The Effects of Tootling Combined with Public Posting in High School Classrooms

A traditional tootling procedure was implemented along with a public posting component to determine the effects on academically engaged, disruptive, and passive off-task behaviors in four general education high school classrooms. Students in the traditional tootling phase were instructed to report on their peers’ positive, prosocial behaviors. At the end of the class period, the teacher read through the tootles and added the total toward the group goal. When the class achieved their goal, they were rewarded, and the goal was reset. During the tooting with public posting phase, the teacher or primary researcher posted the tootles on a designated bulletin board. The results indicated that increases in academically engaged behaviors were maintained in both phases, whereas disruptive and passive off-task behaviors decreased. The differences between phases were minimal, suggesting little additive effect. Social validity measures indicated that intervention was acceptable in terms of effectiveness and utility. This study suggests the benefits of implementing tootling in a high school setting, demonstrating increases in classwide academically engaged behaviors.