Investigated the content and development of children's imitative behavior in the home. The data consisted of incidents of naturally occurring imitations of 24 children 16 and 29 months of age collected over a four-month period by mothers trained in observational recording. Immediate imitations decreased with age; deferred imitations increased with…

The way that residents in internal medicine allotted their time during patient management rounds was determined. House staff teams were observed for four days, and the time spent on all activities was recorded. The study suggests that medical educators should be concerned about the thoroughness of house staff work rounds. (Author/MLW)

Training techniques used by five trainers conducting a workshop on changing teaching behaviors were studied to discover methods for examining trainer behaviors. Four observation methods were used. Results are discussed. (Author/DF)

To determine the nature of camp for senior citizens, four participant observers (staff members) conducted open-ended interviews with campers at a five-day residential camp in Oregon. Results showed universal satisfaction with the camp experience. Campers valued the wide range of activities, comfortable places to socialize, and staff relations with…

Addresses the pressures of early academic learning among young children and presents parents with three guidelines for pursuing early learning experiences: readiness, observation, and options. (BB)

Normal children, aged 3-8, were observed during free play with anatomical dolls under three conditions: with an adult present, without an adult, and with the dolls undressed. In contrast to clinical observation of abused children, the doll play of the normal children was not characterized by aggression or sexual concerns. (Author/JDD)

Suggests that a collaborative relationship between a clinical supervisor and a reading teacher can improve the teacher's effectiveness through a preobservation conference and identification of problems, classroom observation, and a post-observation conference. (JC)

Explores the relationship between teaching and socialization through a case study report of the classrooms of three junior-high science teachers. Provides a brief characterization of socialization and the substance of science teaching and discusses the factors which appear to be relevant to these characterizations. (ML)

Describes several hands-on science activities which focus on the use of apples. Suggests several ways of using apples to teach classification. Proposes a field trip to an orchard as a culminating activity. (TW)

Members of two unstructured small groups, participants in one and observers in the other, rated all interventions by the trainer for contribution to their learning. Participants and observers had a similar learning profile. Differences between the learning of participants and observers were found for clusters of interventions emphasizing trainer's…

This article presents a system for organizing observations on the art performance of special education children. Included are samples of three data collection charts. Stresses using such data in prescribing appropriate instruction. (JDH)

Classroom observation techniques and needs assessment strategies can be used to evaluate gifted program inservice and staff development for teachers. Inservice program length, quality, and type can be evaluated through use of pre and post inservice observation, comparison of inservice participants with nonparticipants, and assessment of changes in…

Outlines specific steps for implementing and validating a qualitative methodology designed to evaluate rural areas' special education programs serving students with severe special needs. Provides a rationale for use of the elements of aesthetic criticism as the basis of the methodology and discusses practical limitations and usefulness of the…

This article describes procedures to be followed in developing a system for observation of teachers in the classroom and use of the observation to evaluate teachers. A list of criteria is presented, including various types of validity, measurement characteristics, and practicality characteristics for observation systems. (Author/LMO)

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)