A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING TO TEACH CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Abstract

This investigation examined the effects of a computer-based program designed to teach basic classroom behavior management skills to 9 undergraduate students via computer posttests, role-plays, and classroom observations. Posttests across three experiments showed increased knowledge of behavior-management strategies. Although participants in Experiments 1 reached criterion during role-plays on measures of correct responses to inappropriate behavior, participant-delivered requests, and participant-offered choices, most participants consistently delivered requests and provided choices incorrectly. To increase performances during roleplays, Experiment 2 procedures were modified to include videos depicting the correct application of the behavior management strategies. Significant differences were found at posttest for subjects whose training included videos, and percent change from baseline for participant-delivered requests and choices during role-plays increased 233% over baseline. In Experiment 3, we sought to replicate and extend the results to a preschool classroom, and the participant reached criterion for responses to inappropriate behavior at 5 sessions post-computer training.