as did attendance at training which fostered collaborate relationships with teachers. The relationship between years of service and the desire to become a special education teacher was not statistically significant. However, paraprofessionals with fewer years of service were more interested in becoming teachers. This study provides local and state educational agencies with a framework for designing a supportive and defined infrastructure for implementing competency-based training programs for paraprofessionals, supporting special education teachers, and increasing the pool of qualified special education staff in the schools. Districts may find well-designed paraprofessional training programs could assist in meeting the need for a qualified special education teacher workforce.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Alexa A. Havlicek, for the Master of Science degree in Behavior Analysis, presented on November 3, 2017 at Southern Illinois University. TITLE: TRAINING PARAPROFESSIONAL USE OF DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT OF OTHER BEHAVIOR PROCEDURES USING BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Ruth Anne Rehfeldt Students with disabilities often exhibit problem behaviors in the classroom. Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors (DRO) has been found to be an effective strategy in decreasing problem behaviors and increasing other appropriate behaviors for students with disabilities. Research has found that Behavioral Skills Training (BST) can be an effective and efficient way to train paraprofessionals to implement classroom procedures. There were three participants included in the current study. Diane was a 58 year-old female that had been working at the school for 9 years. Dale was a 29 year-old male who had been working for the school for 2 months. Gary was a 25 year-old male who had been working for the school for 3 years. Limited research has been conducted using BST to train paraprofessionals how to implement DRO procedures in the classroom. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of BST on paraprofessional’s percentage of correct implementation of DRO procedures using a multiple-baseline design. Results showed that Diane had a mean of 0% correct implementation of DRO procedures during baseline, which, increased to 89% following intervention. Dale had a mean of 1.7% and this increased to 90% following intervention. Gary had a mean of 5%, which, increased to 85% following intervention. Keywords: DRO, paraprofessionals, students with disabilities, BST