Innovative Professional Learning: Empowering Educators to Support all Students within Three-Tiered Models of Prevention

Abstract

In this poster, we present preliminary results for Project KUALIMA, a year-long five-part online professional learning series designed to support educators’ ability to effectively, efficiently, and respectfully manage challenging behavior using a comprehensive, integrated, multi-tiered system of supports. The goals of Project KUALIMA are to increase educator knowledge, confidence, perceived usefulness, and actual use of (a) low-intensity teacher-delivered strategies and (b) elements of tiered models of prevention (e.g., systematic screening, proactive prevention of challenging behavior). We accomplish these goals through a modified behavior skills training model: direct instruction, modeling, rehearsal, application, and feedback. Project KUALIMA session topics include behavior screening tools, low-intensity strategies, data-informed decision making, preventing and managing the acting-out behavior cycle, and supporting students with internalizing behavior patterns. In each session, participants receive instruction, have discussions with fellow participants and behavior experts, and engage with strategies and materials. After each session, they expand their knowledge through additional resources, such as website materials for teaching and reinforcing COVID-19 safety procedures, low-intensity strategies adapted for virtual learning environments, reinforcement tracker templates for online instruction, and exemplars for faculty, staff, and student roles and responsibilities in hybrid learning environments. After exploring additional resources relevant to each session, participants implement and share knowledge learned with K-12 faculty, staff, and students through Google Classroom assignments. Throughout Project KUALIMA, we collect pre- mid- and post-project participant data and session feedback to measure the engagement and test how well sessions and applied activities helped educators to prevent challenging behaviors both online and on-ground. 

To further the innovative nature of this project, we used the behavior skill training model to train project staff virtually, ensuring participants equitably received detailed feedback on Google Classroom assignments in the form of behavior-specific praise for successes and instructional feedback where further growth was desired. During virtual training via Zoom, we provided step-by-step instructions around the use of grading rubrics and providing feedback, modeled use of these grading systems, checked for understanding, engaged in opportunities to rehearse using the rubric and providing detailed written feedback, and finally provided feedback on actual graded assignments in the form of praise and suggestions for refinement.  

In addition to the innovative ways Project KUALIMA provides professional learning, we present preliminary data collected from three out of the five online sessions. Poster attendees will learn how participant social validity survey data have shifted from pre-project to mid-project, how session evaluation data have changed from Session 1 to Session 3, how social validity interviews conducted at the mid-project timepoint informed revisions to the professional learning series, the response rate for Google Classroom assignments completed between sessions, and average scores on completed assignments.