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Cooperant Learning Podcast | Rethinking Assessment and Goal Selection Across the Lifespan | Stu Law & Mark Malady
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Summary:
In this episode, we explore the innovative genArete Learning System, a comprehensive assessment tool designed to evaluate human skills across the lifespan with two of the assessment's creators: Stu Law and Mark Malady. We discuss the philosophy, development, and practical applications of this womb-to-tomb approach to assessing skills using a values-based approach meaningfully across the lifespan.
Guests
Stu Law is a lifelong student of human learning and behavior. His work focuses on science as a human activity, language-language relationships, and building a more robust bridge between mainstream Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and familiar behavior analytic approaches to clinical psychology—such as Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (unfortunately acronymized as FAP), Acceptance and Commitment Training/Therapy (ACT), and primarily, Process-Based Therapy (PBT). He conceptualizes this bridge through an approach that could currently be called "Process-Oriented Intervention Science" (POIS).
Stu took the scenic route through graduate school, eventually earning his PhD—and, more importantly, his "Behavioralis Junkus" degree—from the University of Nevada, Reno. As the final student to leave the nest of Dr. Steven Hayes, Stu and his lab mates focused on a reticulated approach to learning science and functional analysis in the broadest sense, emphasizing an "idionomic" perspective where data is aggregated at the level of the individual before broad principles are evaluated. Stu has a nagging affinity for complex sentence structures, metaphors, and corny jokes—the latter being a functional byproduct of having a college-aged daughter and a loving spouse.
Mark Malady is an autistic behavior analyst, father, and general agent of chaos who has spent the last 19 years working with learners with various abilities from 2 to 90 years old. He is a co-creator of the genArete Learning system, a womb to tomb skill-based assessment focused on leveraging the fringes of the science of behavior to person led change processes. Mark specializes in instructional control, functional living skills, direct implementation of evidence-based approaches to learning, and theoretical approaches to working with learners with diverse abilities. Under his role as Director of Learning Systems at HSI/WARC for the last 3 years he has assisted in the development of multiple curricula including those regarding: career readiness, para-professional instruction, pre-transition employment, and a short-term low dose skill acquisition program. He has also created models for case management for Host Home providers, as well as models for day habilitation programs. Mark envisions a service of support options for all learners that expand the potential of individual humans to allow them to have meaningful experience through formalized supports using the science of behavior analysis to its fullest potential.
Listen now:
🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/7jEtOKZjbww4TCL9YfOMZF?si=490b8beed95c406b
🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cooperant-learning-podcast/id1817490272
▶️ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@cooperantlearning
🌐 Website → https://www.cooperantlearning.com
Connect with us:
📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/cooperantbx/
🎵 TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@cooperantlearning
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/people/Cooperant-Learning/61564380433792/?_rdr
This presentation is for educational purposes only. The host and producing organization have no financial relationship with genArete related to this episode, including sponsorship, payment, or other compensation. Any mention of commercial products or services is incidental to the educational content and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or approval. Participants should exercise professional judgment, seek mentorship, and consult applicable ethical and practice standards when evaluating or implementing any procedures or tools discussed.
