Title: The Effects of Observing Others Versus Self-Observation on Teacher Accuracy In Presenting Learn Unit Instruction
Description: In Experiment I, I tested whether training teacher trainers to conduct TPRA observations to a calibrated standard by teaching them to 1) measure the accuracy of other individuals presenting learn unit instruction, then 2) measure their own accuracy in presenting learn unit instruction, would influence the accuracy of the teacher trainer’s own subsequent learn unit instruction, the accuracy of the teacher trainees’ learn unit instruction (after being trained via TPRA observations), or the numbers of objectives achieved by students, given instruction from their respective teacher trainees. The dependent variables included the accuracy of both the teacher trainers and the teacher trainees in presenting learn unit instruction, along with numbers of instructional objectives achieved by students. The independent variables included two successive treatment phases, in which the teacher trainers conducted TPRA’s on others presenting learn units, followed by TPRA’s on their own learn unit instruction.

Following each intervention, the teacher trainers conducted in-situ TPRA’s with feedback on each of their respective teacher trainees. Following the in-situ TPRA’s with feedback conducted by the teacher trainers, I measured the dependent variables by conducting TPRA observations without feedback. The results indicated that both teacher trainers and teacher trainees demonstrated increased accuracy in Learn Unit presentations as a function of the treatment package. The rates of student learning also increased following the interventions. In Experiment II, I tested the effects of time, practice, and experience on the accuracy of teacher learn unit instruction. I measured teacher learn unit accuracy prior to and following a period of time that did not include any formal intervention. Additionally, I measured the numbers of in-situ TPRA’s required by each teacher to achieve mastery criteria for presenting learn units. The results showed that while each teacher demonstrated slight improvements in their learn unit delivery following practice alone, their accuracy was far from mastery criteria level.

Additionally, all teachers required in-situ TPRA’s with feedback in order to achieve mastery criteria for delivering learn unit instruction. In Experiment III, I tested the effects of learning by observing others on teacher learn unit accuracy. Specifically, I measured teacher learn unit accuracy prior to and following a classroom training where the teachers were required to measure the accuracy of other individual’s learn unit instruction, by conducting TPRA observations on a set of standardized training videos. Additionally, I measured the numbers of post-intervention in-situ TPRA’s with feedback required by each teacher to achieve mastery criteria for presenting learn units. The results showed that two of the three teachers demonstrated improvements in their learn unit delivery following the training videos, however, their accuracy was far from mastery criteria level. Therefore, all teachers required in-situ TPRA’s with feedback in order to achieve mastery criteria for delivering learn units.

In Experiment IV, I tested the effects of learning by observing videos of oneself on teacher learn unit accuracy. Specifically, I measured teacher learn unit accuracy prior to and following a classroom training where the teachers were required to measure the accuracy of their own learn unit instruction, by conducting TPRA observations on a set of pre-recorded videos of themselves delivering learn units. Additionally, I measured the numbers of post-intervention in-situ TPRA’s with feedback required by each teacher to achieve mastery criteria for presenting learn units. The results showed that all three teachers demonstrated mastery criteria for delivering learn units following the self-observation intervention. Therefore, none of the teachers required in-situ TPRA’s with feedback, as the skill was already in repertoire.