Classroom observation is one of the premiere data collection methods available to those interested in teaching behavior. Observational techniques can be classified on a continuum ranging from low inference to high inference depending on the level of judgment required by the observer making the observation. Central to the issue of any form of…

The play activity of 20 children was videotaped and annotated. The children were questioned about their play and artifacts of the play were collected. Data revealed a qualitative organization similar to a hierarchy. This structure reflected themes, domains of literate behavior, functions, and skills. A vignette of an episode of spontaneous play is…

Five preschool-age boys participated in a study of the effects of detailed and nondetailed toys on solitary creative play. In contrast to detailed, high-structure toys, nondetailed, low-structure toys were hypothesized to enhance creative play. In a multi-element design taking place over 13 daily sessions, detailed and nondetailed toys were…

Investigated 19 primary school children's behavior on a school bus through naturalistic observation prior to and during the use of experimental "bus teachers" who provided safe play materials and conducted activities designed to enhance the bus experience. (ED)

The activity level of preschool boys relative to preschool girls was observed to find whether a sex-linked pattern of hyperactivity is observable in the general population. Boys were found to be more active than girls, with patterns similar to those included in definitions of hyperactivity. (GO)

The aim of this study is to develop a new approach to help both 4th year students and 1st year students to get the utmost benefit from application activities. This new approach will provide 4th year students with an experience of teaching practice and also preparation of 1st student teachers to teaching practice process before they start their…

Examines the observations and experiments conducted in the 18th century to detect and measure light pressure. The reception of these results reveals another scientific strategy besides confirmation and refutation, namely, estimation of parameters. (Author/GS)

This document describes a study that used the "critical incident technique" to define and produce a descriptive classification of safe and unsafe driving behavior exhibited by adults and to organize these descriptions for use in older driver improvement courses and other educational activities. An introduction describes the study's…

Patterns of learning by five infants with Down's syndrome (3.5 to 12.5 months old) were studied. The children were visited at home 2 to 3 times per week for periods ranging from 1 to 8 months. Two of the children were reinforced for pulling a string attached around their wrist. Consequences included tape recordings of music or their mother's…

An art teacher describes her experiences in teaching three classes of moderately/severely mentally retarded and multiply handicapped students (6-16 years old). Instruction focused on sensory experiences which involved a variety of materials and creative activities. Lesson plans were prepared based on information gathered in a questionnaire…

An overview of the reasons for and basic elements of teacher evaluation programs, and a deeper look at one state's program in particular, are presented in this booklet. The first chapter discusses why teacher evaluations are useful, what processes for evaluation can be followed, how state and local policymakers can enhance the usefulness of…

Precision teaching (PT) is an approach to the science of human behavior that focuses on precise monitoring of carefully defined behaviors in an attempt to construct an environmental analysis of that behavior and its controlling variables. A variety of subjects have been used with PT, ranging in academic objectives from beginning reading to college…

This chapter advocates the use of naturalistic inquiry as a method for undertaking unobtrusive research in instructional development. The advantages of naturalistic inquiry are listed, and it is suggested that these advantages make this form of research very useful to the field of instructional development. It is argued that both naturalistic…