The Class Activities Questionnaire (CAQ) was used to compare a Canadian high school participating in a research project employing an information retrieval system with another not involved in the project. This paper evaluates the validity of the CAQ as a measurement instrument for this study. The CAQ was administered to 1831 students, 806 Science…

Youth were found to be responsive to a survey when asked for solutions to provocatively disruptive situations. The general purpose of this study was to determine whether these expressed solutions have some useful application to the problems of disruption. Description was measured through a situational survey and a self-description form filled out…

This unit of the Flexible Learning System (FLS) is concerned with the importance of play to early child development and with classroom conditions that promote productive play activity. Emphasis is put on developing skills in observing and analyzing play and understanding specific types of adult intervention in the play process. Activities and an…

Research is described which explores the hypothesis that different classroom situations may be optimal for different individuals. The approach used cluster analysis to identify student and classroom "types" whose interactions were then examined in an analysis of variance framework. About 1,300 fourth graders from 50 classrooms were…

Teachers should find it of value to become more cognizant of the degree to which they communicate awareness of subjectivity since the more accepting the socioemotional climate of the classroom, the greater will be the opportunity for expanded thinking, sharing of differing points of view, and learning in general. This awareness could be determined…

Addresses the issue of classroom management in the foreign language teaching context. The dominant sources of management problems are identified and related student behaviors are enumerated. A rationale and directive are provided for continued research in this area. (Author/CB)

Demonstrates the need for teaching strategies that incorporate the concepts of power and freedom into existing courses. Identifies classroom environments that enable students to make choices as beneficial and describes some strategies for promoting a more democratic classroom. (AEM)

Study of the language produced by teachers in American university mathematics classrooms suggests that teachers redefine or remap the semantic domains of the first and second person pronouns to include third person and indefinite reference. There were five sets of discourse-defined semantic mappings for the pronoun "we." (Author/CB)

Two articles point out the importance of students' collaboration in the computer lab. The first describes two students' use of the word processor to write a story collaboratively. The second analyzes the dialogue of two students playing a computer game, showing that such games help students become better at planning and decision making. (ARH)

Three principal types of goal structure are (1) cooperative; (2) competitive; and (3) individualistic. Specifically designed cooperatively structured group activities can improve group performance and attitudes in class. A writing class for English majors is briefly described and evaluated before and after goal structure was considered. Grade…

Suggests a variety of activities and projects which integrate functional literacy instruction into the curriculum. (MM)

Identifies verbal teacher immediacy behaviors which relate to increased learning, finding that the impact of both verbal and non-verbal behaviors on learners is enhanced as class size increases. Provides empirical definition of a specific set of low-inference verbal variables which, combined with previously identified nonverbal variables, clarify…

The literature on effective instruction for difficult-to-teach students is reviewed. Preinstructional variables include classroom management planning and planning for instructional tasks (student assessments, communication of learning goals, pacing decisions, and time allocations). Instructional delivery variables include engagement time, success…

Recalls highlights on student days in a one-room country school. Describes school maintenance routines, individualized instruction, school programs, and holiday celebrations. Concludes that alumni of one-room schools are proud of their heritage and feel that the education they received reflects the nation's finest values. (JHZ)

Teaching methods are presented to help students in developing decision-making/problem-solving skills, positive self-image, positive work attitudes, human relations skills, communication skills, ability to work in a group, and organization of ideas and tasks. The author also discusses providing an appropriate classroom environment. (CT)