Improving Student Behavior in Middle School Art Classrooms: Initial Investigation of CW-FIT Tier 1
Monson, Kimberly D.; Caldarella, Paul; Anderson, Darlene H.; Wills, Howard P. (2020). Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, v22 n1 p38-50 Jan 2020. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1235752
-
examining56Students, grade7
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: March 2023
- Single Study Review (findings for Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT))
- Single Case Design
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
To view more detailed information about the study findings from this review, please download findings data here.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 52%
Male: 48% -
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
West
-
Race Other or unknown 38% White 63% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 38% Not Hispanic or Latino 63% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Free or reduced price lunch (FRPL) 51% No FRPL 49%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in two grade 7 art classrooms in one Title 1 middle school located in a western mountain state in the United States.
Study sample
Participants include 56 students in two grade 7 art classes taught by two teachers. The study also provided separate findings for two focal students. Most of the students in the two classes were White (63%) and the rest were described as Hispanic or Latino (38%). More than half of the students were female (52%). Across the entire school, 51% of the student population received free or reduced-price lunch.
Intervention Group
Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a classroom management system designed to improve student behavior. The program includes establishing classroom rules and appropriate behaviors, playing a team-based game to reinforce appropriate behaviors, minimizing social attention to inappropriate behaviors, and providing self-management tools to individual students who need extra support. In this study, the teachers split their classroom into six teams of three to six students each, organized by seating arrangement. During the first two sessions, the teachers described expectations for student on-task behavior, using a script that required student participation and asked them to focus on listening, showing respect, and staying on task. Teachers then asked the students to discuss which skills would be necessary to meet each expectation and why those behaviors are important. Posters of each expectation were created and displayed in a prominent place in the classroom, easily visible to all students. During each session, teachers observed and scored each group in 5-minute intervals. If all students were on task, the group received a point. Teachers could also award bonus points to groups or individuals who were meeting expectations between intervals to help those who were behind catch up. Teachers provided behavior-specific praise to individuals and recorded points on a chart that students could see. Teachers set a point goal at the beginning of each class, and teams reaching the goal received a reward at the end of each session, which included lip balm, pencils, flashlights, and permission to leave class 2 to 3 minutes early. Sessions took place during 35- to 45-minute art classes.
Comparison Group
There is no comparison group in single case designs. In the baseline and withdrawal phases of the single case designs, the teachers conducted art classes as they normally would. No changes were made to the routines, instruction, or classroom management style of either teacher. Students were expected to use materials properly, be respectful of others, use their time wisely, and produce quality work. When students were disruptive, teachers provided feedback, sent them to the office, or contacted their parents.
Support for implementation
Researchers trained the teachers on CW-FIT procedures during a 45-minute training session. All the components of CW-FIT were reviewed, including: teacher classroom expectations, providing behavior-specific praise, awarding points to teams in response to the timer, providing group rewards, and understanding the rationale behind each aspect. Teachers were able to practice the procedures and ask questions. After the first training session, teachers were given 2 days to become familiar with CW-FIT, and researchers provided feedback and remained available for consultation.
Additional Sources
In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.
-
Monson, K.D. (2019). The effects of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams in two middle school art classrooms. [Postgraduate thesis, Brigham Young University]. BYU ScholarsArchive. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8561.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).