1. Collecting Data While Teaching, and Other Circus Acts
Mary Magee Quinn, Ph.D.
Principal Research Scientist
American Institutes for Research

2. Data Collection Options
Indirect or Informant Reports;
Direct Observation; and,
Combination System.

3. Direct Observation of Behavior
Must be observable
sight or hearing
occurrence or non-occurrence
Definable
two or more people can agree
Countable and measurable
communicate using a number

4. Descriptions of Problem Behavior
Trish is aggressive.
Concrete Descriptions of Problem
Concrete descriptions help during the observation process and will lead to a more accurate behavior intervention plan.
Take the term aggression for instance. What is an aggressive act to one person (or ethnic group) may be considered perfectly acceptable to another.
Look at these examples. Aggressive is vague but a more concrete description helps to refine the behavior and make it easier to observe.

5. Concrete Description of Behavior
Trish hits other students during recess when she does not get her way.

6. Description of Behavior
Carlos is disruptive.

7. Concrete Description of Behavior
Carlos makes irrelevant and inappropriate comments during class discussion.

8. Academic Engaged Time
Academic engaged time refers to attending to material and task, making the appropriate motor response, and asking for assistance in an appropriate manner.

9. Total Disruptive Behavior
Total disruptive behavior is a class of behaviors that disturbs, the classroom ecology and interferes with instruction. Examples of disruptive behaviors include being out of seat without permission, not complying with teacher instruction, hitting, biting, making any audible noises or vocalizations that disrupt the environment, yelling, cursing, and taking others’ property.

10. Total Negative Social Interation
Total negative social interaction is defined as behaviors that disturb ongoing play activities and involves physical or verbal aggression. Examples of these disruptive behaviors include hitting, biting, curing, threatening, and grabbing.

11. Time Spent Alone
Time spent alone is defined as when the target student is not within 10 feet of any other children, is not socially engaged, and is not participating in any activity with other children.

12. Techniques for Measuring Behavior
Amount or Frequency
event recording
interval recording
Measures of Time Passage
duration recording
latency recording
time sampling

13. Amount or Frequency Event Recording Interval Recording
Behaviors that have a discrete beginning and end
Interval Recording
Behavior happens very frequently and lasts for a discrete period of time

14. Time Passage Duration Recording Latency Recording
want to know how long the behavior lasts
Latency Recording
want to know how long before the behavior starts

15. Recording Sheets Student’s name Date or dates of observation
Observer name and role
Start and end time
Setting of observation
Definition of behavior being observed
Key to any codes used

16. Event Recording Advantage Limitations easily converted into a graph
requires behavior that occurs at a relatively stable level and is easy to count
not useful when behavior occurs at high rates or for extended period of time

17. Sample of Event Record

18. Sample of Event Record

19. What types of behavior might you use event recording to measure?

20. Innovative techniques
Chart
Clipboard
Tape
Beads
Beans/coins/paperclips
Golf counter
Knitting counter

21. Interval Recording Requires undivided attention during intervals
Watch student during entire interval
Record whether behavior occurred
Intervals are approximately 10 to 30 seconds each

22. Sample of Interval Recording

23. Sample of Interval Recording

24. Interval Recording Advantages Disadvantages
applies to virtually any target behavior
can be converted to percent
yields data of relative frequency and duration
Disadvantages
requires accurate measure of behavior in relation to a small amount of time
requires undivided attention

25. What types of behavior might you measure using interval recording?

26. Innovative ways to use interval recording
Timers
Stop watches
Use breaks between intervals
On 30 seconds
Rest 10 seconds

27. Duration Recording Use a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand
Start timing when behavior starts
Stop when behavior ends

28. Sample Duration Recording

29. Duration Recording Advantages Limitations produces a percentage
measures behaviors that occur at extremely high rates and/or extended periods of time
Limitations
requires discrete behaviors
requires a stopwatch

30. What types of behaviors might you measure using duration recording?

31. Latency Recording Measures how long it takes for behavior to begin
use a stopwatch or watch with a second hand
start timing when request for behavior is given
stop timing when behavior is initiated

32. Sample Latency Recording

33. Latency Recording Advantages Limitations
can easily be converted to an average
Limitations
requires discrete behavior
requires a stopwatch

34. What types of behavior might you measure using latency recording?

35. Momentary Time Sampling
Set up time intervals
Observe behavior only at the end of the time interval
Record whether the behavior is or is not occurring at that particular time.

36. Sample Momentary Time Sampling

37. Momentary Time Sampling
Advantages
Data can easily be converted to percent
Does not interrupt the delivery of instruction
Limitations
requires a large number of observations to allow for interpretation of data

38. What types of behavior might you measure using momentary time sampling?

39. Scatterplots Advantages
allows the observer to plot the relationship between two or more variables
easy to complete and interpret
useful in deciding about more focused assessment

40. Scatterplots Limitations
May not capture complete picture of social/environmental context of behavior
May fail to distinguish between low and high intensity behavior
Technical adequacy may vary from person to person

44. Teach Self Contol
Measure
Reward
Evaluate

45. Ways to Strengthen Measurement of Behavior
Clearly define behavior(s) and regularly review definition(s).
Assure that observers and interviewers have adequate training and experience.
Select appropriate assessment strategies for behavior(s) and context(s).

46. Ways to Strengthen Measurement of Behavior (continued)
Collect information across time and settings using multiple strategies and persons.
Conduct routine checks of the accuracy of observer scoring/recording procedures.