ABA Inside Track

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.
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Gamification adds fun, game-like components to otherwise dull, dry activities to increase motivation to engage with the task. But could it work for supervision? This episode Diana takes charge as she reviews how gamficiation can be added to the BCBA trainee practicum experience to make the basic ABA supervision activity go from fine to fabulous! Plus, the basics of the gamification process and how you might extend this fascinating research to your own work.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will identify the possible components of gamification.

Participants will identify the behavioral principles that likely produce behavior change in gamified settings.

Participants will review the fieldwork requirements and identify how a gamified approach could bolster fieldwork hours accrual.

This episode is available for 1.0 SUPERVISION CEU.
To see the original PowerPoint presentation attached, watch the video on YouTube.
Articles discussed this episode:
Morford, Z.H., Witts, B.N., Killingsworth, K.J., & Alavosius, M.P. (2014). Gamification: The intersection between behavior analysis and game design technologies. The Behavior Analyst, 37, 25-40. doi: 10.1007/s40614-014-0006-1
Parry-Cruwys, D. & MacDonald, J. (2021). Using gamification to promote accurate data entry of practicum experience hours in graduate students. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14, 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s40617-020-00421-2
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011, September 28-30). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining "gamification". [Workshop]. Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments, Tampere, Finland. doi: 10.1145/2181037.2181040

Don't despair now that your summer vacation is over, because ABA Inside Track will dull the pain of the workday with the return of Supervision September! A whole month of supervision discussion and research to make you the greatest boss/mentor/leader in the world. First, we dig into the archives for a special episode released as a bonus to patrons to launch the new site in which Diana digs deep into Gamification methodology as a means to improve supervision data entry in the practicum experience. Next we turn the tables from our bosses to ourselves to see if peer feedback actually does anything. Dr. Amber Valentino joins us to share, nearly 10 years after the publication of one of the field's earliest supervision articles, her thoughts on the state of ABA supervision science. And, as is the custom, we round it all out by taking a look at the classic business book "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson because nothing says "I'm the best at supervising others" than a mystery about vanished cheddar.
REMINDER: Starting this month, if you're interested in earning CEs for any of our episodes you MUST listen/watch them on our website.
Articles for September 2026
Gamification in Supervision - CE Instructor: Dr. Diana Parry-Cruwys
Morford, Z.H., Witts, B.N., Killingsworth, K.J., & Alavosius, M.P. (2014). Gamification: The intersection between behavior analysis and game design technologies. The Behavior Analyst, 37, 25-40. doi: 10.1007/s40614-014-0006-1
Parry-Cruwys, D. & MacDonald, J. (2021). Using gamification to promote accurate data entry of practicum experience hours in graduate students. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14, 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s40617-020-00421-2
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011, September 28-30). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining "gamification". [Workshop]. Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments, Tampere, Finland. doi: 10.1145/2181037.2181040
Peer Feedback in Supervision - CE Instructor: Dr. Jackie MacDonald
Fraidlin, A., Van Stratton, J.E., McElroy, A., & Aljadeff, E. (2023). Peer feedback: Recommendations for behavior analysts' training and supervision. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16, 696-708. doi: 10.1007/s40617-022-00761-1
Tittlebach, D., Fields, L., & Alvero, A.M. (2008). Effects of performance feedback on typing speed and accuracy. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 27, 29-52. doi: 10.1300/J075v27n04_02
Law, V., Turner, L.B., & Brewer, A.T. (2024). Using peer-led behavioral skills training to teach trainees active and empathetic listening skills in a virtual environment. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 19, 250-263. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00954-w
How Good Have We Really Gotten at Supervision - CE Instructor: Dr. Amber Valentino
Sellers, T.P., Valentino, A.L., LeBlanc, L.A. (2016). Recommended practices for individual supervision of aspiring behavior analysts. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 274-286. doi: 10.1007/s40617-016-0110-7
Valentino, A.L., Fuhrman, A.M., & Beck, J. (2024). The development of a calculator for objectively evaluating supervisory behaviors in practice. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17, 932-944. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-00946-w
"Who Moved My Cheese?" Book Club - CE Instructor: Dr. Jackie MacDonald
Johnson, S. (1998). Who moved my cheese? GM Putnam's Sons.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.
To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!
Email us at abainsidetrack@gmail.com for further assistance.
We're wrapping up the summer with a re-release of one of our most popular past episodes. If you've never heard it before, we think you'll appreciate Dr. Karsten's discussion of ethical data collection and usage. And if you listened when it aired back in 2016, it's a great time for a review!
IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.
To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!
Email us at abainsidetrack@gmail.com for further assistance.
If you think you're a pro at tracking behavior, this week's episode may be a cue to reflect on just how easy it is to collect bad data. We're joined by special guest Dr. Amanda Karsten to discuss the ethics of taking good data as behavior analysts.  Dr. Karsten reviews some great tips on how to go from data squirrel to data hero as well as some practical suggestions to get you using data ethically today! Plus, Diana shares a quiz to find out what kind of data you are and Jackie plugs her new ABA Christmas album.  Rob sits in shock at the stark realization that he only uses data for evil.  
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will describe implications of data reliability and treatment integrity.
2. Participants will identify how to accurately choose a measurement system for data collection.
3. Participants will describe ethical implications with data collection. 
This episode is available for 1.0 ETHICS CE.
Articles discussed this episode:
LeBlanc, L.A., Raetz, P.B., Sellers, T.P., & Carr, J.E.  (2016).  A proposed model for selecting measurement procedures for the assessment and treatment of problem behavior.  Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 77-83. doi: 10.1007/s40617-015-0063-2
Vollmer, T.R., Sloman, K.N., & St. Peter Pipkin, C.  (2008).  Practical implications of data reliability and treatment integrity monitoring.  Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1, 4-11.  
Carey, M.K. & Bourret, J.C.  (2014).  Effects of data sampling on graphical depictions of learning.  Journal of Applied Behavior Analylsis, 47, 749-764.  doi: 10.1002/jaba.153

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To earn CEUs for listening, you MUST sign up and listen to this episode on our website to get credit.
To listen for the fun of learning? Just push play!
Email us at abainsidetrack@gmail.com for further assistance.
Thanks to our awesome listeners, we're bringing ANOTHER Listener Choice episode out a bit early because folks can't wait to revisit a discussion of ABA and public policy. This time we're focusing on the licensure process for behavior analysts: How it happened, what we learned, and what comes next to ensure the health and growth of the field. Probably need to start with getting better press than some recent stories around billing practices. And, it wouldn't be an episode on relevant ABA policies without Dr. Bill Ahearn! Listen in and learn how to be part of the solution!
This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING/General CEU.
Wish your CE was free? Join or upgrade to the $5+ levels to get a discount code worth 100% off all Listener Choice episodes on our Patreon page.
Articles discussed this episode:
Bourland, G., Wilczynski, S., Guercio, J., Scibak, J., & Gautreaux, G. (2025). We have a behavior analyst licensure law. Can't we relax now? Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 530-542. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-01013-0
de la Cruz, B., Bourland, G., Johnson-Patagoc, K.M., Dillen, J., Thommen, R., Fritz, J.N., & Crone, R. (2025). The road to licensure of behavior analysts in Texas: History and lessons learned. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 505-518. doi: 10.1007/s40617-024-01030-z
Yingling, M.E., Hamilton, J., Nastally, B.L., & Dubuque, E.M. Estimating network adequacy of autism service providers in affordable care act markets. (2025). Behavior Analysis in Practice. doi: 10.1007/s40617-025-01103-7

We were so excited to take the trip back up to Utica, NY for the 3rd Compassionate Care Conference, hosted by Dr. Erik Jacobson and his team at Upstate Caring Partners. And the conference did not disappoint. In this extra-long bonus episode, we spend some time remembering our favorite moments regarding the definition of compassion and the place of PFA-SBT in today's ABA before diving into over an hour's worth of great poster discussion with a slew of excellent presenters. Honestly, I think it's our biggest poster segment ever! Come for the Utica greens, stay for the updated treatment discussions. CCC 2026 truly did "make shift happen."
Thanks to UCP for inviting us again and for all the great folks who stopped by to say "hi". Here's hoping we see them and you in 2028!