This book begins with the introductory chapter, "Don't Think; Just Get on with Your Work," in which the author argues that children are thinkers, but that there are schooling barriers to engaging this thinking. Chapter 1, A Place to Think, considers these barriers in more detail and provides some ideas about how children learn in schools and what…

This project explored the effects of slow tempo classical music on children's on-task performance during independent writing. The project sample consisted of 24 students from a first grade classroom in the New York City Public School System. The students' on-task behavior was observed with and without use of slow tempo classical music playing, and…

The effects of long and short durations of positive practice overcorrection were studied with one moderately retarded and four severely retarded children (10 to 13 years old). The short and long practice durations (30 seconds and three minutes) produced equally rapid reduction of off-task behavior and acquisition of correct object placement…

This case study of the Austin Independent School District describes how the philosophy and staffing of a testing program can work together to produce effective results with highly efficient use of student time and minimal clerical burden on teaching staff. (Author)

Assessment of experiential learning must be approached in a different way from assessment of learning acquired through the traditional information assimilation mode. New measurement techniques and program models need to be devised to save money and faculty time, while preserving individualization. (Author)

Active, teacher-centered instruction is not necessarily effective with all students for all purposes. (Author)

Perceived time in complex cognitive functions was studied using college students' estimates of time spent taking a test in relation to examination performance. Significant correlations were found between true scores and students' estimated time. Differences in the perception of time were shown to be consistent with theories of attentional…

In time-on-task observations, the effects of variations in methodological characteristics on the importance of time-on-task for student achievement were examined. Substantive conclusions were affected by variations in five areas with the greatest differences due to changes in the duration and number of days of observation. (CM)

Teachers' and pupils' use of time in secondary mathematics classes was observed. Results indicated that, on the average, pupils spent slightly more than half the time scheduled for mathematics on task. The rest of the time lost from instruction was attributed to absences, late starts of lessons, and off-task behavior. (Author/MJL)

Discusses methodological problems regarding time-on-task in experiments in which effects of extra study aids are evaluated. Illustrations of different methods of studying learning aids and their effects on the outcome are based on six experiments into the influence of concrete analogies on learning. Seventeen references are provided. (EJS)

In a memory search task with context recognition, three groups of children were examined: hyperactives, somewhat hyperactives, and controls. Both groups of hyperactive-rated children were slower in their cognitive processing than controls. (MP)

This superintendent-mandated school improvement program has improved test scores and brought about teacher, student, and parent support for participating junior high schools. (Author)

Discusses, in general terms and in light of the experience of the past four years at SUNY-Buffalo, the advantages and disadvantages of teaching beginning level foreign language three days per week instead of five. (EKN)

Preskill workshops and work activity classes and centers have been developed to teach the severely or profoundly retarded client how to assemble or complete a number of tasks and how to exhibit appropriate behaviors that result in a high degree of attention to task and acceptable levels of task production. (SB)

Reviews research showing that teachers can improve student reading behaviors through direct instruction and reinforcement. (FL)