WELCOME TO-SpEd 690 Advanced Behavior Management

• Spring Semester, 2007
  • Dr. Sue Severson
  • Special Education
  • Lommen 209G
  • 477-2585
• severson@mnstate.edu

“Students with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of Disability Services at 477-2652 (voice) or 477-2047 (TTY), CMU 222 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.”

Text:

Miltenberger, R. (2001). Behavior modification. Principles and procedures. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

THE GOALS OF THIS COURSE ARE TO HELP YOU:

Develop an understanding of behaviorism and its application to teaching and managing behavior.

Help you understand the research base to support behavioral principles.

OBJECTIVES:

When you are completed with this course, I expect that you will be able to:

ASTM Outcome 8: Use appropriate group and individual assessment strategies.

1. Identify dependent and independent variables.
2. Demonstrate the ability to operationally define behavior.
3. Understand the strategies for conducting functional assessment of behavior.
4. Demonstrate the abilities to conduct indirect and direct assessment of behavior.
5. Construct graphs of behavioral data and analyze the data.

ASTM Outcome 4: Employ group and individual instructional strategies.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of shaping procedures.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of task analysis & chaining procedures.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of prompting strategies.
4. Understand strategies to address generalization.
5. Understand fading procedures.

ASTM Outcome 5: Establish and maintain a productive learning environment.

1. Understand positive and negative reinforcement.
2. Understand antecedent control procedures.
3. Understand token economies.
4. Understand behavioral contracts.
5. Understand behavioral reduction procedures including differential reinforcement, extinction and positive and negative punishment.
6. Understand the MN Behavioral Intervention Rule.
7. Understand self management, behavioral skills training, cognitive behavior modification.

Instruction
Course objectives will be addressed through independent work using online study guides to help guide you understanding behavioral principles. Generally, the first 30 minutes of class will be used to explore content contained in the study guides. This will be followed with 30 minutes of applied activity using behavioral strategies. The final 30 minutes of class will be used for oral reports on research conducted on various behavioral principles.

Assessment
Five tests will assure you have developed the essential knowledge base to increase and decrease behavior. Participation points will be earned through completion of online study guides. An abstract of a professional research article will enable to explore original research. The measurement project and major project provide you the opportunity to creatively apply the strategies you learn and reflect on them in a meaningful way.

Assignments: (All assignments must be typed).

• Quizzes--10 pts. each (taken online prior to class meeting on assigned chapters)
• Final Exam--40 pts. (comprehensive)
• Attendance & Participation (10 pts.)
  • Attendance and participation points will be earned through completion of in-class activities as well as contributions to class discussion. One participation point will be lost for each absence during in-class activities. Particular attention should be given to raising questions and discussion points during presentations by your peers.
• Major Project--25 pts.
• Behavioral Research Summary & Oral Report--20 pts.

The following assignments are described in this syllabus. The description includes the criteria for evaluation for each component. BE SURE TO READ THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ASSIGNMENTS WHEN COMPLETING THEM. You will NOT be able to redo an assignment once it is graded. Be sure to ask questions if the assignment is unclear to you.

Assignments will receive 1 pt. reduction for each day past the due date. Assignments will not be accepted 5 days past due date.

Behavioral Research Summary & Oral Report--30 pts. (knowledge, creative)

Identify one behavioral strategy and provide a literature review to support it's effectiveness with learners with disabilities. Your paper should describe/define the strategy and describe at least three research studies supporting effectiveness. In describing the studies you should discuss the subjects, setting, behavior, intervention, and results. Use APA Style Format for citing your references.

Research Summary (18 pts.)

• APA Format (1 pt.)
• Description of strategy (2 pts.)
• Description of each research study supporting the effectiveness of the strategy to include:
  • Subjects-complete description of the subject(s) (3 pt.)
  • Research Design-identify the research design(s) utilized in the study (e.g., multiple baseline, ABA)(3 pts.)
  • Dependent Variable-describe the behavior described in the study (3 pts.)
  • Independent Variable-Description of the intervention used by the researchers (3 pts.)
  • Summary-description of the results (to include data) along with the author(s) conclusions (3 pts.)

Oral Report: I suggest that you prepare a Powerpoint presentation to use in your oral report although other formats are acceptable. Providing your audience with a handout will facilitate their abilities to respond to the research you present.

Be sure you provide your audience with:

• Descriptions of subjects.
• Descriptions of dependent and independent variables.
• Descriptions of research designs
• Descriptions of results (graphs are very useful).
• Oral report will be graded on clarity, professionalism, and creativity.
  • Clarity (6 pts.)
    • Strategy is described in understandable terms.
    • Research supporting the strategy is clearly defined in terms of subjects, designs, variables, results.
    • Research is analyzed and compared. Quality of research is addressed.
  • Professionalism (3 pts.)
    • Handouts provided to participants
    • Visual presentations of information
    • Presentation is organized and rehearsed.
  • Creativity (3 pts.)
    • In presentation format.
    • In audience participation.

Major Project: Due Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 25 pts. (knowledgeable, creative)

To complete this project you will modify a behavior of someone (a person, not an animal) you know (not yourself) by completing an ABA single-subject research design. Following is a list of steps to follow in completing the assignment.

1. Identify a behavior which you can target for change (this cannot be a yes/no behavior, you must be able to measure it with one of the measurement techniques learned in class).
2. Measure this behavior for at least three observation periods (more if the baseline data is not stable).
3. Implement an intervention until you reach the preset criteria (or at least five days).
4. Return to baseline for at least three observation periods.
5. Your report should include the following (use these as headings):

• Dependent Variable-a precise, clear definition of the behavior (dependent variable) 3 pts.
• Setting-a complete description of the observation (time, dates, place) 2 pts.
• Independent Variable-a complete description of the intervention, appropriately labeled (e.g., positive reinforcement, time-out, DRO, DRI, Response Cost) 5 pts.
• Data-complete reporting of the data in a table including raw data and conversion of data if appropriate 5 pts.
• Graph (appropriately labeled) 5 pts.
• Summary of the Results (describe the functional relationship you have or have not established to include why it is functional, describe your results by indicating means, trends, overlap, etc.) 5 pts.

Tentative Schedule (subject to change)