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3 0 | L O U I S V I L L E . E D U a code, along with reactions by students in response to those behaviors. For each tracking session, which lasted about 15 minutes, researchers picked a student at random to observe. In particular, CEHD researchers looked at how many times teachers gave students an opportunity to respond to instruction. The teacher might say to a student, "Write that down." Or, they might ask, "Can you share your thoughts on the story?" Any prompt by the teacher that invited students to participate in the lesson, through words or even a simple gesture, was considered an opportunity to respond. ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY'S FINDINGS As CEHD researchers performed an analysis based on their database of observations, they found some interesting correlations. In one case, they took the data from 11 high- achieving elementary schools in Kentucky with a Title I classif cation (high poverty) and matched that data with a sample of Title I schools that had the lowest scores in the state. The only signif cant difference between these schools was the amount of engagement prompted by the teacher. The average student in the high-achieving school had approximately 250 more opportunities to respond per week than the average student in low-achieving schools. EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION LEADS TO A MORE LEVEL LEARNING FIELD While there are many factors outside the classroom that impede student learning, such as family stress, the CEHD f ndings indicate that effective teaching can compensate for these obstacles. The CEHD study supports the idea that teacher- directed instruction with high opportunities to respond is the most effective approach. In other words, the most successful teachers are those who explicitly def ne learning concepts and goals, while actively engaging with students to conf rm their understanding. This strategy also involves providing positive feedback to students. STUDENTS OF ALL AGES BENEFIT FROM POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT The CEHD study also showed that middle and high school teachers, on average, gave students fewer opportunities to respond than did elementary school teachers. The assumption can be made that by the time students reach later grades, they can benef t from self-directed and independent learning. However, study results show that older students react favorably to high levels of teacher involvement and interaction. Achievement scores go up, and disruptive behavior decreases. APPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY'S FINDINGS The CEHD has converted the tracking program on their handheld devices into an iPad app called SCOA (Student/Classroom Observation and Analysis), available on iTunes. Teachers who make use of the app can observe one another, with the aim of increasing both student opportunities to respond and academic performance. Schools can also work with the CEHD's Project ABRI team upon request to facilitate implementation of teacher-led, direct instruction strategies that give students ample opportunities to respond. As part of Project ABRI, the CEHD has developed webinars and videos to support schools in their efforts to improve learning outcomes for students. CONCLUSIONS How many times should a teacher give a student an opportunity to respond in class? CEHD researchers can't answer this question with certainty. They do know that the higher the rate of opportunities to respond during instruction, the greater the likelihood that the student will be engaged. According to the study, teachers can control how they engage with a student, which is the number one predictor of student achievement. ELEMENTARY CL ASSROOMS HIGH SCHOOL CL ASSROOMS Percentage of classroom observations in which the target student was given no opportunity to respond 45% 64% " THE DATA WE COLLECT FROM THE CEHD CODING SYSTEM HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE, AS THIS INFORMATION ALLOWS US TO ANALYZE AND REFINE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESSES BASED ON WHAT WE FIND. IT GIVES US A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE QUALITY OF INTERACTIONS AMONG TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL." —Patrick Durham, Principal, Lebanon Junction Elementary