Working with Staff to Promote Data-Based Decision Making: Recommended Strategies and Common Pitfalls Dennis H. Reid, Ph.D., BCBA

Evidence-Based Education: A Multi-Faceted Process Focus here on performance of front-line education staff Proficient implementation of evidence- based interventions Accurate data collection

Qualifications Focus on students with special needs Experience reference Research emphasis within applied behavior analysis

Rationale for Focus on Staff Performance Proficient implementation of evidence- based interventions Intuitive appeal Research-based correlations Accurate data collection nonexamples

Significance of Staff Training Pre-service vs. in-service Illogical expectations Why needed No pre-service is all inclusive Encountering students with new challenges Role of paraeducators Individualized nature of interventions designed by support personnel

Evidence-Based Staff Training Providing knowledge Equipping with skills Verbal vs. performance training procedures Research evidence Common practice

Performance- and Competency- Based Staff Training 1. Provide rationale 2. Provide written summary 3. Describe target skills 4. Demonstrate target skills 5. Trainee practice with feedback 6. Continue steps 3 & 4 until observed competency among all trainees

Why Not More Evidence-Based Staff Training? History Lack of training of trainers Time and effort

Effective Staff Training Often necessary, rarely sufficient

Supervising Staff Use of Evidence-Based Procedures Changing nonproficient performance Supporting and maintaining proficient performance Enhancing staff work enjoyment Time, effort, importance, pleasantness

Evidence-Based Supervision Qualifications Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) Outcome Management

Identify desired (student) outcomes Identify staff performance necessary to achieve targeted outcomes Train targeted knowledge and skills Monitor Correct nonproficient performance Support proficient performance Evaluate

Identification of student outcomes and necessary staff performance Usually ok

Monitoring Three major obstacles Staff dislike Lack of direct observation Reactivity

Reducing Staff Dislike of Monitoring Reid & Parsons (1995). Comparing choice and questionnaire measures of the acceptability of a staff training procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28,

Making Monitoring Acceptable Greet staff upon entering work site Briefly explain reason for monitoring Use common sense re proceeding Provide feedback quickly Acknowledge staff upon departing

Importance of Direct Observation Green, Rollyson, Passante, & Reid (2002). Maintaining proficient supervisor performance with direct support personnel: An analysis of two management approaches. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35,

Effects of Reactivity to Observations on Staff Performance Brackett, L., Reid, D. H., & Green, C. W. (2007). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40,

Reducing Reactivity Observe frequently Compare internal and external monitoring results Make some monitoring indigenous

Outcome Management Supporting proficient performance and correcting nonproficient performance: Feedback Advantages Common obstacles Lack of skill Unpleasantness for monitor

Feedback Protocol Parsons & Reid (1995). Training residential supervisors to provide feedback for maintaining staff teaching skills with people who have severe disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28,

Evidence-Based Feedback Protocol 1. Begin positive 2. Specify correct areas of performance 3. Specify incorrect areas of performance 4. Specify/demonstrate how to correct the incorrect performance areas 5. Solicit questions/clarification 6. Note future plans 7. End positive

Future Needs and Directions Make evidence-based training more efficient Pros and cons of media-based training Train education supervisors and clinicians in evidence-based supervisory strategies

Bottom Line Promote use of evidence-based training and supervisory procedures to enhance staff use of evidence-based student interventions and data collection