Measures of visual alertness, irritability, and activity based on repeated observations in equivalent situational contexts showed good intersession stabilities, which were consistently higher than measures based on lengthier over-all session observations, and substantially higher than stabilities typically reported for measures of newborn…

Offers a supervision plan designed to help identify teaching deficiencies, assist in planning and managing improvement, and create situations promoting dialogue beween principals and teachers. The plan involves yearly goal setting, pre- and postobservation conferences, and an informal observation process. (MLH)

An examination of teacher performance appraisal methods revealed some problems and abuses. Effective evaluation schemes were built upon observation usually mutually agreed, objective criteria for classroom observation, mutual goal seeting, self-appraisal, and support in the form of inservice training and available resources. (JD)

Children's conflicts with one another during free play were observed to determine the relation between the child's rate of conflict participation and his or her rate of aggressive behavior during conflict episodes and between these variables and the degree to which the child was liked or disliked by peers. (Author/SO)

If the education profession is to improve, the gap between educational research and the classroom teacher must be narrowed. Most educational theory is based on empirical research generated by logical deduction, but naturalistic research provides more innovative and flexible methods for collecting explanations of learning behavior. (MT)

Compared traditional percentage and correlational methods of estimating reliability of duration recording to reliability obtained with event-by-event examination of observers' records in which the actual percentage of time that the observers were in agreement was calculated. Traditional percentage reliability scores were found to be significantly…

Tests hypothesis that young children who were anxiously attached would be more likely than securely attached children to have behavior problems in preschool. Examines particular patterns of anxious attachment in relation to specific problem behaviors. Studies child, parental, interactional, and environmental factors that account for behavior…

Describes the redwing blackbird, focusing on the period from March, when the redwings migrate to the northern United States to begin the breeding cycle, to September, when they start to flock for their migration south. Topics include physical characteristics, habitat, breeding, nest building, and migration. (JHZ)

Presents results of two studies supporting the hypothesis that attribution of more aggression to boys may be a function of observer bias. Reports that some forms of instruction eliminate sex-typed biases while others yield significant biases. Discusses implications pertaining to the socialization of aggression and to research on sex differences in…

Investigates the developmental sequence of learning to transform objects into agents and recipients of action in early symbolic play. Each of 48 children (from 14 to 25 months old) demonstrated initiative pretending after an adult modeled agent and recipient substitutions in pretending to talk on the telephone. (Author/CB)

Demonstrates that while question-answer sessions affect pupil conduct, pupil responses influence teachers' behavior and the strategies they adopt. (JOW)

Responding to the the McFaul and Cooper article on peer clinical supervision, the author points out that their negative findings could have resulted from inadequate research design. (MD)

A behavioral mapping observation procedure was employed in three classrooms with 19 autistic students (6-14 years old). Eight behaviors were observed in five typical classroom settings. The results indicated that within a classroom environment, particular settings were associated with or "wedded to" high rates of particular behavior and low rates…

The study investigated an observation instrument designed to assess special education student teacher performance. Two methods were used to examine interobserver agreement: point-by-point and kappa. The degree of reliable performance data collected across the study's duration was reported. Data revealed differences in mean levels of agreement…

Examines various situations in which young children use social comparison to elicit understanding from a peer. Data are drawn from naturalistic observations of three- , four- , and five-year-olds. Children used social comparison to seek information, agreement, permission, compliance, verbal responsiveness, and attention. (Author/RH)