Digital Platform Case Studies

 

Case study #1 – PBIS Rewards                            

I have chosen to spotlight the PBIS Rewards website/app for my first platform. This is a district wide initiative that my school took on two years ago. It is designed to facilitate the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The platform allows schools to efficiently manage and track student behavior, encouraging positive actions through a points reward system. Students can log into their own accounts and access their individual points, which teacher gave them, and why (if they teacher chose to add a comment) they received the reward.  There are three major categories of rewards: respect, responsibility, and safety. Teachers can choose to award one, two or all three points at a time and it can be done for multiple students each time. This digital approach streamlines the process, making it easier to consistently recognize and reinforce positive behavior school-wide. Administrators have access to all data in the system as well as reports and analytics that are offered. The PBIS Rewards app integrates seamlessly with the web-based platform, providing real-time data and reports that help educators monitor progress and identify areas needing attention. The system also supports communication between teachers, students, and parents, promoting a collaborative setting. Parents can log into family app accounts and see points activity, comments, and trends. It is comparable to ClassDojo in this way.

When utilized regularly the PBIS platform has a high potential for positive behavior reinforcement which would ultimately lead to a more positive and supportive overall atmosphere. The platform focuses on positive feedback with both students and families and offers rewards for desirable behavior. Feedback is framed in a positive and constructive manner as it will naturally emphasize what students are doing right. Students (and teachers too!) can even acknowledge each other’s positive behaviors by nominating each other for points and stars. This feature promotes positive interactions among peers for students and teachers alike.

Information is shared quickly and easily using this platform. There are weekly points activity reports that can be generated and several advanced options for communication with parents and other school personnel. Weekly reports for administrators include information about who is accessing the platform, how many points each teacher or grade level is giving out and how students are spending their points. There are also student-specific communication options. For example, there are check in check outs (CICO) where teachers input how a student did for their class period. This has been a good digital replacement for paper versions which historically have been changed or lost by students. Another example is the social emotional check (SEL) where students can input how they are feeling throughout the day. If a student were to select the icon indicating they are having a negative emotion, like angry or sad, the counseling office would be notified by the platform, and they could intervene as necessary.

There are many potential positives to utilizing a centralized system for tracking behavior data. It can help streamline team-based approaches to behavior management and offer consistent feedback to students, teachers and families. Teachers can share information about student behavior across classrooms or even grade levels. The CICO system offers a consistent metric for measuring student behavior successes and allows teachers to track patterns in struggles, especially for secondary students who move classrooms throughout the day. Counselors and teachers can review SEL check-in information with students and families to identify trends in behavior. This will promote self-awareness and self-regulation and encourage positive changes.

As with any technological addition, there are some negatives to think about when utilizing a new system. For example, there is an emphasis on extrinsic rewards which can undermine development of intrinsic motivations. Students might come to expect points when they are doing the most basic of tasks, which might cause them to act out if they do not receive points. There are also some equity concerns with the platform. For example, some teachers give out lots of points and some teachers barely utilize the system at all. Students have openly complained that “the sixth graders get all the points!” or “Mr. M doesn’t give out any points” so students that do not have classes with teachers who often give points will naturally get less. Administrators have taken feedback into consideration and attempted to alleviate some of those discrepancies by offering rewards (outside of the stars offered within the system itself) to teachers and students. One such instance happened when administrators noticed an uptick in unfriendly behavior and created a challenge for teachers to “catch students being kind.” This incentivized the teachers in the form of competition and students in the form of reward. 

With any online platform there will be data security and privacy concerns, however, I am confident that the PBIS rewards system is secure and protected. My district has a contract with them, and PBIS is ed law 2-d compliant. Only parties that are invited directly by the district are allowed access to the information provided. Information is shared within the platform for specific purposes and typically administrator approval is needed for district or grade level reporting.

There are several literacies necessary to navigate this platform successfully. First, basic computer skills are a must. Proficiency using computer, tablet or smartphone is needed to access the platform and teachers are asked to set up their own classes and stores. All parties should be able to troubleshoot common technical issues. Teachers will need an understanding of PBIS principles and how to manage the reward system in a way that will encourage desired outcomes. Teachers will also need the ability to analyze the data and reports generated throughout the platform. Students will need to be able to navigate the website or app to use it to its full potential. They will need to know how to log in with specific credentials, and locate points balances, teacher stores and raffles to spend their points.  In addition to basic computer skills, parents and families will need to support their child in learning and practicing positive behaviors and engage with them about feedback received from teachers. They will need to understand positive behavior reinforcement principles and how they are applied at school. 

Overall, the PBIS rewards platform has been a great add to my school community. Students have mostly reported positive feedback and have responded positively to rewards offerings throughout the year. They are quick to advise teachers and administrators about what could be done better and thus far, adults have been receptive. 

Case Study # 2 – ParentSquare

For my second case study, I have chosen to spotlight Parent Square because I have a unique insight both
as a teacher and a parent. My children do not attend the school district where I teach, however their district uses Parent Square as its main form of communication between school and home. I recently found out that the district I work for has opted to utilize Parent Square as our main communication source for the 2024-2025 school year, so I have spent some hours learning the ins and outs from the educator side as well. 

ParentSquare is a communication platform designed to streamline interactions between schools and families. Students are not directly involved in using this platform it is primarily used to communicate with families. It allows schools to send announcements, reminders, and updates to parents in real-time. Additionally, it offers direct communication with teachers or other uses within the school. For example, parents can direct message a teacher about student behavior, or the school nurse can send a message asking about paperwork. The application offers multiple means of communication including email, text, and app notifications. Office hours can be set to hold communications and help teachers keep a work life balance. The tool also has the ability to search for these users by first or last name.

The platform's primary functions include the ability to share important documents, schedule and manage parent-teacher conferences, and facilitate volunteer sign-ups and event RSVPs. Combining these features and offering them in a single application, alleviates the need for multiple subscriptions and the potential for information to be misplaced or forgotten.  By providing a single platform for all school-related communications, ParentSquare can enhance parental involvement, bridge communication gaps, and ensure that parents are informed about their child's education and school events. As a secondary teacher one of the most common complaints among parents is that they feel less involved than when their children were in elementary school. ParentSquare offers a solution to this problem in that parents are notified of events through app communications that may have otherwise not been brought to their attention. 

Regular, enhanced communication helps parents stay informed and involved in their child's education. Increased familial involvement can lead to better support at home, reinforcing what students learn in the classroom. ParentSquare helps teachers and administrators provide regular updates and reminders about homework, projects, and school activities. Involving families in this manner helps students stay organized and aware of their responsibilities, promoting better time management and engagement with their studies. 

ParentSquare significantly influences student learning and engagement by fostering better communication and parental involvement. However, as with any digital platform, it also poses challenges like potential information overload and equity concerns. Speaking as a parent, if settings are left to district chosen presets, communication from the application is not efficient. Emails, text messages and app notifications will come all together and multiple times a day which can be overwhelming to say the least. This can be fixed by adjusting personal settings within the app, but many fellow parents have complained about also getting information that does not pertain to them. For example, at my children’s district (they are both in elementary school) the athletic director regularly sends out updates about high school student athlete performances and sports sign-ups. Parents of elementary children complain that this information does not apply to them, yet they are receiving multiple communications daily. This has caused these parents to stop checking ParentSquare regularly, thus missing important updates. The other main negative is equity concerns. ParentSquare is digital and requires internet and/or a smart phone application to participate. Families that do not have digital access will not be able to receive real-time information and could perhaps miss out on activity notifications or activities with limited spots available (“first come, first served”). 

Required literacies to utilize ParentSquare to its peak are very similar to the ones identified with PBIS rewards. Basic computer literacy skills are a must. Proficiency using computer, tablet or smartphone is needed to access the platform. Application navigation is slightly more technical from the teacher side. Unlike PBIS, administrators and the tech department set up classes and school integration. It took some tinkering with the app (and I could consider myself above average for tech savviness) to figure out how to easily toggle between my children’s school and my own district, however it can be done. This means that ALL school communications should be in one single place. 

Communication literacy is important for digital interactions. To engage constructively in conversations, parents, teachers and all school personnel using ParentSquare will need communication literacies. Many
times, when contacting parents about school, teachers will have to discuss negative interactions with a child. Understanding the emotions involved and being able to communicate will create a stronger home/school connection. Effective collaboration between home and school ensures that students receive consistent guidance and reinforcement, enhancing their overall educational experiences. Finally, a basic understanding of privacy and security principles is important to safeguard personal information and manage privacy settings appropriately. ParentSquare has many safeguards in place so that only select parties have access to information, however human error in creating communications does happen. Understanding the how and why of safeguarding personal information and data will help teachers and parents alike in keeping data private and safe. 

Overall, I would rate ParentSquare 5 out of 5 stars. As a parent, it was initially a bit overwhelmed to receive so many communications on so many channels, however over time I have learned to navigate it and utilize it regularly. As a teacher I hope to leverage its features to help foster a stronger home/school connection. 

References

ParentSquare. (n.d.). Feeds. ParentSquare. https://www.parentsquare.com/schools/5841/feeds

PBIS Rewards. (n.d.). PBIS Rewards. https://app.pbisrewards.com/index.ph