The Development and Initial Evaluation of the Web-Based Version of the Classroom Check-up (CCU) Coaching Model to Support Teacher’s Use of Effective Classroom Management Practices

Introduction

Disruptive behavior in the classroom takes time away from instruction, and disrupts student academic and social growth, making effective behavior management vital to student learning and emotional health. The complexities teachers face in providing effective practices with diverse learners requires evidence-based classroom management training programs that are adaptive to the unique challenges faced by teachers.

The Classroom Check-up (CCU) is a classroom management intervention modeled after the Family Check-up. The CCU combines data-based decision making and evidence-based classroom management practices with ongoing coaching for teachers. While the CCU has been shown to be effective in improving teachers classroom management, the model requires a coach with behavioral expertise. Thus, to allow for the model to be disseminated to schools without access to a coach with behavioral training, a web-based version of the CCU has been developed. In this study, we describe the web-based version of the CCU and provide the findings from an randomized pilot trial with 39 elementary teachers.

Methods

Thirty-nine elementary school teachers were randomly assigned to receive the web-based CCU or not. Implementation of proactive classroom management was measured using the Brief Classroom Interaction Observation Revised (BCIO-R). In addition, teacher completed the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist (TOCA-C) on student behavior and each student was administered the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test (WJ-IV ACH) pre and post intervention. Data on the amount of coaching each teacher received was also monitored.

Results

The results indicated teachers in the CCU condition used more behavior specific praise than control teachers across time points. Within subjects contrasts found that time point one was significantly lower than time point 2 [F(1, 18) = 5.66, p = .03, h² = .24], and marginally lower than time point 3 [F(1, 18) = 3.66, p = .07, h² = .17], and time point 4 [F(1, 18) = 3.81, p = .07, h² = .18], meaning that teacher use of behavior specific praise improved significantly after receiving the intervention and maintained over time. In addition, a series of two-level hierarchical linear models were conducted to examine the overall treatment effects on student behavior and academic outcomes. Teacher reported disruptive behavior (b = 0.08, p =.14; d= 0.12), indicating that students in CCU classrooms demonstrated a decrease in disruptive behavior compared to students in control classrooms was marginally significance. Thus, the web-based CCU shows promise and may be most impactful among early career teachers who often struggle with behavior management.