Evaluation
In order to evaluate how my students are working with the iPhones, I will:
- Look at the data from the year before (when the students were without iPhones). I will count how many outbursts each student had with what interventions we used throughout the year. This is the first part of the baseline data.
- I will count the number of outbursts the students have in the first month of school (both physical and verbal). We will keep track of when each outburst occurred, whether it was due to failing at a game, unable to complete an assignment, frustration, or other. I will also ask the students what they can do in order to help themselves during an outburst (what skills they have available that they believe will be beneficial to helping them during an outburst or in preventing an outburst). The first month (the students now being with the iPhones) will be the second part of the baseline data.
- Every month after getting the iPhones, I will keep the same data as the first month of school. I will look at how many outbursts occur with each student (both physical and verbal), when they occurred, and what made that outburst happen. I will ask the students what they would like to do in order to help stop an outburst or to help prevent it from happening in the future. I would hope to find that learning risk-taking skills and being able to be more independent through the iPhones, my students will have fewer outbursts and will see the iPhones as a great tool to help them with their frustrations and emotions.
- Looking at the data, I will then make line graphs to compare the number of outbursts from year to year, and the beginning of the year (without iPhones) throughout the rest of the year (with iPhones). Using images, such as line graphs, easily shows students, other educators, and parents whether the intervention of using iPhones is working or not. Having all of the applications and tools on an iPhone, it would be surprising if iPhones didn’t help reduce the outbursts of students in the Journey Room.