An application of the theory of planned behaviour to staff implementation of precision teaching in primary schools

This thesis examines the ability of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to account for staff intention and staff delivery of precision teaching to pupils.

The review paper (Chapter 2) describes a systematic literature review which explored the relationship between the implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) with pupil outcomes in school settings.

Thirteen studies were identified which provided quantitative, ecologically valid evidence positively associating implementation of school-based EBIs with pupil outcomes.

The empirical paper (Chapter 3) identified the TPB as potentially capable of predicting staff implementation of precision teaching, an EBI utilised by schools to promote fluency in targeted skills.

The empirical study examined whether staff attitudes, subjective norms (perceived social pressure to deliver the EBI) and perceived behavioural control or self-efficacy were able to predict the number of times teachers and teaching assistants delivered precision teaching to pupils.

Results showed that the TPB did not explain a significant amount of variance in staff intentions or behaviour, with the exception of subjective norm, which moderately predicted the behavioural intentions of teaching assistants to deliver precision teaching.

One interpretation of the predominantly non-significant results observed was that other environmental or psychological factors were increasingly likely to be related to EBI implementation in schools.