A development and field-testing effort explored ways of helping preservice teachers learn classroom management knowledge and skills during field-based preservice courses. An observation guide, "Learning the Classroom Environment, An Observer's Guide to Classroom Management" (Sanford & Emmer, 1985), has four general areas: the classroom setting;…

This study examined the conduct of academic tasks in six secondary classrooms, focusing specifically on assigments requiring some higher level cognitive operations, with attention to how management strategies and classroom conditions associated with these assignments affect their cognitive demands on students. Analysis of tasks in these six…

This paper examines the academic task model used in the Managing Academic Tasks study as a potentially useful approach to some enduring problems or themes of research in science education: (1) effects of questioning and presentation strategies; (2) testing; (3) the role of laboratory activities; and (4) curriculum implementation and evaluation.…

To find out how junior high teachers establish and maintain effective classroom management, the Junior High Classroom Organization Study (JHCOS) was conducted. The observations made during the study support the commonly held beliefs that teachers in low socioeconomic status minority schools face special problems in establishing productive…

This report summarizes and discusses findings about classroom management from two studies, the Junior High Management Improvement Study (JMIS) and the earlier Junior High Classroom Organization Study (JHCOS). These two studies involved long-term observation in more than 160 classes in a variety of subject areas. Results of the two studies are…

The relationship between classroom work and student understanding of genetics content is examined in this descriptive study of an introductory high school biology class. Classroom observations and examnations of student assignments related to a genetics unit were made. Factors affecting the teacher's management of the work system and the apparent…

Investigated classroom management practices in 26 classes taught by 13 junior high and middle/junior high school teachers using student-on-task, off-task, and disruptive student behaviors as primary criteria of management effectiveness. Effective management practices for general classroom procedures, laboratory procedures, managing student…

Academic learning experiences provided during a unit on genetics were examined in this case study report of two honors biology classes. It was conjectured that the nature of students' work and how it is handled by teachers affects how students attend, how they process information, what skills they practice, how they are evaluated and ultimately…

Research suggests ways administrators and staff developers can help teachers with the important task of organizing and managing classrooms. (Author)

Descriptions are given of recent dissemination and collaboration efforts of the Classroom Organization and Effective Teaching (COET) Project, which is a program of the University of Texas (Austin) Research and Development Center for Teacher Education. A brief review of COET research findings is provided, and materials and activities that can be…

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)

This paper describes some practical lessons derived from the Managing Academic Tasks studies conducted at the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education at the University of Texas at Austin. The research included case studies of academic work conducted in 10 junior and senior high school science, mathematics, social studies, and English…

Teachers in low socioeconomic status minority schools face some special problems in establishing productive learning climates within their classrooms. The beginning of the school year can be crucial to teaching success in these schools. Case studies are presented of three different teachers teaching in a single low socioeconomic, minority junior…

The Junior High School Management Improvement Study (JMIS) was a field experiment conducted to verify and extend findings of previous research in English and mathematics classes. Using student behaviors (on task, off task, and disruptive behavior) as criteria of management effectiveness, this study investigated classroom management practices in 26…

Many secondary teachers perceive a wide range of studennt ability levels within a class as a constraint on effective teaching and classroom management. This study was conducted to determine which levels of teaching effectiveness, which learning environments, and which classroom management problems were associated with very heterogeneous classes,…