Currently, an increasing number of educational institutions are redefining second/foreign language (L2) classrooms by enhancing--or even replacing--traditional face-to-face (FTF) instruction with computer-assisted language learning (CALL). However, are these curricular decisions supported by research? Overall, a cursory review of empirical studies…

One of the key findings from decades of educational effectiveness research is the importance of the classroom level as a predictor of pupil outcomes. In this review, we therefore look at synthesising our best evidence from research on effective teaching, and its corollary, teacher development. In the 1st section, we will look at key findings from…

A majority of today's higher education students have been nurtured on a steady diet of technology and Internet access, leading to the increased presence of laptops in higher education classrooms. However, many instructors are unsure whether or how to assimilate this technology into their lessons. The purpose of the following study was to examine…

Active, teacher-centered instruction is not necessarily effective with all students for all purposes. (Author)

As teaching has come to be defined as a skill which embodies both science and art, research on it has also changed. This article discusses this theoretical development, assesses the extent to which different teaching processes and outcomes have been enhanced, and hypothesizes about future developments. (JL)

Much effort has been invested in time-on-task research. Time-on-task is described as a proxy term for the notion of "attention," and the findings of time-on-task research are described as less relevant to the classroom teacher than information contained in methods texts. (JN)

The authors examine the content, time, teacher performance, and leadership policies which have been legislated in several states as a result of the national wave of discontent with the quality of education. Emphasis is on the need for implementation of these policies to be informed by recent reseacrh. (MT)

Two studies were conducted to compare experimentally the effects of teacher-led instruction and seatwork on acquiring mathematical concepts. In the first study, 255 fourth graders were assigned to groups to be taught a 15-minute teacher-led lesson only, a 15-minute lesson plus 12 minutes of teacher-led follow-up, or a 15-minute lesson plus 12…

Data on how many minutes of instruction were allocated to various aspects of teaching initial addition and subtraction concepts and skills in the Developing Mathematical Processes (DMP) curriculum were summarized for 20 classrooms in grades 1-3. The same curriculum materials were used in each class at each grade level. The number of minutes spent…

Discusses the seven fundamentals of effective instruction: (1) time use, (2) diagnosis, (3) direct instruction, (4) transfer of skills, (5) flexible grouping, (6) positive mind set, and (7) classroom management. (FL)

Investigated whether teachers involved in a classroom management inservice program would demonstrate more of the recommended teaching behaviors than teachers not so trained, and whether students in the classes of those teachers would spend more time engaged in appropriate learning activities than those in other classes. (FL)

Elementary, secondary, and adult students taking private piano lessons were on task for at least 85 percent of the lesson time. Teachers gave frequent reinforcement for academic behavior. While approval/disapproval ratios were not as high as the recommended 80 percent approvals, no evidence of effects on student attentiveness was apparent. (RM)

Presents information gained from a time-on-task study of one school district that suggests that school districts can improve their decisions about scheduling, instructional techniques, and student achievement through similar investigations. (FL)

Presents study results on the effects of students working in pairs on spelling in three different grades. Explains that students working individually were compared to students working in pairs. Reports less off-task behavior for the younger students working in pairs. Concludes that effort increases in pair work, but achievement increased only at…

This study examines the effects of task arrangements and management systems on student engagement rates. It is argued that the complexity of classroom arrangements influences the form and content of management systems, and that management decisions impact levels of student engagement. Intensive observation of 63 third and fourth grade students…