The naturalistic study described in this report was conducted for the purpose of determining the perspectives held by beginning teachers, the decisions based on those perspectives, the factors affecting perspectives and decision making, and implications of the knowledge gained for refining and redesigning teacher preparation and inservice training…

This paper reports on a study conducted to examine a shift in responsibility for learning to the students in an advanced placement American history class. Specifically, the extent to which students (N=9) were analytic in their thinking and writing and self-directed in their work was investigated. Naturalistic inquiry and comparative analysis were…

A collaborative day care and public school kindergarten intervention program for children in several public housing projects in Boston was evaluated by means of the Bronson Social and Task Skill Profile, a classroom observation instrument. This instrument has categories that measure behaviors related to competence in carrying out social…

The ability of the microcomputer to compile voluminous and detailed measures of students' learning activities automatically has seemingly outpaced the ability of commonly-used data analysis methods to make effective utilization of this wealth of potentially useful information. This study explores the use of computer-based quantitative methods,…

This paper summarizes major research and development activities and reports the results of the development and validation of a comprehensive on-the-job statewide teacher assessment system designed to make inferences about enhancing student learning through classroom observation data--the System for Teaching and Learning Assessment and Review…

This manual identifies critical factors to consider when conducting a least biased assessment of children from a non-English speaking background. The first section identifies relevant linguistic issues. The second section discusses aspects of English as a Second Language including legal issues, alternative means of assessment, testing without…

A naturalistic case study, involving a 2-year collaboration between 14 classroom teachers and eight university researchers studying 250 middle and high school students, examined the types of principles underlying effective literature instruction that emphasizes the development of students' reasoning abilities in the context of their understanding…

This handbook has been prepared to address one specific problem: How can the techniques of program evaluation be effectively applied to produce useful information about the operations and impact of moral education programs in secondary schools? The handbook is divided into five chapters. The introductory chapter describes the background and…

An ecological approach was used to gather data about properties of purpose, human behavior, and setting as they unfolded in classrooms. Participating were 11 elementary school districts in the Chicago Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area; districts were stratified by median family income (low, middle, high) and per pupil expenditure (low, high).…

A study measured both short- and long-term effects of an educational workshop designed for teachers in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion, Israel. Participants were 60 volunteer faculty members who were randomly assigned to one of eight multidisciplinary groups for the 4-day workshop, which aimed at improving teachers' instructional…

Seymour Papert's vision for early childhood education involves using Logo, a child-friendly computer language. He envisioned a discovery, or self-directed, method of teaching and learning. This article describes three observational studies conducted in classrooms that were attempting to implement Papert's vision. Data from 9 kindergartners and 5…

This package contains articles in three general areas: items covering measurement topics; brief and practical guides on measurement techniques; and professional reading on broader assessment issues. The purpose of these publications by "Set" is to provide research information to teachers. The initial article, "Overview of Issues in…

This report summarizes the activities of the California Mathematics Project established in 1983 using survey data, classroom observations, and interviews. The central goal of this program was to provide leadership in improving the quality of mathematics instruction throughout the state of California. Information was collected for use in planning…

An empirical investigation of methodological issues associated with evaluating treatment effect in single-subject research (SSR) designs is presented. This investigation: (1) conducted a generalizability (G) study to identify the sources of systematic and random measurement error (SRME); (2) used an analytic approach based on G theory to integrate…

Designed for school-age child care staff training, this package of materials aims to (1) increase understanding of the developmental needs of school-age children between 5 and 12 years of age; (2) provide information on developing safe, supportive, and enriching programs for children during the hours they are not in school; and (3) involve staff…