Despite clear evidence of decrements in performance over time coupled with a substantially greater perceptual sensitivity deficit in 10 hyperactive children compared to controls, the hyperactive group demonstrated no greater performance deficit with time on task. Results failed to support the hypothesis of a sustained attention deficit in…

Thirty-two primary school children were evaluated on their problem-solving ability and attention level, immediately following either an aerobic exercise or a passive activity. Results indicated that physical activity of moderate intensity enhanced problem-solving performance; the two hyperactive children improved their ability to stay on task,…

An experimental study involving 44 matched pairs of Israeli first graders found that reading at a faster pace increased comprehension and reduced errors in spite of the insertion of pictorial distractors. (IAH)

Ten mildly handicapped preschool children were taught to use problem-solving strategies to complete fine motor tasks. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated that the intervention had a positive impact on the task persistence of some children and that some children became more systematic in their approach to solving tasks. (Author/JDD)

Findings from a study involving 8 physical education teachers and 48 secondary students indicate that the teachers allocated less than one half of the available lesson time for student participation with the learning tasks. In addition, the rate of successful performance experienced by high, average, and low achievers differed significantly. (IAH)

Comparison of 40 children with Down's syndrome and typically developing children (matched for mental age) found that the children with Down's syndrome appeared less engaged in a task, as indicated by shorter sequences of goal directed behavior and higher rates of toy rejection. They also displayed less causality pleasure with object exploration…

This study analyzed effects of repetitive task size on rate of responding and behavior of five adolescents with autism and mental retardation. Compared to large-task conditions, small-task conditions resulted in higher on-task behavior and better work-related behavior for all participants and higher work rate for four participants. (Author/PB)

This article examines the concept of negative reinforcement in relation to the maintenance of off-task and disruptive behaviors in classrooms. Suggestions are given for determining whether negative reinforcement (in the form of escape from the instructional task) or teacher attention is maintaining the behavior. Suggestions for making tasks less…

This study examined the effect of a videotape feedback intervention on the on-task behavior rate of a fourth grade male in a self-contained class for students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Results revealed an increase in percentage of on-task time during intervention, a sharp drop during return to baseline, and an increase during…

Describes research and evaluation on the Information Mapping method of structured analysis and writing of training and reference documents to illustrate how a flaw in research design can cause "little or no effect" results. Information retrieval experiments, learning experiments, and field tests are examined for problems, including size…

A student (age 15) classified as behaviorally disordered tutored a student with learning disabilities. The peer tutoring brought about improvements in the tutee's on-task and academic performance but not in the tutor's disruptive behavior. Self-monitoring and a self-instructional component were then implemented to eliminate the tutor's disruptive…

Discusses computer access in schools; explains how to determine sufficient quantities of computers; and describes a formula that illustrates the relationship between student access hours, the number of computers in a school, and the number of instructional hours in a typical school week. (six references) (LRW)

This study investigated whether achievement, completion rate, and lesson time vary with computer-screen layouts using good design principles compared with poorly designed screens. Results with adult learners using computer-based instruction showed no difference in achievement scores but good design did lead to higher completion rates and less time…

Faced with low literacy levels, four schools in Santa Clara, California, decreed that every entering kindergartner would be a competent reader by the end of second grade. The schools then implemented the 1,000 Days Network--an uninterrupted morning literacy block tailored to children's needs. Preliminary results are encouraging. (MLH)

A study examined mothers' perceptions of the toy play of their 57 preschoolers (ages 2-5) with intellectual disabilities. The majority reported children not only engaged in appropriate play with toys, but engaged in advanced levels of play. Mothers also reported children would play with toys for extended periods of time. (Contains references.)…