ERIC Number: ED668866
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 145
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5355-9445-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Examining the Acquisition and Implementation of Sensory Paths to Support Student's On-Task Behavior
Rachel Funderburk
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Austin Peay State University
This study sought to determine (a) the decision-making processes administrators and teachers followed when purchasing and implementing a sensory path intervention in elementary schools and (b) the perceived supports and barriers to the effective use of the sensory path as a means to positively impact student outcomes. Five elementary school administrators and 12 elementary school teachers in a single school district completed surveys; four administrators and five teachers participated in follow-up interviews. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach. Surveys were a secondary data source and were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Participants for the semistructured interviews, the main data source, were selected by intensity sampling. Interviews were analyzed using in vivo coding. Findings indicated that administrator and teacher decision making processes were informal, acquisition targeted students with disabilities but use expanded to other populations, and efficacy was based on anecdotal observations. Findings also indicated that sensory paths were perceived as being worthwhile but could have been improved with formal implementation plans and greater accessibility. Implications for research include study replication in additional contexts, as there is a paucity of research available on sensory paths and their use in K-12 schools. Implications for practice include the need for formal fidelity of implementation plans and data collection plans, to determine efficacy, prior to the purchase of interventions and for acquisition decisions to include verification of an intervention as an evidence-based practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Elementary School Curriculum, Elementary School Students, Elementary School Teachers, Administrators, Decision Making, Sensory Aids, Sensory Training, Teaching Methods, Intervention, Academic Achievement, Curriculum Implementation, Students with Disabilities, Educational Planning, Instructional Development, Cooperative Planning, Access to Education, Accessibility (for Disabled), Evidence Based Practice, Fidelity
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A