Simple and Efficient Strategies for Collecting Behavioral Data in the Classroom Environment

1. Simple and Efficient Strategies for Collecting Behavioral Data in the Classroom Environment

2. Teachers typical reactions to data collection “I don’t have time to write down everything a student does!” “I can’t handle shuffling all the papers, handling stop watches, and trying to teach a lesson at the same time!” “Data collection adds an additional hour of time to my day, summarizing, graphing and so on. Where will I find the extra time.”

3. The rationale for collecting behavioral data Data collection assists us in determining when, where, how often, and under what circumstances problem behaviors are most likely to occur. Data collection assists us in determining if academic or behavioral intervention strategies we have implemented are succeeding or failing. Data collection affords us a high level of accountability.

4. Typical behaviors worthy of data collection • Hitting • Kicking • Spitting • Pinching • Profanity • Not paying attention • Out of seat/Out of assigned area • Arriving to class late • Failure to complete assignments • Destroying property/materials • Refusing to comply with requests or directions

5. Measurable Dimensions of Behavior • Frequency – The number of times a behavior occurs in a specified period of time. • Duration – The amount of time that has elapsed between the moment a behavior begins and the moment it ends. • Latency - The amount of time that elapses from the moment a person is asked to initiate something until the moment they begin to do it.

6. Examples: Billy called out without permission 7 times during a 50 minute mathematics lesson. Joanna was away from her seat for 5 minutes. After being cued to begin working on a writing assignment it took Anna 8 minutes to put pencil to paper.

7. Steps for collecting behavioral data • Select a problem behavior. • Define the problem behavior in observable and measurable terms. • Determine which dimension(s) of behavior you need to collect data on.

8. Steps for collecting behavioral data • Select the most appropriate recording instrument. • Determine what time(s) of day, or during what specific event(s) you will need to collect data. • Collect sufficient data to establish an initial baseline trend (4-5 days is recommended). • Collect ongoing data during intervention to assess the efficacy of the intervention.

9. Common tools for collecting and recording behavioral data Data Collection: • Golf counter/Clicker • Stop watch • Permanent Products • ABC Analysis worksheet • Scatter Plot • Frequency worksheet • Duration or Latency worksheet

10. Common tools for collecting behavioral data Golf counter or clicker – Can be used to covertly document the number of occurrences of a target behavior. Stopwatch – Can be used to document both the frequency of a target behavior as well as duration or latency in seconds or minutes.

11. Common tools for collecting behavioral data Permanent Products: Samples of the students completed work assignments. ABC Analysis Worksheet – Documents individual instances of behavior in terms of antecedents, behavior, consequences, and possible functions. Scatter Plot – Used to determine if a behavior occurs in patterns across days, times, places or specific events.

12. Common tools for collecting behavioral data Frequency worksheet: Uses checkmarks, circles, tally marks, X’s, or slash marks to document the number of occurrences of a target behavior. Duration or Latency worksheet: Used to document individual instances of behavior in seconds or minutes.

13. Screening Tools Utilize the ABC Analysis and/or Scatter Plot as initial screening tools to gather information regarding antecedents, consequences, possible functions, times, places, activities, where problem behavior is most likely to occur.

14. Completing an ABC Analysis worksheet Antecedent → Behavior → Consequence • Observe the student. • Describe in detail each occurrence of the problem behavior. • Describe the antecedent event that appears to trigger the behavior. • Describe the consequence that immediately follows the occurrence of the behavior. • Determine a possible function for the behavior.

15. Completed ABC Analysis worksheet

16. Completing a Scatter Plot Worksheet • Record the students entire daily schedule on the form in 15 minute increments. • If a behavior is observed one or more times during a 15 minute increment place an X in the corresponding box. • If the behavior did not occur during a given 15 minute increment leave the corresponding box blank. • Look for patterns of behavior across days, times, specific activities based upon the boxes marked.

17. Completed Scatter Plot

18. Collecting frequency data 1. Frequency Count (continuous) 2. Interval recording a. Partial interval b. Whole interval 3. Time sampling

19. Collecting frequency data Frequency Count (continuous): • Be certain behavior has clearly observable beginning and ending. • Select an observation period • Select an appropriate recording instrument • Observe and record every instance of the target behavior

20. Completed Frequency data sheet

21. Collecting frequency data. Frequency count using Partial Interval Recording: Partial Interval – • Divide observation period into equal intervals of time, ex. 50 minutes divided into ten, 5 minute intervals • Record whether behavior did or did not occur during each interval • Divide number of intervals which behavior occurred by total number of intervals to obtain a percentage, ex. 7 divided by 10 = 70%

22. Completed Partial Interval worksheet

23. Collecting frequency data. Frequency count using Whole Interval Recording: • Divide observation period into equal intervals of time, ex. 10 minutes divided into 10, 30 one minute intervals. • Record whether the behavior did or did not occur continuously during each one minute interval. • Divide the number of intervals which the behavior occurred continuously by the total number of intervals to obtain a percentage, ex. 4 divided by 10 = 40%.

24. Completed Whole Interval Worksheet

25. Collecting frequency data Frequency count using Time Sampling: • Divide observation period into equal intervals of time, ex. 15 minutes divided into fifteen, 1 minute intervals • At the end of each 1 minute interval record whether the behavior was or was not occurring • Divide the number of intervals in which the behavior was observed to be occurring by the total number of intervals, Ex. 6 divided by 15 = 40%

26. Time Sampling

27. Collecting duration data • Select an observation period. • Select an appropriate recording instrument. • Start watch when behavior begins. Stop watch when behavior ends. • Document time in seconds or minutes. • Divide number of seconds/minutes behavior was observed by total seconds/minutes in observation period.

28. Completed Duration worksheet

29. Collecting latency data • Select an observation period. • Select an appropriate recording instrument. • Start watch when a directive is given, stop watch when behavior begins to occur. • Document the amount of time in minutes or seconds it takes the student to initiate each time a directive is given.

30. Completed latency worksheet

31. Selecting an appropriate measurement strategy

32. Reminders: • If student exhibits multiple behaviors choose the one behavior that is most critical or problematic. • Clearly define what the problem behavior is and what it looks like when it occurs. • Use the ABC and/or Scatter Plot worksheets as screening tools to gather relevant information. • Collect your data at the same time each day using the same procedures and materials.

33. Refer to the handout “Selecting An Appropriate Measurement Strategy” to determine which data collection strategy would be most appropriate.

34. If you have specific questions regarding data collection in your classroom please contact: Perry Playford, ESE Department Behavior Analyst @ 469-5624 or e-mail: pplayford@escambia.k12.fl.us