Golden excerpt.pdf

The Data Collection Toolkit

Everything You Need to Organize, Manage, and Monitor Classroom Data

by

Cindy Golden, Ed.D. University of West Florida

Pensacola

Introduction: Becoming a Classroom Detective

In many respects, the world of the detective is parallel to the world of the educator. They both hypothesize, gather documentation, test their theories, map out timelines, look for evidence, persevere when there seems to be no clear answer, reinvestigate if necessary, and gather information by interviewing those involved. Their problems or cases are different, but they both require the “cold, hard facts,” called data, in order to solve the case or find the answer to the issue affecting the student. Data are evidence. Though teaching in a classroom is a softer science than working a crime scene, educators are required to deal in evidence and should use objective facts to inform their teaching practices and educational decisions. There are cases to be solved and questions to be answered, such as “Why is a student’s behavior occurring?” “Is the academic intervention actually working?” and “Is the student making progress?” Teachers need to collect data to confirm a hypothesis, to answer questions that may arise about a certain situation or student, and to solve a problem that may come up in the classroom.

Detective Skills 101

  1. Determine the problem. What is the specific issue or problem to be solved? What objective, observable details are most relevant to the case? How this applies to the classroom: You must first determine the challenging behavior or learning issue at hand in order to decide which intervention to implement and how to effectively collect data to monitor progress.
  2. Understand the terms. The detective investigating the issues of a case must have a complete understanding of all that is involved in the case and be able to describe precisely what happened in clear terms. How this applies to the classroom: Is the behavior or the learning challenge operationally defined?
  3. Nail down the timeline of events. One of the first things a detective will do is to map out a timeline of events. How this applies to the classroom: When and where the behavior or the issue happens is important.
  4. Remain alert. A detective must take in information gained from all five senses. How this applies to the classroom: When doing an observation, be sure to note everything.
  5. Interview people. A detective must continue to investigate by interviewing those involved in the case. How this applies to the classroom: Have you reviewed the background information on the student and the issue?
  6. Treat everything as evidence. Detectives comb through the strangest things looking for clues that will help to answer questions and solve the case. How this applies to the classroom: Have you considered everything that you saw or learned in the classroom?
  7. Document and take note of the facts. Detectives deal in facts—not opinions. How this applies to the classroom: Have you collected permanent products from the student?
  8. Persevere. Are there learning or behavioral issues that you have just accepted as “the way it is”? Have you given up too soon?
  9. Search the scene thoroughly. Detectives frequently must go back to the scene of the crime. How this applies to the classroom: Have you collected sufficient data in the learning environment?
  10. Formulate a hypothesis, and test out theories. How this applies to the classroom: Have you used the process of data analysis to get an idea of what is affecting the behavior or issue?

SECTION I

Preparing for Data Collection

What does data collection involve? Why do educators collect data, and what steps need to be followed to ensure these data are meaningful and can be used effectively? Section I introduces you to the basics of classroom data collection.

CHAPTER 1

The Step-by-Step Process of Data Collection

What You Need to Know

MISSION: To learn the facts about classroom data collection, investigate why data are important, and introduce the basic steps of the data collection process

QUESTIONS TO INVESTIGATE

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

WHY SHOULD I COLLECT DATA IN MY CLASSROOM?

Data are collected for a variety of reasons. Here are three main reasons:

  1. To answer a question.
  2. To provide evidence to support or refute a theory.
  3. To measure progress.

IS COLLECTING CLASSROOM DATA ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Yes, measuring student progress is the only way to determine whether the interventions and teaching methods being used are effective.

IN WHAT ENVIRONMENTS CAN DATA BE COLLECTED?

Data can be collected in a general education classroom, special education classrooms, and other environments such as playgrounds, cafeterias, and more.

WHAT ARE THE BASIC STEPS TO DATA COLLECTION IN ANY ENVIRONMENT?

  1. Define Target
  2. Select Method
  3. Implement Collection
  4. Analyze and Graph
  5. Make Decisions

QUICK QUIZ

  1. What is the first step in data collection?

    • a. Determining the target behavior or question to be answered

  2. Systematically breaking down a complicated task is called what?

    • b. Task analysis

  3. After analyzing the data, what is the next step?

    • c. Determine if the intervention is working and what the next step should be.

  4. Is it ever appropriate to collect data in a homeschool environment?

    • a. Yes

  5. What does BCBA stand for?

    • b. Board Certified Behavior Analyst