This study, with four preschool children who displayed difficulty maintaining independent on-task behavior, found they were able to learn a self-monitoring strategy (comprising self-talk, self-appraisal, and self-recording) and to maintain the targeted behavior improvements upon removal of the prompts. (DB)

Four mathematics test-item types that may perform differently when calculators are used were assessed using data from 160 high school students attending a summer enrichment program. The effects of testing with and without calculators on testing time, test reliability, item difficulty, and item discrimination were also assessed. (TJH)

Presents timesaving tips to help elementary teachers make the most of every minute in the classroom. The article includes suggestions for using bulletin board space, creating student jobs, keeping track of items and assignments, recording grades, preparing makeup work, switching subjects, and timing student tasks. (SM)

Defines "time on task;" highlights aspects that contribute to engaging activities for learning. Discusses time needed for and time spent on learning; factors that influence quality of instruction; capabilities of teachers that influence the efficient use of time; several ways in which timing is critical for effective instruction; and convincing…

A study investigated effects of classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) on classroom behavior and academic performance of 18 students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). CWPT led to improvements in performance in math or spelling for 50% of students with ADHD, along with reductions in off-task behavior for most participants. (Author/CR)

A study explored middle school students' (N=54) perceptions of problem difficulty, persistence, and knowledge, and use of problem-solving strategies in solving mathematical word problems. Students with learning disabilities rated problems as significantly more difficult and had a significantly lower total word problem score than both average and…

Reports results from a study of the effects of multimedia learning environments in geography in a Dutch secondary school. Discusses information and communication technology and learning behavior, and examines the impact of multimedia environments on students' time on task, on student-student and student-teacher interaction, and on students'…

Studies influences of rereading and strategy use on college students' abilities to understand/remember text information, hypothesizing that those engaging in active strategy use should perform better than those who do not. Indicates no differences between groups on the recognition task, but finds differences on the recall task. Discusses time on…

A case study of an elementary school child with emotional and behavioral problems illustrates a process of descriptive assessment, functional assessment, and assessment-based intervention. The descriptive information generated hypotheses about variables maintaining the problem behavior which were then tested in the classroom environment.…

Discusses increasing students' time on task and provides data showing where time is lost. Suggests several steps to prevent time loss. First published in 1994. (YDS)

This study investigated gender differences in kindergarteners' literacy skills, specifically, whether differences in children's classroom behaviors explained females' early learning advantage. Data included information on 16,883 kindergartners (8,701 boys and 8,182 girls) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort of…

Rapid developments in computer and telecommunications technology have allowed U.S. students unprecedented access to information about people, cultures, and events from around the world. In this article, the author argues that schools need to exploit the opportunity that this provides to further global understanding. Sections include: (1) Access to…

Science educators face constant tradeoffs between allocating time to important topics and including more topics in the curriculum. We study 3,000 students experiencing 4 increasingly streamlined versions of a computer-enhanced middle school thermodynamics curriculum to investigate the impact of instructional time on knowledge integration.…

Experimental analysis of social stimuli has typically been restricted to the presence or absence of verbal attention. In the present study, an ABAB design was used to assess the influence of proximity as a social stimulus. Close and distant proximity of a familiar adult was systematically manipulated to evaluate the effect of proximity on the…

While almost all observers agree that young children, older children, and adults differ both in initial rate of acquisition and in the levels of ultimate attainment typically achieved, they continue to disagree over whether the observed patterns are a function of nurture or nature. Is it simply that older starters "do not" do as well because they…