Publication Date

2025

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Thomas Gross, Robert Welsh, Trudy Little, Sharon Blevins

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Doctorate

Abstract

Numbered Heads Together (NHT) is a structured cooperative learning activity that supports active classroom participation from all students. The purpose of this study was to examine if NHT increased student cooperative behaviors and quiz scores, as well as whether teachers found the intervention acceptable and if teacher reported burnout improved. Three teacher participants and their respective students were recruited from a regional school based on teacher desire to improve classroom behavior management during cooperative learning times. A checklist of adherences to NHT steps was the primary measure. Classwide cooperative interactions were observed, and class average daily quiz scores were collected. An A-B-A-B withdrawal design with a maintenance phase was used to examine the effects of NHT on students’ cooperative behaviors. Visual analysis was used to assess NHT intervention effects across phase changes on student behavior and academic performance. Pre-post measures of teacher treatment acceptability and burnout were made. NHT steps completed across phases were recorded. Results indicated NHT increases student cooperative behaviors, quiz scores were variable, teacher NHT treatment acceptability was variable, there were no identifiable changes in teacher reported burnout, and teachers could implement NHT with fidelity with minimal prompting. Taken together, NHT is a positive-behavior intervention that improves student cooperative behaviors. However, its impact on classwide student academic performance and teacher perceptions requires further clarification.

Disciplines

Applied Behavior Analysis | Child Psychology | Clinical Psychology | Psychology | School Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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