Date of Award

Summer 8-2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Daniel Tingstrom

Committee Chair Department

Psychology

Committee Member 2

Joe Olmi

Committee Member 2 Department

Psychology

Committee Member 3

Keith Radley

Committee Member 3 Department

Psychology

Committee Member 4

Evan Dart

Committee Member 4 Department

Psychology

Abstract

Classroom management is one of the key components for successful instruction and affects both instructors and learners. Although most frequent discipline strategies in schools involve punitive actions, research suggests that using positive statements to teach and reinforce desirable behaviors is more appropriate and effective. A form of a group-oriented contingency that focuses on desirable behaviors is a positive variation of the Good Behavior Game (GBG). The GBG has been used widely in its original form, focusing on undesirable behaviors, and more research is needed on its positive version. Another strategy that can be used within classrooms is Class Dojo, a free Internet application that tracks student behaviors. Very few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the GBG in combination with Class Dojo within classroom settings. Additionally, no peer-reviewed studies have assessed the effects of the GBG using Class Dojo and the maintenance of intervention effects on middle school classwide behavior. The present study utilized a multiple baseline design across two classrooms and a nonconcurrent multiple baseline in a third classroom to evaluate the effectiveness and maintenance of the GBG using Class Dojo at increasing classwide academically engaged behavior, and reducing disruptive and passive off-task behaviors in the middle school classrooms. Specifically, maintenance of behaviors while withholding portions of the GBG using Class Dojo was evaluated during two maintenance phases. The results indicate that the GBG using Class Dojo was effective at improving academically engaged behavior, and decreasing disruptive behavior, although improvements for passive off-task behavior were modest, with generally similar results found during the maintenance phases.

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