Analysis of Factors Supporting Implementation and Sustainability of SMARTsheet instruction in Inclusive Classrooms

Pam Howard & Edwin Ellis

The purpose of the study was to further our understanding of factors that can encourage the use of research-based practices in classrooms by examining factors that support the implementation and sustainability of SMARTsheets as an instructional strategy in inclusive classrooms with students with and without specific learning disabilities.

Teachers who participated in this research project were nominated by the Alabama State department of Education State Improvement Grant - facilitator for Makes Sense Strategies (MSS).

MSS is comprised four categories of instructional resources: (a) SMARTsheets which are visual devices (like graphic organizers) which contain embedded semantic prompts designed to cue learning to identify essential understandings about a topic as well as use of brain-based learning processes such as elaboration and making background knowledge connections; (b) SMARTplanners which are a series of “backward planning” visual devices teacher use for unit and lesson planning; (c) series of specific instructional routines for implementing SMARTsheets before, during, and at the end of lessons; and (d) series of SMARTplanners instructional leaders use support sustained fidelity implementation of MSS. Figure 2 provides an example SMARTsheet.

Potential research subjects were nominated from a pool of Alabama teachers who had participated in documented professional development sessions emphasizing SMARTsheet pedagogy who subsequently began using the SMARTsheets frequently and in a sustained manner as judged by the SIG facilitator. A series of screening procedures were used to document the extensiveness of their use of SMARTsheets and commitment to continue using them; six teachers documented as high level implementers of SMARTsheet instruction were then studied to identify factors positively affecting their high implementation levels. Figure 1 provides a summary of what the study revealed.

The Implementation Sustainability Matrix (ISM) SMARTplanner (see Figure 3) is an example of one of the Implementation SMARTplanners used by leaders and teachers to quantify the degree to which teachers implement SMARTsheets in a sustained manner . The device is designed to measure (a) “Multiplicity” (the number of different SMARTsheets teachers employ), (b) “Range” (number of different classes a specific SMARTsheet is employed), (c) “Flexibility” (the number of instructional contexts in which a specific SMARTsheet was employed) and (d) “Diligence” (the frequency in which a specific SMARTsheet is employed).

The ISM SMARTplanner was designed primarily as a communication tool to help educators understand the importance of fidelity and sustainability when implementing innovative practices; data from the IFM is intended to help an individual teacher gain a sense of how well they are implementing the innovation and to set goals for improving implementation. The ISM SMARTplanner was not designed to formally evaluate individual teacher’s performance.

The ISM SMARTplanner was used to document the degree of SMARTsheet implementation for a semester (See the Table 3.)

Even though there are some quantitative elements of the study, the study was primarily qualitative. It was that component that contributed to the understanding of why some classroom teachers have purposely chosen to implement and sustain a specific RBP. Through interviews, field notes, and written open-ended statements, as well as field visits, the researcher explored the factors that support the implementation and sustainability of SMARTsheets in their teaching practices. A case study method was used where six teachers were studied through extensive data collection from three specific sources (a) descriptive statistics, (b) coding scheme, and (c) cross-case analysis.

The cases of six participants were presented separately by embedding the responses to the interview and the demographic data. After examining the data from each case that included the interviews and field notes from each on-site visit, open-ended statements, as well as the two field visits, it was important to look across the cases to examine certain points where commonalities lie (see Table 1).

The central focus was on the factors that support the implementation and sustainability of SMARTsheet instruction that fall under the concepts of (a) administrative; (b) innovation and support; (c) implementation; and (d) teacher specifics.

Administrative Factors

All six participants held perceptions of being well supported by the building level administration. Five of the six participants either perceived support by personnel at the system or support through system level funding of technology or materials that support their implementation of MSS. State level support was indicated by all six participants as per access to the statewide initiative that provided MSS professional development, MSS software, as well as a MSS facilitator for the state. Other statewide initiatives were indicated as evidence of support for SMARTsheet use.

Innovation and Support Factors

Most of the cases initially became aware of SMARTsheet instruction through formalized professional development, while only two discovered the innovation through informal teacher-to-teacher sharing. However, all of the participants currently participate in teacher-to-teacher sharing about SMARTsheet instruction through informal or formal peer networking. Even though one participant had created graphic organizers before learning of MSS, none of the participants indicated that they had become initially aware of the practice privately through printed resources such as professional journals or textbooks, nor audiovisual products. Derivatives of the word show became significant in the stories told by the teachers. It appeared that the instructional practice needed to be shown concrete examples and models either in formalized professional development sessions or through informal teacher-to-teacher discussions, but no participant indicated that he or she set out on a personal pursuit to find the innovation, the research that supported its use, or training opportunities to support their teaching practices.

Another support factor indicated was the access to experts or to information generated by an expert. Two of the six participants conveyed that they attributed their success in SMARTsheet instruction to personal encounters with the SIG-MSS Facilitator on a teacher-to-teacher level before and after she became a statewide facilitator. One teacher attributed her success in implementing SMARTsheet instruction to “extensive training.” However, the concept of traditional day-long professional development got negative reviews from four participants.

Five teachers indicated that there was some level of on-going support provided after the initial introduction of MSS through a formalized professional development program in order to help implement and sustain SMARTsheet instruction. One participant felt that it was the continued effort of the expert, TF, the ALSDE SIG facilitator for MSS, who gave her on-going support no matter where she was teaching in the state.

Implementation Factors.

All six participants agreed that overall instructional effectiveness was of great importance in their implementation and continued use of SMARTsheet instruction. The teacher who had been trained in the use of SMARTsheets for the shortest amount of time was the only participant that mentioned student grades as a factor for supporting the use of SMARTsheets. Each participant suggested that this included specific learning strategies for students with SLD inherent in SMARTsheet implementation, as well. They all found SMARTsheets to be important in a pedagogical sense. In addition some indicated that curriculum alignment was enhanced with the implementation of SMARTsheets into teaching practices.

Teacher-specific Factors.

All participants had pre-existing beliefs about teaching and learning before they initiated SMARTsheet instruction in their teaching practices and have noticed how those beliefs have aligned with the aspects of SMARTsheet instruction. Five of the six teachers confirmed that the implementation of SMARTsheet use was compatible with their pre-existing beliefs. In addition, each of the six teachers revealed specific personal competencies that supported their implementation and sustainability of new innovations such a use of SMARTsheets. All six respondents discussed their willingness to share their knowledge of the innovation with other teachers in either an informal or formal manner.

Based on this study, the primary recommendations for educational practice have implications for educational leaders on the state, system, and building level. Administrators desiring to support the use of SMARTsheets by teachers in inclusive classrooms will need to provide professional development and on-going support to increase classroom teacher awareness of SMARTsheet instruction and assist teachers in sustaining and improving their implementation of this practice. This on-going support should include opportunities for teacher-to-teacher sharing through peer networking opportunities and should provide the presentation of concrete examples and models that connect the innovation to curriculum standards and high-stakes testing programs. In addition, access to experts on the state, system, or building level should be made available to classroom teachers attempting to implement and sustain effective SMARTsheet instruction.

To read the complete study, see…

Howard, P. W. (2007). Factors that support the implementation and sustainability of graphic organizer instruction in inclusive classrooms with students with and without specific learning disabilities. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.