OVERVIEW
The IRIS Center (Open Access) is a national center dedicated to improving education outcomes
for all children, especially those with disabilities birth through age twenty-one, through the use
of effective evidence-based practices and interventions. As Individualized Education Programs
(IEPs) often include behavioral goals generated from assessment data collected on student
behavior, you will complete one IRIS Center Case Study Unit called “Measuring Behavior.”
This case study unit addresses how to collect observational data on student behavior.
INSTRUCTIONS
Using the resources provided in the case study (i.e., STAR Sheets) and the corresponding case
study template, answer each item in each case study in the unit in full. The case study unit will
be evaluated based on your ability to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the
concepts and information presented in the STAR Sheets, as well as on grammar, spelling, and
formatting. Access the case study unit here.
Submission Instructions:
For each Case Study:
1. Access the case study unit via the link above.
a. If you have issues accessing the case study unit through the link above go the
IRIS Center Resource Center (see
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources/iris-resource-locator/) and enter the
name of the Case Study using the search function.
2. Use the Measuring Behavior Case Study Unit Template to complete this assignment.
let me know if you open this link
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf_case_studies/ics_measbeh.pdf
Measuring Behavior Case Study Unit Template
Using the STAR sheets that follow the cases, answer each case study question in the unit in the template below. Keep the questions in bold. Format your answers in italics.
Level A: Case 1
- Define each strategy:
- Event Recording:
- Interval Recording:
- Describe why each strategy is an appropriate way to measure Mark’s disruptive comments.
Level A: Case 2
- Define each strategy.
- Duration Recording:
- Interval Recording:
- Latency Recording:
- Describe why each strategy is or is not appropriate to measure Theresa’s out-of-seat behavior.
- Describe why each strategy is or is not appropriate to measure Theresa’s procrastinating behavior.
Level B: Case 1
- Operationally define the problem behavior.
- Select the most appropriate observation method from the possible strategies listed above to measure the behavior.
- Explain why you chose this method.
- Explain why you would use this method to measure the problem behavior.
Level B: Case 2
- Operationally define the target behavior.
- Operationally define a replacement behavior.
- Select the most appropriate observation method from the possible strategies listed above to measure the behaviors.
- Explain why you chose this method.
- Explain how you would use this method to measure the problem behavior.
Level C: Case 1
- Do you agree with Ms. Anderson’s data collection choices? Explain your answers
- Complete the forms below by calculating the latency and frequency of Howard’sbehaviors. Next, analyze Howard’s data.
| Date | Time Howard was instructed to begin work | Time behavior was initiated | Latency |
| 12/1/xx | 8:35:00 am | 8:35:33 am | |
| 12/2/xx | 8:35:09 am | 8:37:14 am | |
| 12/3/xx | 8:36:01 am | 8:36:29 am | |
| 12/4/xx | 8:35:02 am | 8:36:33 am | |
| 12/5/xx | 8:36:30 am | 8:37:14 am | |
| Average |
| Date | Time | Tally (Appropriate Comments) | Total | Rate | Tally (Inappropriate Comments) | Total | Rate |
| 12/1/xx | 8:35-8:50 | / | |||||
| 12/2/xx | 8:35-8:50 | ||||||
| 12/3/xx | 8:35-8:50 | // | |||||
| 12/4/xx | 8:35-8:50 | / | |||||
| 12/5/xx | 8:35-8:50 | /// | |||||
| Average | Average |
- Are Ms. Anderson’s concerns about Howard’s latency behavior justified? Why or why not?
- Are Ms. Anderson’s concerns about Howard’s inappropriate comments justified? Why or why not?
- Based on the scenario above, do you think there is other information that Ms. Anderson should collect? If so, list the behaviors that she might want to measure and explain possible data collection methods.
Level C: Case 2
- Do you agree with Mrs. Patel’s data collection choices for each target behavior? Explain your answers.
- Complete the forms below by calculating Rachel’s rate of calling out and her occurrences of off-task behavior. Analyze Rachel’s data.
| Date | Time | Tally (Blurting out) | Total | Rate | Tally (Waiting to be called on) | Total | Rate |
| 2/11/xx | 2:15-2:25 | /// | / | ||||
| 2/12/xx | 2:16-2:26 | // | |||||
| 2/13/xx | 2:16-2:26 | // | |||||
| 2/14/xx | 2:15-2:25 | // | |||||
| 2/15/xx | 2:17-2:27 | //// | / | ||||
| Average | Average |
| Interval | Behavior | Interval | Behavior | Interval | Behavior | Interval | Behavior |
| 1 | + | 16 | + | 31 | — | 46 | + |
| 2 | + | 17 | + | 32 | — | 47 | + |
| 3 | + | 18 | + | 33 | — | 48 | — |
| 4 | + | 19 | + | 34 | — | 49 | — |
| 5 | + | 20 | + | 35 | — | 50 | — |
| 6 | — | 21 | + | 36 | — | 51 | + |
| 7 | + | 22 | + | 37 | — | 52 | + |
| 8 | + | 23 | — | 38 | + | 53 | + |
| 9 | + | 24 | — | 39 | — | 54 | + |
| 10 | — | 25 | — | 40 | + | 55 | + |
| 11 | — | 26 | — | 41 | — | 56 | + |
| 12 | — | 27 | + | 42 | + | 57 | + |
| 13 | + | 28 | + | 43 | + | 58 | + |
| 14 | + | 29 | + | 44 | + | 59 | + |
| 15 | + | 30 | + | 45 | + | 60 | + |
| TOTAL/ % occurrences | |||||||
| TOTAL/ % non-occurrences |
- Are the teachers’ concerns about Rachel’s calling-out behavior justified? Why or why not?
- Are the teachers’ concerns about Rachel’s off-task behavior justified? Why or why not?
- For each behavior listed below, identify an alternate method of data collection and explain how Mrs. Patel would collect the data.
- Calling-out behavior
- Off-task behavior