How It Works - Behavior Observation of Students in School (BOSS)
The BOSS tool is designed to facilitate the observation and recording of student behavior in a classroom setting. Observations are conducted in intervals, and data is collected regarding students' engagement in tasks, as well as specific non-engaged behaviors. The tool also allows for peer comparison by tracking behavior data for a peer at specified intervals.
Peer Comparison
During an observation, every 5th interval is designated for tracking behavior data for a peer. To begin, select one peer at the corner of the room or desk, and then move to the next peer each time the peer screen appears. This process ensures that data is collected for multiple peers within a single observation. Alternatively, if you prefer to focus on the same peer for the entire observation, you can choose to record data for that specific peer each time the peer screen appears.
Momentary Time Sampling: Engaged Behaviors
Momentary time sampling is used to assess student engagement in tasks at the end of each interval. There are two levels of engagement to consider:
Actively Engaged in Task
Indicators of active engagement include:
- Writing
- Raising their hand
- Answering/asking questions (to the teacher or other students during group work)
- Turning a page
- Reading (silently or aloud)
Passively Engaged in Task
Indicators of passive engagement include:
- Body and eye gaze oriented toward the speaker or task
If the student is not engaged in the task at all, do not select either of the engagement options.
Partial Interval Recording: Non-Engaged Behaviors
Partial interval recording is used to capture instances of specific non-engaged behaviors during each interval. If a student engages in any of the following behaviors at any moment during the interval, record the corresponding behavior:
- Passive: Student looks away from the speaker or task for at least 10 seconds
- Verbal: Student speaks to anyone other than the designated speaker or speaks out of turn (includes verbal self-stimulation behavior)
- Motor: Student engages in any motor behavior unrelated to the task for at least 3 seconds
A student may exhibit none, one, or multiple non-engaged behaviors during a given interval.
We hope you find the BOSS tool helpful for observing and tracking student behavior in the classroom. If you have any questions or feedback, please visit our contact page and drop us a line!
Happy Tracking!
Vennesa and Allen from the BOSS app team ❤️