This document is from a featured presentation at the 2018 annual conference of the Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT). The public schools are a fundamental element of our democratic society, and they have been the pathway to opportunity and a better life for generations of Americans. But at present, the American public school system is…

Joint teacher and student development of a contingency management plan to help control disruptive behavior was explored with a class of 13 mildly mentally retarded elementary school children after several less extensive teacher directed contingencies were unsuccessful. All students in the self contained classroom had extensive school histories of…

An examination of definition, causes, variables, and strategies of implementation suggests the kinds of data necessary for measuring school effectiveness. By focusing on students who first enter school below grade level standards and by understanding that student learning is embedded in a system of key elements or variables that, over time, are…

Unquantifiable changes affecting attitudes of teachers, administrators, and students who were involved with a four-year comprehensive staff development effort are discussed. A brief overview and analysis of the Napa-Vacaville Follow Through Research Project describes the program designed to improve student engaged rates and achievement at two…

To alleviate problems with course content, procedure, and philosophy identified by basic communication skills students and faculty, the University of Oklahoma developed a computer assisted Student Assessment Center (SAC) as a basic communication course adjunct. The SAC allows students from all sections of the course to take each of the four unit…

Illinois State University's teacher education program's professional sequence is organized around separate teaching skills, each of which relates to student outcomes in classrooms. Initially, a group of University High (U-High) Laboratory School supervisors was formed to develop clinical experiences which would enable prospective teachers to…

A computer-based system was developed for physically handicapped students using a learning laboratory to develop prerequisite skills for regular vocational or technical courses. Among criteria developed for the system were that it should not require manual dexterity, should use commercially available and reasonably priced hardware and software,…

Mills College (California) was one of three sites selected to participate in a project designed to apply and use research in elementary teacher education. The project trained student teachers and cooperating teachers to measure academic learning time and active teacher behaviors with instruments developed by recent research on teacher…

Examples are cited of educational research and development findings that have specific implications for improving classroom management and school effectiveness in a comprehensive educational program. Described is the West Virginia Department of Education's current use of research on brain growth as one basis for realigning the curriculum. Patterns…

A three-year project was undertaken by the National Center for research in Vocational Education (Ohio State University, OH) to investigate time on task in vocational and technical classes. During the first year of the project, researchers used the direct observation method to collect time-on-task data pertaining to 10 teachers and 186 students in…