Argues that if schools are to be made more effective, educators must understand the interaction between their academic and socialization functions, as well as comprehend what happens in schools and the societal context in which schools are embedded. (MP)

Focuses on student and teacher perceptions of psychosocial characteristics of the elementary school classroom environment. Profiles, comparing actual and preferred classroom environments, were assessed using the following five dimensions of the My Class Inventory (short form) (Fisher and Fraser): satisfaction, friction, competitiveness,…

Discusses theoretical perspectives for improving teachers' understandings of task assignment in classrooms, and presents evidence from two British studies that highlight both the extent of the task assignment problem and possible causes. (SKC)

Describes a study conducted with a seventh-grade Future Problem Solving (FTS) class in which students work in teams of four to solve problems related to futuristic issues. As a result of increased competitiveness and poor emotional climate in the class, activities designed to promote a more congenial, less competitive classroom atmosphere were…

Offers a descriptive theory of the nature of classroom tasks. Describes the interplay among (1) the conditions under which tasks are set; (2) the cognitive plans students use to accomplish tasks; and (3) the products students create as a result of their task-related efforts. (SKC)

Examined classroom task environments and their relation to elementary students' task-related beliefs. Found two dimensions of teachers' practice associated with desirable patterns of student beliefs: (1) extent to which information is structured to make it predictable and comprehensible; and (2) frequency of opportunity for students to regulate…