Owen, Kaydee

Owen, Kaydee
Start date:
October 2017
Research Topic:
Using evidence-based methods to support numerical fluency development
Research pathway:
Research Supervisor:
Prof J Carl Hughes and Dr Richard Watkins
Supervising school:
School of Psychology,
Primary funding source:
ESRC Studentship

Direct instruction (DI) and precision teaching (PT) are evidence-based approaches that can be used within education to support skill development. DI programs offer scripted lessons that teach learners component skills in a sequential, explicit, and scaffolded order. Whereas,
PT is a measurement approach, used to decide if an instructional method is achieving its aims. By collecting performance data regularly, practitioners can make informed decisions about when changes to instuction or setting are necessary.

Through a series of studies, this PhD aims to assess the use of DI and PT to support children “at risk” of poor numeracy outcomes, who attend schools in North Wales. This research is being conducted in collaboration with the regional school effectiveness agency for North Wales (GwE).

Study 1: Implementation Support Improves Outcomes of a Fluency-Based Numeracy Strategy: A Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial

Study 2: Assessing the social validity of the SAFMEDS procedure: A teachers’ perspective

Study 3: Assessing the social validity of the SAFMEDS procedure: A child’s perspective

Study 4: Using an Instructional Fluency Approach to Teach Addition Computation in a Pupil Referral Unit: A Feasibility Study