Microcomputers can promote productive and engaged learning time with special education students, when teachers: combine microcomputer experiences with use of manipulative materials, utilize small cooperative student groups as well as individual microcomputer time, provide direct teaching, monitor performance, and promote generalization through…

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)

Rapid developments in computer and telecommunications technology have allowed U.S. students unprecedented access to information about people, cultures, and events from around the world. In this article, the author argues that schools need to exploit the opportunity that this provides to further global understanding. Sections include: (1) Access to…

A model assignment was designed and tested to enhance special education teacher candidates' skills and understanding in order to improve student learning. The model includes university and school-site activities that develop teacher candidates' awareness of the relationship between on-task learning time and student achievement. Teacher candidates…

The goal of this project was to develop customized teaching analysis software that would accurately measure recorded teaching behaviors and communicate useful results quickly to the observed teacher with the goal of improving teacher performance. A computer software program, "The Evaluator," was developed that uses a Windows interface programmed…

Cooperative learning aims to enhance students' on-task interactive behaviors in the classroom. Observation in Israeli elementary schools has indicated that interactive behavior of students in their learning sequence holds potential for quality cooperation and help among children, but that teachers lack the skills to structure learning tasks that…

Data from 12 2-hour observations of 41 elementary school classroom teachers were used to investigate classroom management problems associated with the use of small group instruction. Student engagement during small group instruction was compared with that in whole class instruction, seatwork, and transitions. Classroom narratives of subsamples of…

An interest in conditions of practice and feedback led to a study which examined the effect on writing by elementary school students of (1) two types of practice, both similar to "free focused writing"; (2) practice at a frequency greater than once a week; and (3) a procedure by which students measured their own performance and provided themselves…

The purpose of the proposed study was to examine relationships between instructional characteristics in required high school composition classrooms and quality of writing in one of the four domains included in the curriculum, the imaginative/narrative domain. Questionnaire data were collected on objectives, writing activities, and specific writing…

Prompting, positive and negative reinforcement, and a gradually extended reinforcement schedule were used with three autistic clients (two six-year-olds and one adolescent) to teach them to maintain on-task behaviors without constant supervision. Results indicated that appropriate behavior could be successfully maintained with only infrequent and…

Evaluates the effect of a comprehensive teacher training program in Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) on student achievement. Reports findings of two phases of a four-phase Follow-Through study. Achievement test scores indicate that students in the project made significant gains in reading and mathematics. (DR)

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)

This paper examines the implementation of an alternate block (A/B) schedule in three high schools in Irving, Texas. The purpose is to review how time was used in 48 randomly selected high school Algebra 1, Biology 1, English 2, and U.S. History classes. Of the 48 classes, 12 observations were conducted for each course. The findings revealed a…

Results of modifying mastery learning strategy to two diagnostic cycles with high school chemistry students (N=156) indicated that achievement of mastery learning students was significantly greater than that on nonmastery learning students. Attitudes toward science/science instruction were not significantly different but were positive in both…

Evaluation of a proactive behavioral approach to teaching prosocial behavior was evaluated in six urban elementary physical education classes. Results demonstrated positive across-grade trends in student leadership and teacher-independent conflict resolution behaviors, marked decreases in student off-task behavior, less teacher-directed and more…