Investigated classroom management practices in 26 classes taught by 13 junior high and middle/junior high school teachers using student-on-task, off-task, and disruptive student behaviors as primary criteria of management effectiveness. Effective management practices for general classroom procedures, laboratory procedures, managing student…

Based on data gathered in a participant observation project that focused on young children's behaviors during school structured literacy tasks, a study examined the relationship between learning to write and learning to perform school writing tasks. (HOD)

Evaluated the effects of a school psychological and social work program on children referred for behavioral and learning problems. General findings showed that consultation activities can be conducted with small investment of time and with a high degree of student accomplishment of objectives. (JAC)

This study examined classroom behavior of 393 pupils in 26 educable mentally retarded classrooms in regard to differential effects of having approximately 12, 15, and 19 pupils per classroom. Several effects were found in attention and communication, but relatively few were found in disruptive behavior. (Author/BS)

Higher education's principal reason for being is seen as that of developing student talents. This premise suggests that a high-quality institution is one that maximizes the intellectual and personal development of its students. Student involvement is seen as the cornerstone of academic excellence. (MLW)

University students representing two levels of teaching experience were compared while interacting with one of two child conferates displaying distractible behavior. Each adult completed the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey. Results suggested that experienced teachers took a more "task oriented" approach providing more instruction…

A survey of 475 elementary and secondary school principals and 370 teachers revealed that the teachers' abilities to exercise classroom management skills were perceived to be greater by the principals than by the teachers, that the teachers attributed their skills to experience, and that classroom management inservice programs are lacking. (PGD)

Social studies peer work groups (PWGs) in fifth grade classrooms were more frequent than math PWGs and involved a broader variety of student behaviors and cognitive levels. The majority of social studies groups were cooperative in both task and reward structures. For both subjects, student involvement was highest in cooperatively task-structured…

Comparison of videotapes of inexperienced and established junior high school teachers on their first, second, tenth, and twenty-eighth days of school provided insight into student needs and the teacher behaviors that set the stage for instructional success. Teacher supervisors can use such videotapes to help orient new teachers. (PGD)

Describes research in two different domains: novices learning programing, and school pupils interpreting Cartesian graphs. Findings in each domain are discussed, but the main focus is an examination of the extent to which general principles and issues apply across both domains. Research implications for instructional design are discussed.…

Reports on a project in which observations of student and teaching assistant behavior were used to redesign a teaching unit on recrystallization. Comments on the instruction manual, starting points for teaching the unit, and list of objectives with related tasks are included. (JN)

British students enrolled in a pre-vocational Certificate of Further Education (CFE) program were interviewed to determine their attitudes towards and views of the program. The students were very committed to the program because they saw it as a means to an end, e.g., as a way to enter another course. (RM)

In an attempt to locate possible antecedents for racial differences in science achievement, measures of math and reading achievement, causal attribution, attitude toward school success, and in-class behavior were acquired from students in desegregated science classrooms. (Author/LMO)

Student promotion or retention is determined by various criteria: grades, student performance, competency tests, attendance records, and conduct. Representative court decisions bearing on each of the criteria are discussed, and guidelines for the development of promotion and retention policy are outlined. (MD)

Presents a model illustrating distance education students' perceptions of their aims for studying a course. Analyses of verbal reports of four students using this model showed that their goals differed from those of the teacher and influenced how they studied. Relevance for external course design is discussed. (23 references). (MBR)