5 Easy Data Collection Ideas to Try Right Now

5 Easy Data Collection Ideas to Try Right Now

We asked and you answered!  Our current survey asked you “What are some of the biggest struggles you have with data collection as a pediatric therapist?”  So many of you have responded NO TIME!  Isn’t that the truth.  School-based therapists’ schedules are jammed packed sometimes across several schools.  Who has time to squeeze in data collection?  In addition, as a profession, many of us feel like that is a few more minutes wasted of precious “therapy time” with our students.

Here are 5 easy data collection ideas to try right now that do not require a ton of time:

1. Post It Notes or Labels – write down tally notes on a post-it note or label throughout the session to indicate when you observed a positive outcome.  Date it and put it in the student’s chart to help monitor progress.
2. Start Student Generated Data – students will feel a sense of accomplishment as they track their own progress.  Read more here.
3. Multitask Data Collection – Use the updated Data Tracking Forms.  When you document your required session note, it will update IEP Goal progress on a graph for a visual representation of on-going progress!  FIND OUT MORE HERE.
4. Write MEASURABLE GOALS! – Make sure the goals you write or collaborate on are easily measurable.  This is the KEY to easier data collection.  Read more about SMART goals here.
5. Use a rubric or create one yourself – If you need to measure more than one outcome, try a rubric. Read more on rubrics here.Need some examples?  You can download some free rubrics:
   1.  Dressing Rubric – Putting On and Taking Off Socks
   2.  Overall Personal Hygiene Rubric
   3.  Meal Time Rubric – Using a Spoon
   4.  Mobility Rubric – Walking in a Line
   5.  Overall Handwriting Rubric
   6.  Proper Positioning for Keyboarding Rubric

Make sure you choose the right type of data collection – are you measuring percentage, # of correct trials, distance, frequency, etc or will you be monitoring positive responses during a certain time period?  Data collection is much easier when you simplify what you are measuring.

Streamline your data collection with the Data Tracking Forms for School-Based Occupational and Physical Therapists.  This includes 10 data collection forms for monitoring progress in occupational and physical therapy in the school setting.  Document up to 4 IEP goals per student in your daily sessions in Excel and it will graph your data directly from your session notes.  These Data Tracking Forms for School-Based Occupational and Physical Therapy will make data collection so much easier!