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Intervention Design: Implications for Research

Michael D. Coyne, Ph. D.Assistant Professor

mike.coyne@uconn.edu

IES Research ConferenceWashington DC, June 2006

Department of Educational PsychologyNeag School of EducationUniversity of Connecticut

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Overview

Examining components of instructional design and delivery as a framework for talking about different approaches to intervention research.

Research Emphasis Research Questions/Design

Intervention Research

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Project VITAL:Vocabulary Intervention Targeting

At-risk Learners (2003-2006)

Reading Comprehension Research Goal 2: Development

PI: Michael Coyne

Research Purpose:

Develop, refine, and evaluate strategies for teaching vocabulary to kindergarten students

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Project ERI:Early Reading Intervention (2006-2011)

Early Intervention for Young Children with Disabilities Goal 3: Efficacy

Co-PIs: Deborah Simmons & Michael Coyne

Research Purpose:

Test and replicate the curriculum efficacy of ERI as an intervention reading program with kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties

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Goal 2: Research Emphasis

Determining the relative emphasis of intervention content within an academic domain

Project VITAL

Not a primary emphasis in Project VITAL Controlled for content to focus on other components Possible research questions:

“What words should we teach?” “What type of words should we teach?”

Content: What We Teach

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Goal 3: Research Emphasis

Comparing interventions with different content emphases within an academic domain

Project ERI

Difficult to isolate in Project ERI Will compare ERI to typical practice intervention although we

will control for general content focus Important component in development of ERI Possible research question:

“How does ERI compare to a PA/Comp intervention ?”

Content: What we Teach

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Instructional Design Features

Instructional design refers to the way information in a particular domain is selected, prioritized, sequenced, organized, and scheduled for instruction within a highly orchestrated series of lessons and materials (Simmons & Kameenui, 1998).

Design: How We Teach

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Instructional Design Features

Sequence & scheduling of objectives & tasks Control of task difficulty Example selection Material scaffolds Amount & type of teacher modeling Instructional language Student response procedures Feedback & error correction Immediate & delayed practice Review cycles

Design: How We Teach

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Goal 2: Research Emphasis

Determining the instructional design features that allow content to be taught most effectively and efficiently.

Project VITAL

A primary emphasis in Project VITAL Research questions:

“How should we teach vocabulary (embedded/extended)?” “How should we review vocabulary (embedded/extended)?”

Research design: Within-subjects design (controlling for content)

Design: How We Teach

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Embedded Instruction

Simple explanation of target words provided within the context of the story. Provides both definitional and contextual information.(Biemiller & Boote, 2006; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986; Penno et al., 2002)

Project VITAL: Design

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“These bricks will make a fine sturdy house,” said the third little pig.

Sturdy means strong. Now I’ll say the sentence again with word that mean sturdy. “These bricks will make a fine strong house.” In the picture the little pig says that the bricks (point to the bricks) will make a sturdy, or strong, house. Everyone say sturdy.

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Extended Instruction

Simple explanation of target words provided within the context of the story. Extended activities after story reading.

Extended vocabulary instruction is characterized by explicit, conspicuous teaching that includes using both contextual and definitional information, giving multiple exposures of target words in varied contexts, and encouraging deep processing.(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002; Stahl, 1986; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986)

Project VITAL: Design

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Extended Instruction

Let’s play a word game. I’ll tell you about some things. If you think it is strong, say “That’s sturdy!” If you think it is not very strong, say “Uh oh, that’s not very sturdy!”

Examples:

• A big jet airplane in the sky.• A little paper airplane on a windy day.• A tall tower made of cards. • This school.• A big huge rock.• A snowman on a hot sunny day.

Project VITAL: Design

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Extended Instruction

Do you think a cauldron is sturdy? Why?

Would you be approaching a cauldron that was full of snakes? Why?

If a storm was approaching, would you go into a sturdy house ? Why?

Would you put a cauldron on a chair that wasn’t sturdy? Why?

What would you do if a dog was approaching your cauldron full of food? Why?

Project VITAL: Design

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Goal 3: Research Emphasis

Comparing interventions with different instructional design features within an academic domain.

Project ERI

A primary emphasis in Project ERI We believe instructional design specificity differentiates ERI

from other PA/AU interventions Major finding from initial ERI research Research design:

Between-subjects experimental design (ERI vs. Typical Practice Intervention)

Design: How We Teach

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“This is sun. The first sound in sun is / sssss/ .” (The teacher displays three letter tiles.)

p s f “I ’m going to write the letter that matches this picture’s first sound. (Teacher points to the letter s.) s says /sssss/ like the /sssss/ in sun so I ’m going to write the letter s. I start at the dot and write the letter.” (Teacher models writing the letter s.)

“Now you write s like the /ssss/ in sun. Start at the dot and write the letter.” (Students practice writing the letter s.) “Great job writing s!” (The teacher models two more examples using the same format.)

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“I t’s your turn to spell some words. The first word is yes. Say the sounds in yes and touch a finger for each sound. (Students segment the word orally into individual sounds while touching a fi nger f or each sound / yyy/ - / eee/ - / sss/ .) Now spell the sounds in yes. (Students write the letters y, e, s.)

“Say each sound in yes as you point to the letters you wrote. (Students respond / yyyeeesss/ while pointing to their spellings.) Now, say it fast.” (Students read yes.) “That’s right you spelled yes, /yyy/ - /eee/ - /sss/ are the sounds in yes!” (Students practice multiple examples using the same instructional f ormat.)

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Goal 2: Research Emphasis

Strategically consider key contextual/delivery factors

Project VITAL Controlled for many contextual factors to strengthen

internal validity Two-week studies – intervention delivered by researchers to small

groups outside of classroom in 1-3 schools Targeted key contextual/delivery factors

Whole class vs. small group implementation 18-week implementation

Context/Delivery: Where & When We Teach

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Goal 3: Research Emphasis

Efficacy of intervention across key contextual/ delivery factors

Project ERI Evaluate efficacy of ERI across variations in

contextual/delivery factors TX, CT, & FL in urban, suburban, rural schools Different classroom reading instruction ELL & L1 English speakers Implemented by teachers, paraprofessionals, specialists Support independent of program developers

Context/Delivery: Where & When We Teach

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Goal 3: Research Emphasis

Efficacy of intervention across key contextual/ delivery factors

Project ERI Control for key contextual/delivery factors

Whole-year small-group implementation Supplement classroom core reading instruction Monitor fidelity of implementation Consistent training & professional development

Year 3 study Size of small group (4 students vs. 2 students)

Context/Delivery: Where & When We Teach