Project Activities
The research team proposed to develop and evaluate the TfT tool kit in three phases. During phase 1, the tool kit would be developed and refined with a panel of experts validating its materials and the corresponding professional development processes. Phase 2 would involve conducting validation procedures and feasibility studies to inform revisions to TfT in preparation for the final stage. During phase 3, the promise of TfT would be evaluated by conducting a randomized experimental trial determine the effect of TfT on teacher consistent and accurate use of the practices, child engagement, and child learning.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The project will take place in preschools in Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Sample
Approximately48 teachers of young children with disabilities and 120 children with disabilities, across three sates, will participate in the study. Eligible teachers are those working in preschool classrooms that enroll at least three children with disabilities who have an individualized education program (IEP). Children eligible for the study must have an IEP and be between 3 and 4 years of age at pretest.
Intervention
Both experimental intervention conditions include the TfT tool kit and accompanying workshops. The TfT tool kit is comprised of multi-media professional development materials (e.g., CD and web-based materials) which provide information about embedded-instruction practices and why and how these practices should be used. In addition, both experimental intervention conditions will participate in workshop sessions designed to provide a practical and focused overview of embedded-instruction practices, deepen teachers' content knowledge about these practices, and help teachers understand the coherence between embedded-instruction practices and early childhood curricular practices.
Research design and methods
An experimental study with random assignment of teachers to treatment condition will be implemented to determine the potential efficacy of the two interventions (TfT plus on-site coaching and TfT plus self-coaching) compared to each other and a business-as-usual control group. In each classroom, approximately three children with disabilities will be randomly selected to participate in the study.
Control condition
The control group will receive the professional development typically given by the district. The type and amount of professional development teachers receive will be documented.
Key measures
Outcome measures include a rating scale to evaluate the quality of instructional goals, an observational measure to document implementation of planned learning opportunities, and an observational coding system to evaluate implementation of embedded learning trials. In addition, data on children's engagement, school readiness, language, emergent literacy, behavior, and social skills will be measured. Finally, administrators will be interviewed in order to identify the contextual variables that might mediate or moderate the impact of professional development on teachers' use of embedded instruction. They will also complete self-report rating scales on embedded instruction interventions and the social validity and sustainability of the interventions.
Data analytic strategy
Data will be analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to show evidence of the potential efficacy of the interventions for improving teachers' instructional practices and children's engagement, school readiness, language, emergent literacy, behavior, and social skills.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Project Website: http://embeddedinstruction.net/
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Supplemental information
The following describes the research and activities as proposed at the time of funding:
The two experimental conditions will differ in terms of coaching approach experienced. In one condition (TfT plus on-site coaching), teachers will participate in 4 hours of interactive professional development once a month for 4 months. This professional development will be conducted by project staff. Teachers will work in study groups and will discuss real-world cases of application of embedded instruction. In addition, teachers will receive individual expert coaching by project staff at least once a week for 30 minutes for 4 months. In the second experimental condition (TfT plus self-coaching), teachers will participate in self-coaching. Teachers will access a website that will contain forms useful for self-monitoring and self-regulating embedded instruction implementation fidelity. The website will also include materials useful for goal setting task strategies, self-evaluating, time planning and management, vignette analysis, and help seeking.
Questions about this project?
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