Project Activities
The researchers will use an iterative formative evaluation process to develop the self-management intervention. Focus groups will provide data to develop the components of the intervention, namely the content of the student learning materials, teacher learning materials, the progress monitoring tool, and professional development for behavior specialists. After content is developed, a feasibility study will be completed in order to refine content and delivery. The three modules will then be combined into a single program and the research team will pilot test the program and assess changes in (a) student social, self-management, and academic behavior; (b) teacher and behavior specialist satisfaction, self-efficacy, and knowledge about student behavior; and (c) satisfaction with the intervention by all users.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The project will take place in public elementary schools in Oregon and California.
Sample
Approximately 10 behavior specialists and 10 teachers will participate in each of three focus groups. Key informant interviews will be conducted with two school district administrators, two elementary school principals, and two special education behavior specialists. For the feasibility studies of the progress monitoring tool, 20 teachers will be recruited. Approximately 40 elementary school behavior specialists, 80 teachers, and 160 students will participate in the pilot study. Students are identified through a teacher screening as lacking in self-management skills.
Intervention
The intervention will be implemented by behavior specialists and will be available as three modules on a media-enhanced Internet platform (irisEd.com). This platform has an infrastructure that supports training (video, multimedia, and interactive applications) and assessment. Module 1 will provide student learning materials that demonstrate the steps of student self-management. Module 2 will provide an online screening and progress monitoring tool (the PMT) that allows teachers to identify and monitor students needing additional supports, and contains a menu of in-class supports and resources. Module 3 will provide behavior specialists with professional development training resources and provide out-of-class supports for use with identified students.
Research design and methods
The researchers will use an iterative formative evaluation process using focus groups and key informant interviews to develop the content of each of the three modules. This will be followed by a feasibility study to refine content and delivery of the modules. Project consultants and key informants will review the validity and appropriateness of program content and advise on issues of diversity and cultural sensitivity, technology use, and developmental appropriateness. Once each of the three modules has been developed, they will be combined into a single program and the feasibility of the full program will be assessed to ascertain the potential impact of the intervention on changes in (a) student social, self-management, and academic behavior; (b) teacher and behavior specialist satisfaction, self-efficacy, and knowledge about student behavior; and (c) satisfaction with the intervention by all users.
Key measures
A variety of measures will be modified or adapted for use in the project, including the Stages of Concerns (SOC) Questionnaire (to assess changes in knowledge), the Efficacy in the Classroom Management Subscale and Teacher Sense of Efficacy (TSE) Scale (to assess staff's perceived self-efficacy), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (to assess user behavior), and other instruments to assess user satisfaction, program implementation, and program usage. Student outcomes include behavioral data collected via the progress monitoring tool developed during this project and teacher ratings via the Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment (to assess student social, self-management, and academic behavior).
Data analytic strategy
Descriptive analyses will be used for the formative iterative development of the program modules and the feasibility study of the complete program. Measures of implementation attempts, user satisfaction, and usage logs will be analyzed to demonstrate the feasibility of the online program. A multi-level change-score analysis will be used to evaluate improvements in student social, academic, and self-management behavior and teacher knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and self-efficacy after using the online training program. The researchers will also analyze gains in knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and self-efficacy of behavior specialists. A dose-response analysis of correlations between usage and change measures will determine whether those staff who used the program more achieved greater benefits.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Products: Products include a fully developed Student Self-Management System and published reports on the development and promise of this intervention.
Journal article, monograph, or newsletter
Marquez, B., Marquez, J., Vincent, C., Pennefather, J., Sprague, J., Smolkowski, K., & Yeaton, P. (2014). The iterative development and initial evaluation of We Have Skills!, an innovative approach to teaching social skills to elementary students. Education and Treatment of Children, 37(1), 137-161.
Supplemental information
Control Group: There is no control group.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
