In two sessions, the duration and tempo of toy play of infants and reaction of frustration were measured. Correlations indicated a general relationship between response persistence during play and attempts to escape frustrating situations. (Author/CM)

Reviews research studies which deal with the relationship between the time students spend engaged in learning and their subsequent achievement performance, and examines the emerging implications of these studies for the classroom teacher. (MP)

Tested whether learning disabled children start a vigilance task (1) with the same capacity or detectability as nondisabled children but decline as time on task increases; (2) at a lower level of stimulus detectability due to a reduced capacity for information processing but do not decline in attention faster than nondisabled children. (Author/DB)

Examined effects of adult- and self-monitoring on activity engagement and social interaction of three preschoolers with autism, using an alternating treatment and multiple baseline design. Found high baseline levels of active, although solitary, engagement. Adult- and self-monitoring produced equal increases in social interaction with nondisabled…

The study assessed the effects of redesigning the classroom physical environment to minimize stimulation on the occurrence of self-stimulation, on-task behavior, inappropriate behavior, and inactivity with 3 autistic males (16, 16, and 26 years old). Self-stimulation and inactivity decreased and on-task behavior increased. (Author/DB)

Describes a study of preservice teachers that investigated two types of Internet connectivity to determine whether access to graphical user interface (GUI) tools increase both the level of use and positive attitudes toward technology. Results at mid-point reveal more positive attitudes and more time spent by using GUI tools. (Author/LRW)

Tests alternative performance-based instructional models of growth in students' academic achievement in elementary schools. Models tested viewed growth in academic achievement as function of exposure to academic subject matter, task quality, and student engagement. Results indicate best fit was achieved by a structural model that includes student…

Children recognize two kinds of classroom play: instrumental play organized by teachers for academic purposes; and illicit play stressing surreptitious, unsanctioned activities like whispering and clowning around. Each is associated with a particular form of classroom community. This article considers how the nature of classroom play influences…

Describes four components of the DataWorks Productivity Index (DPI) that measures classroom productivity: time on task, curriculum alignment, breadth of curriculum, and teacher effectiveness. (PKP)

Student time on task is the most influential factor in student achievement. High motivation and engagement in learning have consistently been linked to increased levels of student success. At the same time, a lack of interest in schoolwork becomes increasingly common in more and more middle school students. To maximize time on task, teachers need…

This study conducted at a small southeastern university compared student learning as measured by pre- and post-tests, faculty time spent, student time spent, and student-completed course evaluations for two graduate level school library media courses offered in both hybrid and fully online formats. Using pre-test scores as covariates to control…

Calls for more school instructional time are coming from multiple quarters. Academic standards and frequent assessments have changed the nature, but not the length, of the instructional day. Schools find themselves "robbing Peter to pay Paul," taking time from the arts, recess, and physical education to give to reading and math, subjects that…

Cooperative learning is an instructional method designed to teach students to work together in small, structured, heterogeneous teams to achieve a common goal. The Performer and Coach Earn Rewards (PACER) system is a new way to incorporate cooperative learning in the gymnasium. It consists of six components that help teachers to introduce new…

The major purpose of the study was to examine what constitutes effective teaching as defined by measured increases in student learning with a focus on the instructional behaviors and practices. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) were used to identify teacher effectiveness levels while…

This study investigated the impact of prior knowledge, writing task, and hypertext format on university students' comprehension of multisource hypertext. Fifty-two students categorized as having high or low prior knowledge studied hypertext consisting of seven component texts on the topic of social influence. Some students were given a summary…