Article

Technology-Supported Performance-Based Feedback for Early Intervention Home Visiting

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Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a Distance Mentoring Model (DMM), including performance-based feedback and technology support, on expanding the use of recommended home visiting practices by early interventionists. Data from 18 early interventionists indicated that participation in the DMM approach was associated with increased use of various caregiver coaching strategies and routine contexts. Specifically, participants spent significantly less time in child-focused intervention and more time using specific coaching interactions with the caregiver and child as a dyad after participating in technology-supported, performance-based feedback. All participants reported that they would participate in technology-supported, professional development opportunities again in the future.

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... 1210458T ECXXX10.1177/02711214231210458Topics in Early Childhood Special EducationWilliams and Ostrosky research-article2023 1 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA Several researchers explored facilitators and barriers of caregiver coaching. Barriers to implementing caregiver coaching include caregiver characteristics (e.g., knowledge, expectations, involvement, language differences, and family composition), time and scheduling constraints, and limited training opportunities (Douglas et al., 2020;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2018;Salisbury et al., 2018;Stewart & Applequist, 2019). Conversely, professional development opportunities, technology, and structured coaching frameworks facilitated EI providers' use of caregiver coaching. ...
... While participants reported that educational resources such as webinars, videos, and online trainings were helpful, several participants noted that trainings alone were not sufficient to influence their use of coaching. This finding is consistent with previous research that found that EI providers' use of caregiver coaching practices increased more when they received feedback from a peer or expert, than from training alone (Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2020). Likewise, these findings corroborate findings from Trivette et al. (2009), who reported that some adult learning strategies (e.g., engaging in discussion about how to improve practice and having real life opportunities to practice) were more effective at producing learner outcomes than others (e.g., dramatic readings, imagery, and instructional videos). ...
... Second, inservice and pre-service preparation should focus on meaningful learning opportunities that prepare EI providers to implement caregiver coaching both in-person and via telepractice. Although some researchers have reported that EI providers desire more formal training on coaching practices (Stewart & Applequist, 2019), findings from the current study and others indicate the importance of practice, self-reflection, and collaboration as facilitators of EI providers' use of caregiver coaching (Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2020). To promote and sustain the use of caregiver coaching beyond the context of the pandemic, it is crucial that faculty and professional development providers continue to move away from didactic instruction and utilize a variety of adult learning strategies when working with pre-service and in-service EI providers. ...
Article
Caregiver coaching in early intervention (EI) can lead to positive outcomes for young children with delays and disabilities and their families. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some EI providers reported coaching caregivers more frequently. However, EI providers’ use of caregiver coaching is inconsistent, and there is a need for more effective personnel preparation in this area. In this qualitative study we explored EI providers’ beliefs about what factors contributed to their increased use of caregiver coaching during the pandemic. Participants reported two areas that contributed to their use of caregiver coaching: service delivery (e.g., telepractice, role changes, and caregiver expectations for services) and learning opportunities (e.g., personal growth and reflection, educational resources, and collaboration). Implications include the need for policies that allow and promote access to telepractice services and the importance of using a variety of adult learning strategies when delivering in-service and pre-service preparation related to caregiver coaching.
... (See Supplementary Appendix A for the training and coaching fidelity form). For the observation component of coaching, the coach created one 2-to 4-min clip portraying the EIP's use of triadic strategies during the most recent teleintervention session (Marturana & Woods, 2012) or potential opportunities for the EIP to use strategies with the dyad. We targeted at least five coaching sessions for each EIP. ...
... This mixed-methods study contributes to a growing body of literature investigating multiple aspects of EI practice, including PD in EI (Fettig et al., 2016;Snyder et al., 2015) and supporting EIPs with adopting family-centered, capacity-building approaches in their work with families (Brown & Woods, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2020). Mixing methods allowed us to comprehensively understand how the intervention activities influenced multiple aspects of service delivery. ...
... Consistent with previous research, a primary finding from this study suggested that a virtual training and coaching intervention supported modest increases in EIP use of triadic strategies (Brown & Woods, 2015;Fettig et al., 2016;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2020). Also, dyads demonstrated increased time spent interacting after EIPs were introduced to the intervention. ...
Article
Caregivers are critical partners in early intervention service delivery; therefore, it is essential to ensure that early intervention practitioners (EIPs) have sufficient training in family-centered strategies to assist families with reaching targeted family and child outcomes. The triadic strategies from the Parents Interacting With Infants (PIWI) framework comprise a set of six practitioner strategies that align with family-centered caregiver coaching practices. For this mixed methods study, we used single-case research design to investigate a virtual training and coaching program for EIPs to increase their use of triadic strategies with caregivers during teleintervention sessions. We also conducted interviews to understand the experiences of EIPs and families with triadic strategy use. Results suggest practitioners demonstrated modest increases in strategy implementation, with marked decreases in directive strategy use. Participants described experiences with strategy use as well as factors potentially influencing implementation. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
... For example, EIs in one study believed that children with medical complexities needed direct intervention from a professional (Stewart & Applequist, 2019). Other barriers to coaching include time constraints and scheduling, with some EIs highlighting the limited time available for caregiver practice, reflection, and focusing on everyday routines during sessions (Douglas et al., 2020;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2018;Salisbury et al., 2018). ...
... It has been used in a variety of ways such as for recording/watching videos, delivering remote services, and sharing information. Challenges are related to accessing technology (e.g., devices, internet) and families' understanding of their role during remote services (i.e., telepractice) (Cheung et al., 2023;Chung et al., 2020;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Meadan et al., 2020;Yang et al., 2021). However, when access to stable and reliable technology is available and EIs and families understand how to use technology, it can address some barriers to coaching. ...
... Likewise, when comparing EI session logs and participants' ratings of their use of coaching practices, researchers found that participants documented using fewer coaching practices during sessions than they rated their use of them (Douglas et al., 2020). Additionally, researchers have shown that most caregiver coaching occurs during play (Brown & Woods, 2016;Marturana & Woods, 2012), with little attention given to other routines and activities. Coaching caregivers during these other routines may be difficult due to scheduling constraints (Meadan et al., 2018;Rush & Shelden, 2020); that is, some routines that families want to address during coaching sessions may not occur during scheduled intervention times. ...
Article
Caregiver coaching is a recommended practice in early intervention; however, many barriers exist that can prevent early interventionists (EIs) from implementing it. This mixed method study was designed to understand if EIs’ perceived use of caregiver coaching changed after Illinois’ COVID-19 stay-at-home order. Questionnaire data and interview data were analyzed together to explore changes reported by participants. Findings show that participants believed they used coaching practices and coached within routines more often following the stay-at-home order and that their changes in caregiver coaching impacted families (e.g., increased caregiver engagement, child progress, more meaningful intervention). Findings suggest that the stay-at-home order evoked a much-needed change in caregiver coaching. Implications include the need for research on contributors to EIs’ use of caregiver coaching and how to effectively use modeling. Implications for practice suggest that EIs should explain coaching to families and individualize their approach to promote family engagement in their children’s intervention.
... The second challenge with moving to a telepractice model was more fortuitous in that it required EI providers to move away from child-directed approaches frequently used in the field (e.g., Marturana & Woods, 2012;Peterson et al., 2007;Romano & Schnurr, 2020;Sawyer & Campbell, 2017). The abrupt shift in service delivery models necessitated the use of evidence-based caregiver coaching strategies aligned with the key tenets of EI. ...
... Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, only a handful of studies examined the use of technology to train EI providers on caregiver coaching models for in-person home visiting (e.g., Coogle et al., 2019;Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Romano et al., 2021). For example, Marturana and Woods (2012) demonstrated that technology-supported performance-based feedback for providers led to increased use of caregiver coaching strategies and decreased time in child-directed intervention. ...
... Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, only a handful of studies examined the use of technology to train EI providers on caregiver coaching models for in-person home visiting (e.g., Coogle et al., 2019;Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Romano et al., 2021). For example, Marturana and Woods (2012) demonstrated that technology-supported performance-based feedback for providers led to increased use of caregiver coaching strategies and decreased time in child-directed intervention. Krick Oborn and Johnson (2015) found that EI providers increased their use of caregiver coaching strategies during inperson home visits following a performance-based feedback program delivered electronically. ...
Article
Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic caused a rapid shift in service delivery; hence, many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) were delivering services to children and families via telepractice without advanced notice or preparation. This clinical focus article describes a caregiver coaching approach that can be implemented through telepractice and the results of a professional development training designed to assist early intervention (EI) providers in quickly implementing the caregiver coaching model. Method Twenty-five EI providers participated in web-based professional development trainings describing the components of a caregiver coaching approach to be used in telepractice. Participants completed pre- and posttraining surveys to report on their current knowledge of caregiver coaching and self-reported changes in their provision of caregiver coaching through telepractice. Results Most participants were able to list, describe, and identify caregiver coaching strategies following training. All providers also described changes in their implementation of the caregiver coaching practices during interactions with children and families in telehealth sessions after receiving training. Conclusions This clinical focus article provides information for SLPs on the implementation of caregiver coaching approaches as applied in telepractice, as well as preliminary evidence of the effectiveness for web-based professional development training to expand SLPs' knowledge and skills related to caregiver coaching in EI. Future research, including ongoing professional development and coaching to ensure fidelity in the implementation of this approach, is discussed, as well as recommendations to expand practice and research in the area of caregiver coaching in telepractice.
... Many therapists do not know how to guide caregiver engagement in the process. Therefore, EI service providers must have adequate and continuous training to effectively implement this model of intervention (Campbell & Sawyer, 2009;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Stewart & Applequist, 2019) to allow their interventions to align with the requirements of IDEA Part C (Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Salisbury et al., 2010). ...
... Many therapists do not know how to guide caregiver engagement in the process. Therefore, EI service providers must have adequate and continuous training to effectively implement this model of intervention (Campbell & Sawyer, 2009;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Stewart & Applequist, 2019) to allow their interventions to align with the requirements of IDEA Part C (Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Salisbury et al., 2010). ...
... A semi-structured video interview was developed based on an extensive review of the literature, as noted above, and on the personal experiences of the researchers to explore how the participants defined and implemented FCP in their interventions and their perceptions of the use of the model in their practice (Friedman et al., 2012;Graham et al., 2013;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Stewart & Applequist, 2019). Additional probes were used to have the participants provide detailed descriptions of their perceptions of engaging families in therapy sessions, their understanding of parent engagement models of intervention, their knowledge of FCP, and their awareness of their role in EI. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: Early intervention (EI) requires service provision in natural settings while incorporating interventions based on family-centered practice (FCP). This study sought to understand (a) how occupational therapists define and implement FCP in their daily interventions and (b) therapists’ perspectives on using this model of practice in EI. Method: This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach. Nine licensed occupational therapists from six states with a minimum of 3 years of working experience in the area of EI participated. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed, and subsequently coded and analyzed for emergent themes. Results: The therapists had an average of 12.6 years of experience in EI. Four themes were identified: (a) confusion on meaning and implementation of FCP, (b) FCP creates feelings of insecurity, (c) FCP requires therapists to assume roles and engage in activities or practices for which they are not prepared, and (d) systemic issues affect the ability to implement FCP in EI. Conclusion: The participants reported limited evidence-based practice guidelines on FCP models and emphasized the need for training to have a commonality in defining and implementing FCP. Findings indicate a need to address systemic issues affecting how services are approved, delivered, and funded.
... Further, coaches must share relevant information and be able to elaborate on the feedback offered (Jayaraman et al., 2016;Knoche et al., 2013). Additionally, the use of a distance coaching model with EI professionals has proven effective (Marturana & Woods, 2012). ...
... As in baseline, sessions were video recorded during intervention. Coaching occurred via video conferencing after each home-based session and involved only the professional and the first author (Marturana & Woods, 2012). The purpose of coaching was to help the professionals reach fidelity in their application of the Matrix Approach. ...
... These clips were used to frame collaborative discussions between the researcher and professional. The researcher took notes during coaching and a follow-up email was sent outlining the five components with a bulleted list of discussion points (Marturana & Woods, 2012). Since coaching was a primary dependent variable, it was important to establish researcher fidelity to its implementation (Kazdin, 2011). ...
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of this single case study was to investigate if a functional relation existed between online training and coaching, and early interventionists’ use of an approach to practice meant to facilitate family-centered practices. Four professional/family dyads participated in the study. Three of the four professionals demonstrated an immediate increase in fidelity to the approach following online training. Fidelity levels were significantly higher in intervention when supported by coaching than in baseline, although variability was observed. While maintenance data were lower than during intervention, fidelity levels were higher in maintenance than in baseline. Three issues emerged from this study that are worthy of discussion. Change in practice was observed as a result of online training. In addition, online coaching through the use of video recordings was found to be an effective method for impacting practice. Finally, the results revealed that coaching could be effective even between unfamiliar professionals. The study has implications for preservice and in-service training programs in regard to the effectiveness of online technologies for training and coaching.
... Many therapists do not know how to guide caregiver engagement in the process. Therefore, EI service providers must have adequate and continuous training to effectively implement this model of intervention (Campbell & Sawyer, 2009;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Stewart & Applequist, 2019) to allow their interventions to align with the requirements of IDEA Part C (Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Salisbury et al., 2010). ...
... Many therapists do not know how to guide caregiver engagement in the process. Therefore, EI service providers must have adequate and continuous training to effectively implement this model of intervention (Campbell & Sawyer, 2009;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Stewart & Applequist, 2019) to allow their interventions to align with the requirements of IDEA Part C (Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Salisbury et al., 2010). ...
... A semi-structured video interview was developed based on an extensive review of the literature, as noted above, and on the personal experiences of the researchers to explore how the participants defined and implemented FCP in their interventions and their perceptions of the use of the model in their practice (Friedman et al., 2012;Graham et al., 2013;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Stewart & Applequist, 2019). Additional probes were used to have the participants provide detailed descriptions of their perceptions of engaging families in therapy sessions, their understanding of parent engagement models of intervention, their knowledge of FCP, and their awareness of their role in EI. ...
Poster
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Date Presented 03/28/20 The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of OTs working in EI, regarding their understanding and implementation of family-centered practices (FCP). Nine participants shared their descriptive accounts in working with families. Four themes emerged identifying areas affecting the delivery of FCP by OTPs: confusion, insecurity, multiple roles, and systemic issues. Results highlight the need for training on FCP and in addressing systemic issues. Primary Author and Speaker: Irma Pereira Contributing Authors: Francine Seruya
... To test the effect of PD with active engagement and ongoing support, researchers have examined coaching with performance-based feedback to determine the effect on EI providers' use of targeted practices (Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012). Although these researchers have developed unique approaches to effective coaching, a common element has been the delivery of performancebased feedback. ...
... In addition, these researchers examined the effect of using technology-enhanced, performance-based feedback (TEPF), which incorporates technology and alleviates the challenges associated with face-to-face coaching within Part C, EI environments. This research has been specific to researchers delivering TEPF to EI providers regarding their use of family-centered practices (Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012). Krick Oborn and examined the effect of using traditional didactic workshops followed by TEPF (email), targeting family engagement practices. ...
... The workshop condition did not have an effect on EI providers' family engagement practices; however, EI providers increased their use of family engagement practices upon receiving email feedback. Marturana and Woods (2012) used a distance coaching model, where the research team used a video conferencing system to provide TEPF to EI providers based on their review of video-recorded EI sessions. Upon receiving feedback, EI providers spent more time engaging the family and less time on child-focused activities. ...
Article
We used a multiple-probe single-case design to determine whether there was a functional relation between peer-delivered, technology-enhanced, performance-based feedback (TEPF) and early intervention (EI) providers’ use of family engagement strategies and embedded learning opportunities. Participants included three coaches, three EI providers, three caregivers, and three children receiving EI services. Results suggest that although peer-delivered, TEPF did increase some of the EI providers’ practices, we did not observe a functional relation. Implications for future EI research and practice are discussed.
... One method to support novice ECSE teachers to develop into expert teachers who use evidence-based practices, such as naturalistic instruction, is through professional development (PD) induction supports. High-quality PD is characterized by inclusion of adult learning strategies such as alignment to target outcomes and interactive and collaborative delivery (Hemmeter, Snyder, Kinder, & Artman, 2011;Marturana & Woods, 2012). Unfortunately, ineffective approaches to PD (e.g., traditional didactic trainings or workshops) remain the most frequent form of PD in ECSE settings (Snyder, Hemmeter, & McLaughlin, 2011). ...
... One of the more effective methods for providing PD is coaching (Coogle, Ottley, Storie, & Rahn Burt, 2017;Coogle, Rahn, Ottley, & Storie, 2016;Kretlow & Bartholomew, 2010;Marturana & Woods, 2012). According to the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning (2014), coaching is a cyclical process designed to support teachers in their implementation of practices with fidelity. ...
... Performance-based feedback has been used in early childhood settings to increase teachers' use of evidence-based practices (Barton, Chen, Pribble, Pomes, & Kim, 2013;Fettig, Barton, Carter, & Eisenhower, 2016;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Ottley & Hanline, 2014). The research suggests positive impacts from coaching that include an element of performance-based feedback on teachers' use of behavioral strategies (Fettig et al., 2016), interaction strategies , social-emotional strategies (Fox, Hemmeter, Snyder, Binder, & Clarke, 2011), communication strategies (Friedman & Woods, 2015), and literacy strategies (McCollum, Hemmeter, & Hsieh, 2011). ...
Article
Full-text available
A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effects of bug-in-ear eCoaching on teachers’ use of two targeted naturalistic communication strategies and focus children’s responses to these strategies. Results indicated that bug-in-ear eCoaching enhanced teachers’ use of communication strategies and the appropriate responses of children with communication difficulties. Moreover, novice teachers reported that bug-in-ear eCoaching was a socially valid intervention.
... Coaches expressed that they were able to refne their coaching skills as a result of the Project. In addition, coaches and providers benefted from the use of video for observing performance (Marturana & Woods, 2012) and self-refection. Our Project fndings also suggest that a time frame of longer than six months may be necessary to truly lead to sustained changes. ...
... To that end, a critical recommendation is a model for PD that is consistently provided to all providers and teams while also allowing for individualization to meet the unique and diverse needs of teams in their own local communities. High-quality PD that creatively utilizes technology (e.g., the use of video as a learning and refection tool, synchronous means of interacting to overcome the boundaries of time and space) can connect providers to each other as well as connect providers to mentors (Marturana & Woods, 2012). Although these efforts can happen "from the bottom up", we also recommend initiatives "from the top down" for system-wide consistency and systems change. ...
Article
Full-text available
To ensure the fidelity of implementation of early intervention (EI) services in natural environments (NE), new types of partnerships are needed to systematically address this challenge. This paper describes one approach for effective professional development (PD) in EI to address the lack of systematic supports and PD for EI providers working with families in EI. The Early Intervention in Natural Environments Community of Practice (CoP) project was a six month study that endeavored to support previously trained EI providers in refining the use of their everyday practices. Given the potential of this approach for improving practices and child/family outcomes in the USA as well as in Europe through the development, implementation, and sustainability of a comprehensive system of ongoing PD, the NE CoP program evaluation plan and preliminary results are shared in their entirety.
... Researchers have explored family-centered coaching strategies used by service providers through interviews and questionnaires with caregivers (e.g., James and Chard 2010; Swafford et al. 2015) and service providers (Fleming et al. 2011). Additionally, observations of coaching sessions (e.g., Jayaraman et al. 2015), implementation of interventions and professional development to change service providers' practices (Friedman et al. 2012;Marturana and Woods 2012) have all been used to explore providers' family-centered and coaching practices. Within this body of research, it has been reported that service providers engage in family-centered practices, such as joint interaction, information sharing, and conversations with the caregiver more frequently than childfocused practices, such as direct interaction with the child. ...
... Within this body of research, it has been reported that service providers engage in family-centered practices, such as joint interaction, information sharing, and conversations with the caregiver more frequently than childfocused practices, such as direct interaction with the child. However, the specific coaching strategies that encourage caregivers' reflection and guided practice with feedback were least common among service providers (Colyvas et al. 2010;Jayaraman et al. 2015;Marturana and Woods 2012;Meadan et al. 2018) despite evidence that these practices are critical (Dunst et al. 2010 (Reflect). Initially the parents didn't respond to Mallory's general question (e.g., "How did things go last week?"), ...
Article
Full-text available
Family-centered practices are a hallmark of early intervention (EI). Early intervention service providers are expected to engage in practices that emphasize family strengths, promote family choice and control, and develop collaborative relationships between professionals and families. In 2014 the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children released a series of revised recommended practices for the field of EI and early childhood special education. The seven topic strands include: assessment, environment, family, instruction, interaction, teaming and collaboration, and transition. This paper addresses practices under multiple topic strands including instruction and family. The purpose of this manuscript is to present strategies that: (a) encourage caregiver reflection—a critical, yet challenging, component of coaching, (b) guide service providers in providing feedback to the caregiver, and (c) enhance service providers use of self-reflection.
... However, typical teacher trainings usually engage outside consultants or experts to provide one-off workshops to in-service teachers in hopes that their intervention skills or intervention fidelity will be improved. This practice continues despite the evidence that didactic lectures and workshops for disseminating evidence-based practices, either face to face or via technology, do not produce any sustained change in intervention practice (Marturana & Woods, 2012;Mohr, Weingardt, Reddy, & Schueller, 2017;Suhrheinrich, 2011). Suhrheinrich (2011) found that only 15% of teachers met the mastery criteria of pivotal response training (PRT) after attending a didactic workshop, while remaining teachers showed additional improvement only after individual coaching. ...
... One avenue for implementation support is the use of mobile technology. Mobile technology for education and training offers exciting possibilities for enhancing effectiveness in training special education personnel, especially in the area of provision of supervision, coaching and performance feedback (Billingsley & Scheuermann, 2014;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Pianta, Mashburn, Downer, Hamre, & Justice, 2008). Digital health research suggests that trainers' feedback and interactions with trainees are essential in the delivery of technology-enabled training because mere technologies can rarely be primary agents of behavioural change in comparison to human-supported technologies ( Mohr et al., 2017). ...
Article
A multiple baseline design was conducted with four preschool teachers to examine the effects of the mobile-app-enabled program in improving their intervention fidelity in naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) for young children with ASD. Results: Results indicated that teachers who participated in the post training intervention attained high intervention fidelity of implementation (84-97%) compared to their baseline percentage of intervention fidelity (42-54%). Teachers' acceptability of mobile-app-enabled training program was moderate, between 60-70%. Results indicated that mobile-app-enabled training can be a promising means to raise teachers' intervention fidelity in autism intervention. Results also highlighted the usefulness and importance of having an effective andragogical framework in mobile learning design to produce lasting change of intervention behaviors. Conclusions: Technology-enabled training has the potential to serve as an innovative solution to the shortage of ASD professional training.
... For example, in Mary Dozier's attachment and biobehavioral catch-up (Dozier et al. 2014), home visitors videotape their interactions with families and then self-assess and discuss with supervisors their use of "in the moment" comments during their visits. Additionally, Marturana and Woods (2012) demonstrated the efficacy of distance coaching via video feedback. Home visitors received two initial training days focused on effective interactions with caregivers and then for 8 months participated in monthly video review and conference calls. ...
... Coaches identified both positive interactions in videos and missed opportunities to use particular competencies. After 8 months, home visitors decreased in child-focused interactions in their visits 1 3 and increased in more explicit coaching techniques with mothers (Marturana and Woods 2012). ...
Article
Full-text available
Purpose Home visiting programs have produced inconsistent outcomes. One challenge for the field is the design and implementation of effective training to support home visiting staff. In part due to a lack of formal training, most home visitors need to develop the majority of their skills on the job. Home visitors typically receive training in their agency’s specific model (e.g., HFA, NFP) and, if applicable, curriculum. Increasingly, states and other home visiting systems are developing and/or coordinating more extensive training and support systems beyond model-specific and curricula trainings. To help guide these training efforts and future evaluations of them, this paper reviews research on effective training, particularly principles of training transfer and adult learning. Description Our review summarizes several meta-analyses, reviews, and more recent publications on training transfer and adult learning principles. Assessment Effective training involves not only the introduction and modeling of concepts and skills but also the practice of, evaluation of, and reflection upon these skills. Further, ongoing encouragement of, reward for, and reflection upon use of these skills, particularly by a home visitor’s supervisor, are critical for the home visitor’s continued use of these skills with families. Conclusion Application of principles of adult learning and training transfer to home visiting training will likely lead to greater transfer of skills from the training environment to work with families. The involvement of both home visitors and their supervisors in training is likely important for this transfer to occur.
... Virtual Coaching-Video Feedback Marturana & Woods, 2012 This study evaluated the effects of distance coaching, via virtual conferencing, for home visitor early interventionists (Marturana & Woods, 2012). After 3 face-to-face training workshops, 34 home visitors, paired into 17 peer teams and were each videotaped engaging with a family during a home visit. ...
... Virtual Coaching-Video Feedback Marturana & Woods, 2012 This study evaluated the effects of distance coaching, via virtual conferencing, for home visitor early interventionists (Marturana & Woods, 2012). After 3 face-to-face training workshops, 34 home visitors, paired into 17 peer teams and were each videotaped engaging with a family during a home visit. ...
Technical Report
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This report investigates the current uses of technology in early childhood professional development, how Nebraska programs are integrating technology into their professional development, and how technology can be leveraged to provide more access and more effective professional development to early childcare providers in the state.
... Already families are video recording their children to show their early interventionists, professionals and families are exchanging ideas about websites, and professionals are showing videos of interventions to families. Innovations that hold promise for scaling up are (a) iPad apps that teach parents intervention activities (Venkatesh, Phung, Duong, Greenhill, & Adams, 2013), (b) technologysupported performance feedback to families (Marturana & Woods, 2012), (c) virtual home visits via teleconferencing (Olsen, Fiechtl, & Rule, 2012), and (d) coaching parents of children with hearing impairment through telepractice (Hamren & Quigley, 2012). A survey of Part C state and jurisdiction coordinators (N = 27) revealed that nine were using or planned to use telehealth as an adjunct service delivery model (Cason, Behl, & Ringwalt, 2012). ...
... Literature on this issue is almost empty, raising questions about the extent to which in vivo training and supervision occur for home-visiting practices. In research, some protocols have been developed, which might also be used by faculty in teaching-at least at the institutions where the protocols were developed (Fleming et al., 2011;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012). For the field to have well-trained professionals serving infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, professional developers and supervisors will need to overcome barriers to observation-and performance-based feedback (Ledford & Gast, 2014;Powell & Diamond, 2013). ...
Chapter
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The formal system of supports for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families is early intervention under Part C of IDEA. The major activities undertaken in early intervention are home visits, family-centered practices, coaching, responsive teaching, routine-based interventions, service coordination, and transition to preschool. Challenges remaining to be solved are using models for the effective delivery of services, using technology, providing training and supervision, and offering specialized, inclusive classroom options.
... Caregiver coaching. Descriptive data from individual home visits and aggregate programs have demonstrated promise for the systematic definitions based on the family-guided routines-based intervention (FGRBI) coding protocol (Brown & Woods, 2012;Cambray-Engstrom & Salisbury, 2010;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Woods, 2005;Woods & Kashinath, 2007;Woods et al., 2004). In the current study, these reliable documented definitions were adapted from 30-s interval codes to hierarchical, mutually exclusive state behaviors in an attempt to capture the duration and transition of each strategy. ...
... It was interesting that joint interaction, which is a triadic interaction strategy without feedback or guidance, was not associated with higher contingent frequencies of parent strategy use. Joint interaction has been used in relatively high proportions in this study as well as other studies examining providers' coaching practices (Brown & Woods, 2012;Cambray-Engstrom & Salisbury, 2010;Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012). It is possible that the collaborative strategy of joint interaction sets the stage for other coaching strategies, provides time for the provider to assess child and caregiver interaction as they practice, or is used to maintain a pace that supports parent and child engagement. ...
Article
Collaboration with parents and caregivers to support young children’s communication development is an important component to early intervention services. Coaching parents to implement communication support strategies is increasingly common in parent-implemented interventions, but few studies examine the process as well as the outcomes. We explored the triadic relationships between interventionist, parent, and child within a parent-implemented communication for toddlers with Down syndrome (DS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or developmental delays (DD). Time-window sequential analyses revealed that parents were more likely to use communication strategies during or immediately following coaching strategies that encouraged the parents’ active role. Children were more likely to use targeted communication skills immediately following responsive parent interactions. Intervention occurred in similar frequencies across play and non-play routine contexts. This analysis provides preliminary information on understanding potential mediating variables in parent-implemented interventions. Implications for increasing parent capacity-building and child outcomes through coaching are discussed.
... (p. 8) Rooted in trusting relationships and adult learning theory (Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana and Woods, 2012), caregiver coaching in EI is an interaction style or approach, comprising several components aimed to build caregiver capacity. Salisbury and Copeland's (2013) study used caregiver coaching strategies of targeted information sharing (S), observation, and opportunities for caregiver practice with provider feedback (OO), problem solving and reflection (P), and review of the session (R; SOOPR) and used a checklist format to measure the presence of the characteristics as observed, partially observed, or not observed during EI visits. ...
Article
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Introduction The translation and use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) within early intervention (EI) systems presents challenges. The Office of Special Education (OSEP) has emphasized results-driven accountability to expand state accountability from compliance to also include quality services that align with EBPs. OSEP’s results-driven accountability provided states the opportunity to design State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIP) to strengthen the quality of EI services by increasing the capacity of EI systems to implement, scale-up, and sustain use of EBPs. Caregiver coaching is widely accepted as an EBP within EI settings, yet uptake and fidelity to coaching practices remains limited. Such widespread implementation of caregiver coaching is partially limited by a lack of measurement tools that operationalize behaviors consistent with coaching. In this study, we describe the development of the Kentucky Coaching Adherence Rubric-Revised (KCAR-R) and psychometric testing of the instrument. Methods We developed and tested the KCAR-R to measure fidelity of coaching practices within a state-wide professional development program, the Coaching in Early Intervention Training and Mentorship Program. We define operational elements of the KCAR-R and rubric design elements related to: creators; users and uses; specificity, judgment complexity; evaluative criteria; quality levels; quality definitions; scoring strategies; presentation; explanation; quality processes; accompanying feedback information; secrecy; and exemplars. With regard to psychometric validation of the KCAR-R, interrater reliability was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients across eight raters and 301 randomly selected video submissions. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha across 429 video submissions. Results Results showed 0.987 agreement, indicating excellent interrater reliability; item level internal consistency values ranged from 0.860 to 0.882. for scale if item deleted and 0.834 for the total scale. Discussion Findings from this study showed that the KCAR-R operationalized behaviors that exemplify caregiver coaching and may serve as a resource for other states or programs to document the quality and fidelity of evidence-based EI services. To influence EI provider practices at a systems level, we used implementation science to guide our work and provide examples of how EI systems seeking ways to create sustainable quality services may build upon our approach.
... The service provider can meet with the family via videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts to conduct observations and use BIE to provide in-the-moment feedback. Hence, the feedback can be delivered immediately (Marturana & Woods, 2012). Second, feedback delivery via BIE is costefficient because the materials are relatively affordable, accessible, and easy to use. ...
Article
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Early intervention is a system of services designed to strengthen child outcomes and build family capacity. One approach of service provision is the Routines-Based Model which implements adult-learning practices wherein service providers and caregivers partner to build family-mediated interventions for children. Owing to COVID-19 and the benefits of telepractice, more and more service providers are likely to incorporate a telepractice modality into service provision. Because the Routines-Based Model uses family consultation, these home-visiting practices translate well to telepractice. In addition to consultation techniques, however, service providers must use technology advantageously to ensure effective communication practices. This article discusses technology uses in telepractice that can be incorporated in the Routines-Based Model, Tele-Routines-Based Home Visits, and examples of Tele-Routines-Based Home Visits.
... In fact, previous studies have found that preservice education opportunities about EI and autism are rare (Campbell et al., 2009;Stronach & Schmedding, 2019), continuing education and professional development are often costly and time-intensive (Thome et al., 2020), and the autism-specific nature of NDBIs may limit the use of NDBIs by EI providers, who see children with and without autism diagnoses (Pickard et al., 2021). Given the intensive methods that may be optimal for teaching clinicians (e.g., mentorship, in-vivo coaching; (Kyzar et al., 2014;Marturana & Woods, 2012)), it may be unreasonable to expect a single training to cover all the needs of autistic children and their families in EI; however, further investigation of the impact of NDBIs across developmental domains and on discrete skills commonly targeted by SLPs may facilitate clinical decisionmaking around using NDBIs to meet specific family/child needs. Such future research is likely to increase NDBIs perceived acceptability by clinicians, and as such, EI clinicians may therefore be more motivated to pursue related professional development opportunities. ...
Article
Purpose Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) have demonstrated initial promise in facilitating social communication development for autistic toddlers, but their highly structured protocols may be a barrier toward their use by early intervention (EI) providers who must individualize intervention according to family-centered principles. This study aimed to characterize the extent to which EI speech-language pathologists (SLPs) use NDBI strategies, and the range of skills and behaviors addressed during their EI sessions, to contextualize the role of NDBIs within the scope of needs of families with autistic children in EI. Method This observational study included 25 families with an autistic toddler and their EI SLP. One home-based session was recorded for each family, and an observational measure was used to describe SLPs' NDBI strategy use. Qualitative content analyses were also used to characterize the strategies SLPs recommended to families, and the child skills and behaviors they discussed. Results SLPs did not implement NDBI strategies with high quality, but they implemented developmental NDBI strategies with significantly higher quality than behavioral NDBI strategies. SLPs discussed many strategies and skills across disciplines within the session. Conclusions SLPs may require further training to implement NDBI strategies, but given the breadth and depth of skills addressed during sessions, researchers should investigate and report on the impact of NDBIs on a wider range of communication skills and developmental domains. This will facilitate clinical decision making and make these interventions better aligned with family-centered EI principles. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21834480
... Effective PD is based on adult learning principles and geared toward actual change in practitioners' behaviors and practice (Dunst & Trivette, 2009). Researchers have identifed coaching with performance feedback as an effective method of professional development (Brown & Woods, 2011;Marturana & Woods, 2012), in contrast with the "sit-and-get" model or one-dose workshops delivered without follow-up. Coaching is based on the principles of adult learning, and designed to "build capacity for specifc professional dispositions, skills, and behaviors and is focused on goal-setting and achievement for an individual or group" (NAEYC, NACCRRA, 2011, p. 11) In order to target EI practitioner's ability to work effectively with children and families and support developmental outcomes, the Community of Practice (CoP) framework uses an implementation science approach (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005) and operates on multiple levels to ensure communication and collaboration is happening at the practitioner, community, and state level. ...
Article
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This paper describes a model of professional development for Early Intervention based on an ongoing project taking place in a Midwestern state in the United States of America. The Project framework is presented as a model for high-quality professional development in Early Intervention by combining a) content including evidencebased practices and recommended practices from national professional organizations; b) university-community-family partnerships, an invaluable component without which the Project would not be possible; and c) tools for effective communication, collaboration, and coaching to support adult learning. As the Project is ongoing, research and program evaluation data are not reported in this paper. However, implications for young children and families, early intervention practitioners and stakeholders, and professional development in both the authors’ local context and the wider global context are discussed.
... In EI, contrary to best practice, IFSPs often contain component-based goals for the child rather than participation-based goals for the child and family. For example, Gmmash and Effgen (2019) found that 89% of physical therapy and occupational therapy providers who treat children with cerebral palsy in early childhood believe caregivers' goals are the most important piece of developing an EI treatment plan; however, 74% hardly ever or never use outcome measures such as the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (Law et al., 2019) or goal attainment scaling (Turner-Stokes, 2009) to help caregivers identify priority areas of participation when developing therapy goals for their child. Assessments used to gauge progress on IFSP goals are, likewise, typically component based. ...
Article
Importance: Best practice guidelines and legal mandates have deemed parent engagement an essential component of early intervention (EI). Parent coaching is an intervention and a model of service delivery used in occupational therapy practice that is designed to integrate parents into the therapy session. Objective: To examine the current definitions of coaching and the ways in which U.S. occupational therapy practitioners are using coaching models in EI. Study Selection and Data Collection: We systematically searched 11 databases—CINAHL Complete, CINAHL with full text, Education Research Complete, ERIC, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Teacher Reference Center, Academic Search Premier, Academic Search Complete, Socindex with full text, and Social Work Abstracts—for articles published from 2000 through 2020. A total of 178 articles were retrieved, and 60 underwent full-text review. The final review included 16 studies of varying designs in which occupational therapy was one of the interventions and in which various definitions of coaching and models were used. Findings: The concepts inherent in coaching models were consistent across studies. There was little emphasis on the efficacy of coaching models as related to goal attainment. Conclusions and Relevance: Coaching is a viable intervention in EI. Studies are needed to assess the efficacy of the parent coaching model in achieving child and family outcomes and the training needed to provide the intervention appropriately. What This Article Adds: This scoping review explores existing research on coaching interventions and models used by occupational therapists in EI. Findings indicate that this is an area of opportunity because the model of parent coaching strongly aligns with the professional scope of occupational therapy practice.
... The sharing of developmental levels and the child's current level of functioning, including an emphasis on strengths of the child, is part of the timely, systematic sharing of information required prior to a child's eligibility meeting, Therefore, careful documentation of qualitative data regarding administration of the assessments, including the use of authentic and transdisciplinary play-based assessments, helps team members in both Part C and Part B programs have a better representation of the child's abilities (Bagnato et al., 2011). Team members may also consider the use of video technology (Marturana & Woods, 2012) to illustrate ways children communicate and interact with peers and other familiar adults in their natural environment to provide the IEP team with more clarity about a child's current level of functioning for assessment purposes. ...
Article
This article describes the steps involved in transitioning from Part C to Part B services with a particular focus on specific considerations needed for children with low-incidence disabilities. Specifically, this article describes ways to implement the Division for Early Childhood (DEC)’s TR2 Recommended Practice (practitioners use a variety of planned and timely strategies with the child and family before, during, and after the transition to support successful adjustment and positive outcomes for both the child and family).
... Difficulty in understanding how to be family centered or carry out family consultation practices arises when publications of principles or general guidelines exist without articulating specific, observable, and measurable practices. With clearly defined practices, ongoing coaching and performance-based feedback can be used to support early childhood professionals' translation of new knowledge into practice (Friedman et al., 2012;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Rush & Shelden, 2011). Findings from the current study provide state leaders and those leading the statewide training in the RBM with information about the way early interventionists tend to approach service delivery, specifically in relation to working with children and caregivers. ...
Article
Part C early intervention services should be family centered and occur in the context of families' natural environments and daily routines; yet research suggests that many early interventionists continue to work directly with the child and lack a full understanding of how they can implement best practices in the community. To help improve this implementation gap, discrepancy tools can be used to identify early interventionists' perspectives of their typical and ideal practices and gain knowledge of early interventionists' understanding of family-centered practices. The purpose of this study was to examine early interventionists' typical practices, ideal practices, and family consultation beliefs prior to one state's adoption of a family-centered early intervention model. Ninety-nine early interventionists completed a questionnaire examining their practices and beliefs. Results demonstrated that ratings of typical practices, ideal practices, and family consultation beliefs were relatively high overall, and early interventionists rated their typical practices only slightly lower than ideal practices. Item-level analysis, however, revealed a large discrepancy between typical and ideal ratings for the item related to working with the child versus the caregiver. Implications of our findings and recommended future directions are discussed.
... Feedback is a common performance management intervention as it can be relatively inexpensive to administer and is effective (e.g., Sleiman et al., 2020). Technology-based feedback has been delivered in a variety of formats such as emails (Barton & Wolery, 2007;Brown & Woods, 2011;Hemmeter et al., 2011), telecommunication technologies (Marturana & Woods, 2012;Zhu et al., 2020), and text messages (Warrilow et al., 2020). Despite its popularity, we are unaware of any research that has evaluated text-message feedback on the performance of staff working in group homes. ...
Article
The quality and frequency of positive interactions between staff and consumers are related to reductions in consumer problem behavior and increases in other desired outcomes, such as leisure and self-help skills. Unfortunately, the frequency with which group home staff positively interact with consumers is often low and regularly requires intervention. We evaluated the effects of technology-based self-monitoring on positive interactions between staff and consumers during consumer leisure time. Participant data were collected off-site through video recordings from cameras already present in the group homes. During baseline, participant interactions were low. Upon introduction of an intervention containing self-monitoring completed via a tablet device, staff interactions increased and maintained when the intervention was in effect. Supplemental feedback via text message was provided to two of the three participants to reach criterion. These findings demonstrate the utility of technology-based self-monitoring for some individuals to increase positive staff–consumer interactions in group homes.
... In EI, contrary to best practice, IFSPs often contain component-based goals for the child rather than participation-based goals for the child and family. For example, Gmmash and Effgen (2019) found that 89% of physical therapy and occupational therapy providers who treat children with cerebral palsy in early childhood believe caregivers' goals are the most important piece of developing an EI treatment plan; however, 74% hardly ever or never use outcome measures such as the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (Law et al., 2019) or goal attainment scaling (Turner-Stokes, 2009) to help caregivers identify priority areas of participation when developing therapy goals for their child. Assessments used to gauge progress on IFSP goals are, likewise, typically component based. ...
Conference Paper
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Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. Coaching models are considered best practice when providing services in early intervention (EI) programs. Although coaching is considered best practice, no true pragmatic definition exists to aid practitioners in implementation. Core constructs of OT align well with the principles of caregiver coaching to create interventions maximizing participation. This scoping review explored the conceptual and practice definitions of caregiver coaching in EI and the use of this model in OT intervention. Primary Author and Speaker: Francine M. Seruya Additional Authors and Speakers: Melissa Celio, Emily Feit, Diana Ottomanelli, and Alexys Tirado
... Studies of video use in professional development found that, rather than relying on face-to-face meetings, performance feedback can be effectively delivered via video (e.g., Marturana & Woods, 2012;Pianta et al., 2008). According to adult learning theory, adults learn best when they are actively engaged and can externally process the activity (Friedman et al., 2012;Taylor & Marienau, 2016). ...
Article
Full-text available
Research-based professional development opportunities for early childhood home visitors are valuable to the Early Head Start-Home-Based Option (EHS-HBO) and to the home visiting field broadly to strengthen effective practice. We explored EHS-HBO home visitors' (N = 5) perspectives on effective practice through a professional development activity that included viewing videos of their own practice, analyzing the video and assessment data of their practice and parent-child interactions, and reflection. A convergent mixed methods multiple-case study was used. A variety of skills were noted within each case as indicators of effective practice, suggesting that a plethora of complex skills are needed to work with families. Across-case analytic strategies were used to compare subthemes, codes, and substantial statements across cases to generate themes. Two major themes emerged from our data analysis across cases: practicing self-reflective consciousness and building foundations for parent-child interactions. The findings have implications for professional development activities. Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10643-021-01249-3.
... A small group of professionals were successfully trained to teach families how to support their children with strategies embedded in daily routines (Salisbury et al., 2017). Two studies reported adding performance-based feedback or coaching via technology to initial training sessions in efforts to improve the active coaching skills of professionals (Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015;Marturana & Woods, 2012). These professional development efforts in EI primarily focused on professionals' support and training of families in home visits rather than a package consisting of thorough initial assessment of child and family needs, development of functional, high-quality IFSP outcomes, as well as high-quality home visiting practices. ...
Article
Full-text available
The State of Nebraska Co-Lead agencies, who are responsible for developing statewide early intervention policies, rolled out professional development for two evidence-based strategies across several pilot sites. Implications of these strategies for child/family assessment, Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) development, and Early Intervention service delivery were examined utilizing family (n=30) and professional interviews (n=50), and analyses of IFSPs (n=30). The results of this mixed method study indicate widespread strategy implementation with fidelity fosters early working relationships with families and enables teams to generate, using family members’ own words, a robust group of high-quality child and family IFSP outcomes. Family engagement in planning services such as identifying service providers and setting the frequency and length of home visits was limited. In addition, further professional development is needed to strengthen use of routines-based interventions during home visits and promote family-professional collaboration to monitor child/family progress. Implications for systematic scale-up of evidence-based practices as a function of state policy implementation are reported.
... The authors reported that educators' intervention fidelity increased. Such tools can be used to maintain high fidelity levels after training educators and parents as well (Marturana and Woods 2012). ...
Article
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In the current study, we examined the effect of a parent-implemented early communication intervention during shared book reading. Three mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder were trained and coached to use a set of reading techniques and evidenced-based naturalistic communication teaching strategies (i.e., modeling, mand-model, and time delay). Using a multiple-baseline design across behaviors, the following three components were examined: (a) the mothers’ use of reading techniques with fidelity, (b) the mothers’ rate and fidelity in using the three naturalistic teaching strategies, and (c) the children’s communication outcomes. After training and coaching, the mothers used the reading techniques and naturalistic teaching strategies with high fidelity. The children initiated more communicative acts upon their mothers’ use of time delay.
... Not only did PSTs identify new and more streamlined methods for documenting student learning, but they also reported positive changes in their attitudes and increased recognition for the use of technology in early childhood classrooms Elementary students who enter the classroom often have experience with and are motivated by technology (Plowman, 2016). Considering this, PSTs have an opportunity to use technology in a way that not only motivates students but provides them with unique learning opportunities almost instantaneously (Marturana & Woods, 2012). When used in appropriate and meaningful ways, technology creates space for collaborative, active, and student-centered instruction. ...
Article
This article explores preservice teachers’ (PSTs), use of a translation app with dual language learners (DLLs). The TPACK (technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge) framework serves as the conceptual framework for the study in order to explore how PSTs integrated technology use with their current pedagogical and content knowledge. The PSTs taught three lessons in which they integrated the Speak & Translate app (S&T). After each lesson, the PSTs completed a reflection that focused on the use, successes, and challenges of the app integration. Through qualitative coding methods, the results revealed that PSTs primarily used the app to translate key vocabulary. The results also revealed positive changes in DLLs’ engagement and behaviors when the app was used. Further investigation into PSTs’ use of translation apps with DLLs holds promising potential for successful technology integration in the school setting.
... Γίνεται λοιπόν φανερό, ότι οι τεχνολογικές εξελίξεις έχουν προσφέρει μια διέξοδο για την παροχή καθοδήγησης εξ΄ αποστάσεως με τρόπο που μιμείται τις παραδοσιακές μεθόδους καθοδήγησης και είναι εξίσου αποτελεσματικοί (Fettig, Barton, Carter & Eisenhower, 2016;Scheeler, Congdon & Stansbery, 2010). Ο λόγος για τη χρήση αυτών των τεχνολογικών μεθόδων σχετίζεται με τους πόρους (δηλαδή χρόνο, χρήμα), την άμεση ανατροφοδότηση, αλλά και με γεωγραφικούς παράγοντες όπως τα ταξίδια που απαιτούνται σε απομακρυσμένες περιοχές (Marturana & Woods, 2012). Παρόλο που η χρήση τεχνολογίας μπορεί να συνδέεται με ορισμένες πιθανές προκλήσεις (π.χ. ...
Article
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H μελέτη των ειδικών μαθησιακών δυσκολιών και της υποστήριξης των μαθητών με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες απασχολεί σε έντονο βαθμό την διεθνή ερευνητική κοινότητα. Τόσο στο εξωτερικό, όσο και στην Ελλάδα η ψυχοεκπαιδευτική υποστήριξη των ειδικών παιδαγωγών που διδάσκουν μαθητές με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες μέσα από έρευνες που έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί κυρίως στο εξωτερικό, φαίνεται να αντιμετωπίζει μια πληθώρα δυσκολιών. Αρκετές έρευνες σε διεθνές επίπεδο έχουν εστιάσει στην μελέτη της αποτελεσματικότητας της χρήσης της τεχνολογίας και της εξ΄ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης για την υποστήριξη των εκπαιδευτικών που διδάσκουν μαθητές με ειδικές εκπαιδευτικές ανάγκες, ωστόσο ελάχιστες αντίστοιχες έρευνες έχουν πραγματοποιηθεί εξειδικευμένα για την ψυχοεκπαιδευτική υποστήριξη των εκπαιδευτικών που διδάσκουν μαθητές με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες καθώς φαίνεται ότι εξακολουθεί να υπάρχει ένα σημαντικό κενό κυρίως αναφορικά με υπηρεσίες για την υποστήριξη των εκπαιδευτικών που υποστηρίζουν μαθητές με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες έναντι άλλων δυσκολιών, όπως οι αισθητηριακές δυσκολίες.Στόχος της παρούσας έρευνας είναι να παρουσιάσει την εφαρμογή με τη χρήση των νέων τεχνολογιών και της εξ’ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης ενός μοντέλου ψυχοεκπαιδευτικών υπηρεσιών επιμόρφωσης καθοδήγησης και υποστήριξης, προσφερόμενων μέσω της τηλε-υποστήριξης χρησιμοποιώντας την ηλεκτρονική πλατφόρμα Cisco Webex με τεχνικές του coaching, προς τους ειδικούς παιδαγωγούς που υποστηρίζουν μαθητές με μαθησιακές δυσκολίες και να αξιολογήσει την αποτελεσματικότητα του προγράμματος. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτελούν τρεις ειδικοί παιδαγωγοί που εργάζονται σε τμήματα ένταξης. Για την συλλογή των ερευνητικών δεδομένων χρησιμοποιήθηκε ημιδομημένη συνέντευξη για την αίσθηση αυτοαποτελεσματικότητας των ειδικών παιδαγωγών.
... Mobile technology offers exciting possibilities for enhancing the effectiveness of teacher training, especially in the area of provision of online supervision, coaching and performance feedback (Billingsley & Scheuermann, 2014;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Pianta, Mashburn, Downer, Hamre, & Justice, 2008). The use of a mobile app tool to train teachers using an evidence-based practice has implication for therapists, intervention agencies and governments. ...
Conference Paper
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Synopsis: There is a shortage of qualified and effective teachers in special education due to turnover, attrition and burnout. Locally, limited resources and high costs have hindered children with special needs from receiving prompt and timely intervention. Without early intervention, children with autism will suffer significantly with poor long term developmental outcomes. A mobile application, Map4speech, was developed as a training medium to provide a solution to disseminate intervention skills to teachers in an effective and efficient way. During the session, you will hear about how Behavioural Modelling Training based on Bandura's (1977) social learning theory was embedded as the instructional design in the mobile app to deliver online teacher training. Findings showed an increase in teacher intervention knowledge and techniques in the classroom settings. It highlights the importance of integrating sound adult learning theories which are fit-for-purpose in technology-enabled learning and training.
... When considering the Institute as a whole, several elements stood out as contributing to participants' success: the format, opportunities for teaming, use of video, and group discussions. These findings are similar to Ludlow (2002) and Marturana and Woods (2012) who reported that participants found practical application, case study, and interaction among participants and with the facilitator as the most useful components in PD. ...
Article
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An evaluation was conducted of the Partnering for Success: Foundational Institute offered through the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois, the state-funded professional development provider for Part C. The evaluation examined facilitators and barriers to changes in participants’ practices in working with families in the early intervention system. Data were also gathered on the efficacy of the training components used during the 4-day, multi-component linked series. Participants reported that teaming and collaboration were effective facilitators for change, and administrative issues served as barriers to change. Participants also reported that group discussions and videos were the most effective components that assisted in changing practices.
... Clark & Luckin, 2013, p. 4). Mobile devices such as iPads have been shown to offer teachers the opportunity to provide children with personalized and unique learning experiences at almost any time (Marturana & Woods, 2012). For example, iPads can provide children with opportunities to build literacy skills through engagement in a variety of communicative processes simultaneously (e.g., Beschorner & Hutchison, 2013); support fine motor skills, such as mark making (e.g., Price et al., 2015); create opportunities for collaborative learning (e.g., Moore & Adair, 2015); as well as support the development of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts with preschoolers (e.g., Aronin & Floyd, 2013). ...
Article
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Research Findings: Having practicing or preservice early educators employing iPads and their apps as part of their practices with young children in high-stakes teaching contexts is a challenging process. The case study examined in this article further unpacks this complexity by investigating how incorporating iPads into their high-stakes field placements might have affected a sample of preservice teachers’ figuring of how to instruct and document the learning of young children. Although these preservice teachers seemed to struggle with using iPads to instruct children in their field placements, these teachers did appear to generate improvised responses to documenting student learning. Practice or Policy: Such findings offer teacher educators the chance to consider how to assist teachers in moving beyond the dominant practices found in high-stakes teaching contexts. They also offer teacher educators the chance to aid their teachers in reconfiguring the politics and policy of high-stakes early education contexts.
... Recent studies using technology to deliver coaching have shown promise with early childhood practitioners Hemmeter, Snyder, Kinder, & Artman, 2011;Vismara, Young, Stahmer, Griffith, & Rogers, 2009) and EI providers (Marturana & Woods, 2012). However, no study to date has examined the use of technology in supporting EI providers' use of FA interventions. ...
Article
Full-text available
This study examined the effects of e-coaching on the implementation of a functional assessment-based intervention delivered by an early intervention provider in reducing challenging behaviors during home visits. A multiple baseline design across behavior support plan components was used with a provider-child dyad. The e-coaching intervention consisted of weekly training and support delivered via video conferencing software. Results demonstrated a functional relation between e-coaching and early intervention provider implementation of targeted behavior support plan strategies. Furthermore, the child's challenging behaviors decreased over the course of the study. Contributions to the literature, implications for practice, and future directions are discussed.
... The richest information regarding EC educators' satisfaction with BIE coaching was their report that they would use BIE again and that they would recommend it to their colleagues and the children's families. This finding aligns with other research, suggesting that educators who receive BIE (e.g., Rock et al., 2012;Scheeler et al., 2010) and other forms of coaching (e.g., Diamond & Powell, 2011;Marturana & Woods, 2012) enjoy the coaching and/or would recommend it to others. Supporting the school-age BIE literature (e.g., Rock et al., 2014), when coaching is provided from a distance, there appears to be more challenges than when BIE coaching is provided on-site. ...
Article
Coaching is a promising method for providing professional development, which takes many forms. One such form is real-time coaching through bug-in-ear technology. This study explored the social validity of bug-in-ear coaching when provided as a form of professional development with preservice and in-service early childhood educators. Data from two studies were qualitatively analyzed to describe early childhood educators’ perceptions of the acceptability of bug-in-ear coaching with respect to the learning opportunities provided, feasibility, difficulties, and child-level outcomes. Findings suggest that BIE is deemed to be important and effective at producing educator and child outcomes. Further, educators are satisfied with the intervention and view it to be an acceptable means for receiving professional development.
... A number of studies have examined ideal conditions, formats, and delivery methods for using PF. For example, PF has been used as both a stand-alone intervention and part of comprehensive coaching or mentoring packages (Artman-Meeker, Hemmeter, & Snyder, 2014;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Pianta, Mashburn, Downer, Hamre, & Justice, 2008). Furthermore, the use of verbal PF with checklists, visuals, or graphs might be needed to produce sustained changes in teacher behaviors (Casey & McWilliam, 2008, 2011aReinke, Lewis-Palmer, & Martin, 2007). ...
Article
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of performance feedback on preservice teachers’ use of recommended practices within inclusive early childhood classrooms. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used to examine the relation between performance feedback delivered via email and practicum students’ use of target-recommended practices across settings and over time. Results indicate performance feedback delivered via email is an effective method for increasing practicum teachers’ use of target behaviors; however, generalization and maintenance varied across teachers. Implications for professional development and future research are discussed.
... The methods used to measure implementation included a review of coaching logs (n = 7), direct observation (n = 7), checklists (n = 9), monitoring of time spent coaching (n = 6), supervisory meetings (n = 8), self-reflection (n = 1), and coanalysis of classroom practices with another coach (n = 1). Of the 3 studies that provided implementation fidelity data as a percentage of adherence to a coaching protocol (Hsieh, Hemmeter, McCollum, & Ostrosky, 2009;Marturana & Woods, 2012;Ruble, McGrew, Toland, Dalrymple, & Jung, 2013), average fidelity to coaching was 97.3% (range = 92%-100%). ...
Article
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Professional development (PD) is a critical pathway for promoting the use of evidence-based intervention practices in early childhood (EC) settings. Coaching has been proposed as a type of PD that is especially promising for job-embedded learning. A lack of consensus exists regarding evidence-based EC coaching strategies and what types of support coaches need to implement these strategies. In this literature review, we analyzed the EC coaching literature in terms of coaching strategies shown to improve EC practitioners’ use of effective intervention practices, coaching model components and strategies, the rigor and quality of the research, and the preparation provided to coaches in the identified articles. We conclude with recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of coaching and improving the preparation of coaches who serve in EC settings.
Article
Early Intervention (EI) home visitation programs are central to delivering services that support infants and toddlers displaying developmental delays or disabilities and their families. Entities that oversee such programs continually seek to strengthen the quality of program practices. The Getting Ready approach is a professional development (PD) framework for partnering with families and delivering high quality routines-based home visits. Interviews were conducted with family members ( n = 22), EI service providers ( n = 12), and independent, dedicated EI service coordinators ( n = 7) and written home visit action plans from professionals’ home visits ( n = 11) were reviewed. Findings from qualitative analyses of these two data sources deepen understanding of effective family-professional partnerships, data-driven decision-making processes, and collaborative development of routines-based interventions focused on family-child interactions and the achievement of child/family IFSP outcomes.
Article
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Reaching consensus on the meaning of professional development is needed to integrate professional development across various sectors of the early childhood field, distinguish various professional development approaches, match learning opportunities to learner characteristics, and evaluate its effects on professional practices and child and family outcomes. This article proposes a definition and conceptual framework for professional development across all sectors of early childhood and describes methods used to validate them. A case example illustrates how the definition and framework can be used to organize and plan professional development. Future directions for how a shared definition could move the field closer to a shared vision for planning, implementing, and evaluating professional development are discussed.
Article
The effects of e-mail feedback with written verbatim examples and frequency counts of expansions on pre-service teachers' verbal behaviors were examined in two studies. In Experiment I, e-mail feedback on the use of expansions was evaluated in a multiple baseline design across 3 undergraduate early childhood special education students. Results indicated a systematic relation between the e-mail feedback and the participant's use of expansions. Experiment II was a systematic replication of Experiment I. E-mail feedback on the use of expansions and specific praise was evaluated in a multiple baseline design across 3 student teachers. Results were similar to Experiment I. Student teachers' use of expansions displayed more variability than the practicum students. Implications for (a) the identification of effective practices for university supervisors, (b) the use of e-mail to communicate between supervisors and pre-service teachers, (c) future research on feedback, and (d) methods for conducting systematic replications are discussed.
Article
This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online professional development course designed to develop an understanding of the foundations, perspectives, and strategies used by key disciplines (eg, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, early childhood special education, visual impairment, and hearing loss) that provide services for infants with multiple disabilities and for their families. A total of 110 early interventionists in California completed the online course successfully. An overview of the course content, structure, assignments, and online instruction is provided. A discussion of outcomes includes feedback from participants on (1) their perception of changes in their own professional competencies based on pre- and posttest data, (2) their satisfaction with the overall course design, (3) challenges and benefits of online instruction, and (4) the impact of what they learned on their professional practice. Implications for future professional development efforts are identified.
Article
Gaining knowledge and skills in the practice of family-centered assessment procedures is an important component of the preservice education for early intervention providers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of systematic instruction on speech-language pathology (SLP) practicum students' implementation of family-centered interview procedures guided by ethnographic principles. A single subject modified AB design with replication across participants was used to examine the effects of the instruction, including a didactic presentation, mock interviews, brief student reflection, and e-mailed graphic feedback with verbatim examples, on each student's use of ethnographic interview strategies. Results indicated a functional relationship between the instruction and the students' implementation of the interview process. The largest gains in exemplar strategy use were demonstrated following performance feedback e-mails consisting of graphs and verbatim examples. Social validity measures were rated highly from both the student participants and the parents who were interviewed. Systematic instruction in ethnographic principles can increase students' competency in conducting family-centered, culturally responsive interviews. Additionally, the use of graphic performance feedback with verbatim examples shows promise as a way of increasing strategy use.
Article
This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online course designed to train early interventionists to implement strategies with caregivers (parents) that promote interactions with infants who have multiple disabilities. The focus was on supporting caregivers to observe and understand their infants' states and cues, and to develop responsive interaction strategies that encourage their infants' development of intentional communicative behavior. Because infants with multiple disabilities represent a low-incidence and challenging population, there is a significant need for efficient inservice methods, such as online instruction. A total of 86 early interventionists in California completed the online course successfully and used the strategies effectively with caregivers and their infants. An overview of the course content, structure, assignments, and online instruction is provided. A discussion of outcomes includes feedback from students on (a) their perception of changes in their own professional competencies based on pre- and posttest data, (b) their satisfaction with the overall course design, (c) challenges and benefits of online instruction, and (d) the impact of what they learned on their professional practice. Course effectiveness was also measured through informal analyses of online discussions, course assignments, and instructor reflections. Implications for future professional development efforts are identified.
Article
Early intervention and preschool special education coordinators in the 50 states and territories were interviewed about the current status of professional development in-service systems in their state. A definition consisting of 8 components of an in-service professional development system was used to analyze the state systems. Twenty Part C early intervention systems had professional development in-service training models that met the definition, and 23 preschool special education in-service systems met the definition. Results on selected findings are presented and discussed within the context of developing effective in-service professional development systems for the early intervention and preschool special education workforce. Key words: early intervention, inservice training, preschool special education
Article
We examined the effects of a professional development intervention that included data-based performance feedback delivered via electronic mail (e-mail) on preschool teachers’ use of descriptive praise and whether increased use of descriptive praise was associated with changes in classroom-wide measures of child engagement and challenging behavior. A multiple probe single-subject experimental design across four preschool teachers was used. Following a brief training session on the use of descriptive praise, coaches observed each teacher conduct a large-group activity and sent them e-mail messages containing performance feedback with a hyperlink to a descriptive praise video exemplar. Training plus e-mail feedback was associated with increases in teachers’ use of descriptive praise for each of the four teachers. Challenging behavior decreased somewhat as teachers’ use of descriptive praise increased. Class-wide measures of children's engagement remained relatively stable across baseline and intervention phases. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Article
As the workforce in state-funded pre-kindergarten programs continues to grow in the United States, the promise of these and other early education opportunities (e.g., Head Start) depends in large part on in-service professional development and training in key instructional and interaction skills. In this paper, we describe effects of MyTeachingPartner (MTP), a web-based system of professional development resources, that include video exemplars and web-mediated consultation on specific dimensions of interactions with children for 113 teachers in a state-funded pre-k program. Teachers assigned to receive on-line consultation and feedback targeted to their interactions showed significantly greater increases in independent ratings of the quality of interactions than did those only receiving access to a website with video clips. The positive effects of consultation were particularly evident in classrooms with higher proportions of children who experienced economic risks. Implications of these findings for models of professional development and widespread needs for teacher access and support are discussed in relation to the effectiveness of early education.
Article
This study evaluated the effects of visual performance feedback (VPF) on teacher use of behavior-specific praise. In addition to receiving individual VPF, teachers participated in group consultation focused on increasing competence in the use of behavior-specific praise. Three general education elementary teachers and six students participated in the study. Classroom peer composite data were also collected. Teacher and student behaviors were monitored across baseline and VPF conditions in a multiple baseline design. The results indicated that VPF resulted in an increase in behavior-specific praise for participating students across all teachers relative to baseline. Additionally, teachers increased their use of behavior-specific praise with classroom peers. The findings highlight the need for direct assessment of intervention implementation and for the collection of peer data to identify collateral intervention effects.
Early childhood coaching handbook
  • D D Rush
  • M L Shelden
Rush, D. D., & Shelden, M. L. (2011). Early childhood coaching handbook. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes. Salisbury, C., Cambray-Engstrom, E., & Woods, J. (in press).
Expanding opportunities for social communication into daily routines. Early Childhood Services
  • J Woods
  • S Kashinath
Woods, J., & Kashinath, S. (2007). Expanding opportunities for social communication into daily routines. Early Childhood Services: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Effectiveness, 1, 137–154.
The big three process components of effective professional development: Needs assessment, evaluation, and follow-up
  • P Snyder
  • B Wolfe
Snyder, P., & Wolfe, B. (2008). The big three process components of effective professional development: Needs assessment, evaluation, and follow-up. In P. J. Winton, J. A. McCollum, & C. Catlett (Eds.), Practical approaches to early childhood professional development: Evidence, strategies, and resources (pp. 13–52). Washington, DC: Zero to Three.