Procrastination is one of the issues affecting more than half of the student population and is known to impact them negatively. It is also one of the major reasons for failure and dropout. Therefore, several studies have been conducted in this domain to understand when and why students procrastinate. The existing studies use self-reported…

The purpose of this brief is to provide information to state, district, and school personnel seeking support to determine whether their students are on a path to postsecondary success. The College and Career Readiness and Success Center (CCRS Center) has received technical assistance requests from a number of states regarding factors that predict…

Observations of student behavior in the elementary and secondary classrooms of Ohio's Otsego Local School District revealed significant differences in the kinds and quantities of off-task behaviors among students at different grade levels, and may help educators develop methods for increasing learning time. The observation instrument is included.…

An overview of research studies on the relationship among time factors and student achievement is presented. The California Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study is cited as a seminal work in this area. A brief summary of findings on allocated time, engaged time, and academic learning time includes a discussion on how these studies have been expanded…

Researchers have recently attempted to identify the characteristic behaviors of effective problem solvers. To assist those psychologists who work with teachers to improve student levels of persistence on academic tasks, this paper reviews the current literature on persistence. Persistence, or the amount of effort and time a student is willing to…

This document offers perspectives on the concepts of environment and order related to the classroom setting. Environment is explained as the physical milieu, action structure, and the fit between these phenomena. Order can refer to the system being "in order" or to the participants being on task. Examples are presented of relationships…

This packet provides the concerned teacher and supervisor with materials for learning how to determine the percentage of time their students are actively engaged on task. The materials include definitions of key terms, a list of situations during which students must be considered unengaged, sample forms to be used in classroom observations of…

Presents timesaving tips to help elementary teachers make the most of every minute in the classroom. The article includes suggestions for using bulletin board space, creating student jobs, keeping track of items and assignments, recording grades, preparing makeup work, switching subjects, and timing student tasks. (SM)

After reviewing effective teaching research during the past 20 years, one basic question arises: do teachers make any difference? Specifically, do teachers' classroom practices have any effect on student outcomes beyond the effects of ability and home background? What knowledge of minimal teaching competencies has been gained, and how firm is the…

The relationship between teachers' use of class time and student achievement, behavior, and attitudes was examined in a study of 102 English and mathematics classes in 11 junior high schools. Time use had a measurable effect on student achievement and attitudes in mathematics classes, but not in English classes. (Authors/PP)

A study investigated the amount of academic learning time students at several Quebec elementary and secondary schools made use of during regular physical education classes. It further explored three major time-related variables: (1) specific content area; (2) learner time engaged with relevant material; and (3) student success rate. (Authors/PP)

An exploratory study examined influences on secondary and postsecondary vocational and technical student time on task. In conducting the study, researchers recorded minute-by-minute observations of the interactions of 152 secondary students and their teachers and 328 postsecondary students and their teachers in a total of 25 classes that were…

Because studies have shown that classroom distractions can interfere with school activities, the effects of several kinds of interruptions on elementary school students are described and measured for their frequency of occurrence, the time required for recovery of concentration, and their influence on morale and concentration. Using a sample of 65…

This brief guide notes the effectiveness of self-management strategies in increasing students' responsibility for their own learning and behavior, heightening student motivation and self-esteem, and reducing demands on the teacher's time. A strategy is outlined to help students increase their on-task behavior, by having students chart, correct,…

This booklet focuses upon ways in which a teacher can increase the amount of time students apply themselves to learning. Methods are presented for observing how much time students actually spend learning, for identifying which students are off-task, and for selecting teaching methods to increase students' learning time. Contents include…