The article summarizes results of three experiments evaluating the effectiveness of a packaged program for improving and maintaining the on-task behavior of mildly handicapped children through the use of variable interval reinforcement schedules. On-task behavior increased and was maintained in all three experiments and academic performance…

To determine the effect of background music on on-task-performance (OTP), 26 fifth grade science students were observed for 42 class sessions over a four-month period. Time-series analyses indicated a significant increase in OTP for male subjects and for the total class. (Author/CB)

Describes performance criteria for users of computer assisted instruction (CAI) that are used to provide users with feedback about their performance relative to other users. This study evaluated 146 novice users on their percentages of correct responses, time required for completion, and number of times the CAI tutorial was performed. (LRW)

Student opportunity to learn may be the critical variable in explaining student engagement and subsequent achievement. Lower-ability students are systematically discriminated against in quality of instruction and curricular content and in use of learning time. Suggestions regarding teacher preparation to offset these patterns are made. (MT)

The Classroom Environment Study explored instructional quality and classroom management factors as predictors of student cognitive and affective outcomes. The German contribution to this study, involving 39 fifth-grade classrooms and 39 regular and mathematics teachers over a two-year period, is described and results are presented. (Author/MT)

Using the Classroom Behavior Inventory, teachers rated the behaviors of 63 school-identified, learning-disabled first and second graders. Hierarchical cluster analysis techniques identified seven distinct behavioral subtypes. Internal validation techniques indicated that the subtypes were replicable and had profile patterns different from a sample…

Examines whether learning rates vary across students, teachers, and subject matter as a function of instructional time. Offers a model of the relationship between time and learning. Discovers that the varying positive effects of instructional time on reading and mathematics achievement depend on teachers' and students' initial ability. (ETS)

Data from 60 observations of 10 teachers and 10 each of their students showed that type/quality of teaching strategy predicted 37 percent of variance in engagement and that the more indirect the teaching strategy, the greater the students' involvement in learning tasks. Implications of these and other findings are discussed. (Author/JN)

In this study college band students expressed a preference for the musical selections that required the fewest timeout periods. Student offtask rates increased slightly as timeout frequency increased. No significant difference in offtask rates was evident between timeout periods of 15, 30, or 45 minutes duration. (Author/RM)

Relationships among student achievement, class size, and mode of instruction were investigated using 225 fourth-grade students. Students were randomly assigned to teacher-led or seatwork assignments in groups of either one, three, five, or six, and results showed seatwork impervious to group size effects, while achievement varied. (Author/JMK)

A three-hour block of uninterrupted time each morning for the teaching of core subjects has allowed this elementary school to reduce class size, increase the time teachers spend with individual students, increase time on task, increase parent and teacher expectations of students, and improve student/teacher relationships. (DCS)

The Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study is a major study on teaching effectiveness. Findings and educational implications dealing with time, instructional processes, and classroom environment are offered. (DF)

This user-friendly guide covers a variety of issues such as choosing the right instrument, how to set practice guidelines, how parents can talk about music with their children, and ways to inspire children and enhance their creativity and confidence. Includes a list of frequently asked questions, a handy guide to musical terms, and lots of tables…

As part of an ESRC-funded longitudinal study, "Student Experiences of University Mathematics," we followed a cohort of undergraduate mathematics students at two traditional universities with high ratings for research and teaching. This report centres on interpretations of successful students' engagement with their course as gleaned from in-depth…

This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis between full term typical infants and those born micropremature in the developmental construct of mastery motivation. The sample consisted of 10 micropremature infants with developmental levels within the normal limits and 10 full term 9- to 12-month-olds (adjusted for prematurity) matched…