Direct observational data were collected on the behavior of 26 elementary school-age boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most prevalent inherited cause of mental retardation, during classroom academic activities. Findings indicated classroom engagement comparable to that of peers and not related to intrasubject variables such as severity of…

The evidence, regarding the influence of study time on students' perception and use of learning activities in open and distance teaching materials--a major contributor to the quality of student learning--is briefly reviewed. In addressing the problem of student workload, three key questions are considered: How much time do your students have for…

Reports on a case study of one student's pattern of engagement in an 8th grade algebra class. Argues both empirically and theoretically that none of the current theories of engagement and motivation serve to characterize the core of this student's decision about engagement: his affective assessment of mathematics. (Author/MM)

Describes a study of undergraduates that examined the potential trade-off in study efficiency and breadth of learning for hypertexts studied by selecting units from a content map. Compares study strategies and text recall with a more- and less-segmented hypertext and discusses text representations, study times, knowledge representation, and…

Describes how several business schools, fed up with students' Internet use during class time, are taking steps to force them to log off. Money spent wiring classrooms for Internet access and laptop use has encouraged distraction among students and the use of "kill switches" by professors. (EV)

Examines the performance of four developmental students in a psychology class, each of whom demonstrated a specific type of procrastination: (1) avoidance; (2) arousal; (3) fear of failure; and (4) disorganized or rebellious. States that students were alike in their tendency to postpone work, but they varied in levels of anxiety, timing of work,…

Brief multiple-stimulus-without-replacement (MSWO) preference assessments were conducted with 3 adolescent boys with emotional-behavioral disorders in the context of their public school educational program. The reinforcing effects of stimuli identified as high, medium, and low preference were then evaluated using an alternating treatments design…

It is no secret that language arts and math are the dominant features of the elementary curriculum. This is especially the case in Kindergarten through third grades. In many states, the thrust of the curriculum in the primary grades is on learning to read. After that, it is thought that students will then be able to read to learn. With that…

Electronic performance support systems (EPSS) deliver relevant support information to users while they are performing tasks. The present study examined the effect of different types of EPSS on user performance, attitudes, system use and time on task. Employees at a manufacturing company were asked to complete a procedural software task and…

This Action Research Project Report was conducted at one elementary school and two different high schools from August 20, 2007 to December 14, 2007. The purpose of this research was to decrease student off-task behavior in the classroom. There were four teacher researchers and 94 students at the beginning of the research, but during the action…

This study compared the test scores and time required by high school students who are blind, sighted, or have low vision to complete tests administered in written and oral formats. The quantitative results showed that the blind students performed better on multiple-choice tests in braille and needed more time while taking tests in braille. The…

Regular physical activity participation throughout childhood provides benefits to physical (Malina, Bouchard, & Bar-Or, 2004), physiological (Andersen, Wedderkopp, Hansen, Cooper, & Froberg, 2003), and psychological health (Mutrie & Parfitt, 1998). In recognition of these benefits, guidelines have been published in the United States…

It is not what is taught that has the most influence on students' study behaviour, but rather what is assessed. Computer-assisted assessment offers the possibility of widening the scope of the material that is assessed, without placing excessive burdens on either staff or students. This article describes a computer-assisted assessment scheme…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether strategically scheduled recess breaks throughout the school day will increase student on-task behaviours during the time when students work independently. As an intervention for this action research study, recess breaks were given more often but for less time; recess breaks were scheduled before…

Relative efficiency of hand raising and response cards within the context of an ABAB design when teaching time to middle school students with moderate and severe disabilities was investigated. Effects of the two strategies were assessed on four dependent variables: (a) student active responding, (b) on-task behavior, (c) inappropriate behavior,…