Canadian Innovation: A Brief History of Canada's First Online School Psychology Graduate Program. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Drefs, Michelle A.; Schroeder, Meadow; Hiebert, Bryan; Panayotidis, E. Lisa; Winters, Katherine; Kerr, Jamie
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal of school psychology. Volume 30:Number 4(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 288
• Page End: 303
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: history of school psychology -- online learning -- graduate psychology training; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Canada -- Periodicals; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1177/0829573515599983
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0829-5735

Abstract

This article presents a brief historical review and survey of the current landscape of online graduate psychology programs within the Canadian context. Specific focus is given to outlining the establishment and evolution of the first Canadian online professional specialization program in school psychology. The article argues that given the virtual absence of online graduate school psychology programs until recently, there have been limited opportunities to critically examine such approaches to teaching professional psychology. With the establishment in 2007 of the University of Calgary's online graduate school psychology program, among the first in the world, a critically significant analysis is now possible. The purpose of this article is to document both the history of the program and to highlight the possible significance of this event to the profession. The article is intended to foster much-needed discussion at the national level concerning the future development and implementation of online graduate programs.