K-6 Behavior Data Dashboard

An operational definition ensures everyone observing the student is looking for and recording the same thing. It avoids vague terms (e.g., "disruptive," "aggressive") and describes the behavior in a way that is directly observable and measurable. This increases the reliability and consistency of your data.

Example: Instead of "aggressive," define it as "hitting or kicking others with force".

• Observable: The behavior can be seen or heard.
• Measurable: The behavior can be counted (frequency, duration, etc.).
• Clear & Concise: Unambiguous and easy for anyone to understand so that any two observers would identify it the same way.
• Includes Examples & Non-Examples (Often): Clarifies what counts and what doesn't.
  • Example for "Off-Task": "Student is not looking at instructional materials or not engaging in the assigned task for at least 5 consecutive seconds." Includes: looking away from work for >5 seconds, playing with objects unrelated to the task. Excludes: brief glances away, or using approved fidgets quietly while still engaging with the task.

Let's say you want to track "non-compliance." How would you define it operationally for a 2nd-grade student?

Consider: What does it look like? Sound like? When does it typically occur? What actions would *not* be counted?

Possible Definition (based on common definitions): "Student refusal to follow specific directions or rules (e.g., verbally states 'no,' ignores task requests, or fails to initiate a directed action within 10 seconds of the instruction being given)."

What it is:

Counting how many times a specific, discrete behavior occurs within a defined observation period. Each occurrence of the target behavior is tallied. This method yields the frequency of the behavior (total count) and can be converted to a rate (count per unit of time) if observation sessions vary in length.

Best for:

Behaviors that are discrete and have a clear beginning and end that do not occur so rapidly as to be hard to count. Examples include: number of times a student raises hand, instances of hitting, occurrences of a student leaving their seat, number of self-stimulatory behaviors (like hand flapping) in a period, or frequency of initiating peer interaction. It's also useful for positive behaviors.

Tips:

• Operationally define the target behavior to ensure consistency and reliability.
• Use simple tally marks, handheld tally counters, a sheet of paper, or moving coins from one pocket to another for each occurrence.
• Note the length of the observation period to calculate a rate (e.g., 5 occurrences per 30 minutes = 0.17 per minute).
• Can be done unobtrusively (e.g., using masking tape on an arm or clipboard, or the pocket technique with tokens).
• Do not use for behaviors that occur at extremely high rates or last a long time, since counting becomes impractical or less meaningful for continuous behaviors.

What it is:

Measuring how long a behavior lasts from its onset to its end. Instead of counting occurrences, you time the total amount of time the student engages in the target behavior, either each episode's length or the cumulative duration within an observation period.

Best for:

Behaviors where the length of time is the primary concern, or behaviors that vary in length (e.g., a student's crying spells, time spent focused on a task, or how long a student is out of seat). It's also useful for positive behaviors like sustaining focus or cooperative play (e.g., increasing the duration of appropriate on-task behavior).

Tips:

• Define the behavior clearly (e.g., "out of seat" might be timed from the moment the student stands up until they return to seat).
• Use a stopwatch, timer, or timing app. Start timing when the behavior begins and stop when it ends.
• You can record each episode's duration, or accumulate the total duration over an observation period.
• Can calculate total duration, average duration per occurrence, or a percentage of the observation period (e.g., "on-task 75% of the time").
• It can be challenging for a teacher to track duration while teaching; enlisting help (a co-teacher or aide with a stopwatch) or using tools like apps that allow quick start/stop taps can help.

What it is:

Measuring the time that elapses between a given antecedent (stimulus) and the onset of the behavior. In schools, this often means timing how long it takes a student to comply with a direction or begin a task after being prompted.

Best for:

Evaluating compliance and task initiation (short latency is usually desired), or assessing how quickly a behavior occurs after a trigger (e.g., how many seconds after a transition does a child begin to show signs of anxiety).

Tips:

• Start a timer when the antecedent or prompt is delivered, and stop when the behavior starts.
• Clearly define what constitutes the "start" of the behavior (for example, define what "begin task" looks like - pencil on paper, etc.).
• Reported as an average or range (e.g., "on average, begins assignment 30 seconds after instructions (goal: within 10 seconds)").

What it is:

An observation method where you check for the behavior's occurrence during consecutive time intervals. Instead of recording every instance, you observe the student at regular intervals (or across short sub-periods) and note whether the behavior occurred in each interval.

There are three main types:

• **Partial-Interval Recording:** Score the interval if the behavior happened at any time during that interval.
• **Whole-Interval Recording:** Score the interval only if the behavior occurred for the entire duration of that interval.
• **Momentary Time Sampling (MTS):** Look up at pre-set moments (usually the end of each interval) and mark whether the behavior is occurring at that exact moment.

Best for:

Behaviors that are high-rate or continuous, where event-by-event counting is impractical. It's also useful for behaviors without clear onset/offset, like off-task behavior ("not paying attention"), humming, fidgeting, or engagement in class.

• Use **Partial-Interval** when you want to capture any occurrence and are okay with potentially overestimating how much it happens. This is often chosen for decreasing behaviors.
• Use **Whole-Interval** when interested in continuous engagement or a behavior to increase.
• **Momentary Time Sampling** is great for general classroom behaviors or multiple students because you don't have to watch constantly. It's effective for frequently occurring or long-lasting behaviors like on/off task behavior, social involvement, etc..

Tips:

• Decide on a total observation period and split it into equal intervals. Intervals could be as short as a few seconds or as long as several minutes.
• Shorter intervals give more accuracy but are harder to manage; longer intervals are easier but less precise. A good rule is to use the shortest interval you can handle consistently.
• Partial-interval recording tends to overestimate total behavior occurrence, whereas whole-interval can underestimate. Momentary time sampling often strikes a good balance and has no consistent over- or underestimation if intervals are reasonably small relative to behavior length.
• Do not use coarse time sampling for very infrequent behaviors as important events could be missed.

What it is:

A structured observational method that focuses on what happens immediately before a behavior (Antecedent), the behavior itself, and what happens after (Consequence). An observer documents each occurrence of a target behavior along with its antecedent and consequence, often using an ABC data form. The goal is to reveal patterns about triggers and outcomes that maintain the behavior.

Best for:

Determining the function of a behavior or the factors triggering and reinforcing it. It is especially effective for challenging behaviors that seem to serve a purpose (e.g., seeking attention, avoiding a task, sensory stimulation, etc.).

Tips:

• Identify a specific target behavior to track (e.g., "shouting out in class" or "withdrawing from group activity").
• Record the Antecedent (what happened right before), Behavior (observable action), and Consequence (what happened right after and how others responded).
• Record the time and setting, as patterns may depend on when/where the behavior occurs.
• It often takes multiple ABC observations (e.g., 8-10 instances) to see a clear pattern.
• Consider using abbreviations or a checklist format for common antecedents and consequences to make it manageable.
• Always collect enough episodes (over several days or classes if needed) to see reliable patterns.