Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Progress Monitoring for Preschool Teachers?
Progress Monitoring for Preschool Teachers is an online training module intended for preschool educators serving children with individualized needs, such as those with or at-risk for disability or developmental delay. The module provides concise recommendations for teachers surrounding (a) how frequently to collect progress monitoring data, (b) designing simple, yet effective, data sheets, (c) best practices for ensuring collected data are valid and reliable, (d) feasible strategies for integrating progress monitoring practices into inclusive classrooms, (e) easy-to-use methods for accurately analyzing progress monitoring data, and (f) clear guidance on using progress monitoring data to develop and inform future teaching activities.
The present version of the module is specific to monitoring children's progress on skills related to literacy, mathematics, and cognitive concepts. Guidance on using the module as (a) professional development for early childhood educators or (b) a teaching resource within college courses, is available on the Support page. A video overview of the module is available on the About page and additional information is presented in the Overview document.
2. Do I have to pay to access the module?
No. The module is 100% free and can be accessed using any internet-connected computer or tablet. You do not need to download any special software, nor is there a registration process. You can start the module right now from the Access page.
3. What should I expect when beginning the module?
Progress Monitoring for Preschool Teachers is different than many commonly utilized education modules and online training platforms. Rather than relying heavily on text-based content, Progress Monitoring for Preschool Teachers utilizes curated videos with scripted narration and custom animations to convey concepts and content in an accessible and easily understandable way.
The module is divided into six sections covering multiple aspects of progress monitoring (e.g., creating data sheets, collecting data, analyzing data). Each section is presented sequentially and consists of engaging video content, follow-up questions, and dynamic feedback. The feedback provided to each user is based on their answers to the follow-up questions, which allows for an experience that is matched to a user's needs.
A user can expect to spend about 2 hours with the module from to start to finish. If needed, the module can be completed across multiple sittings, so long as a user is accessing the module from the same computer and internet browser during each sitting and they complete the module within one week. After one week, the module will restart for the user.
4. Is there any evidence that the module actually helps teachers?
Yes. A randomized control trial was conducted from December 2023 through May 2024 (Preregistration). This study was funded through the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, Grant No. R324B210002. The results of this study indicated that preschool teachers who completed the module displayed better progress monitoring abilities than teachers who relied solely on their district-provided professional development opportunities. In addition, completion of the module was associated with improved self-efficacy, such that teachers who completed the module felt that they were better equipped to collect, analyze, and use progress monitoring data than teachers who did not complete the module. Additional evidence can be found by visiting the Impact page.
5. How was the module created?
The creation of the module was led by Collin Shepley of the University of Kentucky (collinshepley@uky.edu), with development and evaluation support provided by Amanda Duncan (aduncan@uky.edu) and Emily Webb (eewebb0@uky.edu). An iterative multi-year development and validation process was used, and involved applied research studies, surveys of education professionals, literature reviews, professional content curation, content validation, functionality testing, usability testing, and acceptability testing. To learn more about the research informing the development and validation of the module, please refer to the Research page.
6. Is any personally identifiable information collected on module users?
Personally identifiable information is not collected on module users. The following information is collected on module users: duration of time engaged with the module, percentage of the module completed, and responses to questions. Aggregated information is collected on the number of times a supplemental resource is downloaded within the module. These data help to evaluate the use of the module by the public so that its reach and impact can be better understood.
7. What are the assessments that go along with the module?
We recognize that there may be entities (e.g., schools, districts, college course instructors, professional development providers) that want to know about (a) their teachers' strengths surrounding progress monitoring, (b) their teachers' areas for improvement surrounding progress monitoring, and (c) how the completion of the module impacts their teachers' progress monitoring abilities. Therefore, we developed a resource sensitive assessment called the Brief Preschool Progress Monitoring Measure (B-PPMM). The B-PPMM is a computer-based assessment, that takes less than 20 minutes for a teacher to complete. The assessment can be completed multiple times throughout a school year so that a teacher can track their improvement over time. Additional information can be found on the B-PPMM page.
8. Do I have to pay to access the B-PPMM?
Yes. There is a nominal cost to license the B-PPMM for your organization or for personal use. Please refer to the Licensing page for additional information about costs, license duration, and permissions.
9. What types of additional training opportunities are available to support teachers' progress monitoring efforts?
For organizations seeking support beyond the online training module and related assessments, there is a consultation option. Additional information on the consultation option can be found on the Support page. Please note that there is no fee or cost associated with the consultation option as it is presently offered free of charge.
10. Who do I contact if I have questions, comments, or other inquiries?
All inquiries can be submitted using the Contact Form. This includes (a) general questions about the module, (b) requests for additional Support, (c) requests to license the B-PPMM, and (d) media inquiries.