Achievement, engagement, and students' quality of experience were compared by racial and ethnic group in a sample of students (N = 586) drawn from 13 high schools with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic student populations. Using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), 3,529 samples of classroom experiences were analyzed along with self-reported…

Engagement is a core component of effective educational programs for children with autism. Analysis of 711 naturalistic goal-directed classroom behaviors of four school-age children with autism and four comparable children with Down syndrome (DS) was conducted. The definition of engagement was expanded to include child compliance and congruence. A…

Describes a study of preservice teachers that investigated two types of Internet connectivity to determine whether access to graphical user interface (GUI) tools increase both the level of use and positive attitudes toward technology. Results at mid-point reveal more positive attitudes and more time spent by using GUI tools. (Author/LRW)

Using a low-inference observational instrument, the authors empirically described and compared pedagogical behaviors in bilingual and structured English-immersion programs serving Spanish-speaking English language learners in a large urban school district in Southeast Texas. The two programs included both intervention/control of each type during…

The authors report on a study of 120 secondary schools and 893 related classrooms that compared instructional approaches used in vocational and nonvocational classes. Results suggest that vocational classes offer alternative approaches to instruction that differ from those employed in academic settings. (Author/CH)

Proposes a model for the transformation of academic equivalency in distance education, shifting from a unit of measurement that relies on time in the classroom to one that focuses on learner achievement. Explains how the Capabilities-Based Educational Equivalency (CBEE) model permits the comparison of student achievement in face-to-face and…

Using a single-subject alternating treatments reversal design, the effects of three conditions, tactile stimulation, auditory stimulation, and choice of the two, were compared on the math story problem solving of elementary students with attention problems. Students attempted and solved slightly more problems and engaged in fewer off-task…

A recent study comparing Asian and American students identified three factors that contribute to superior performance of elementary school children. These are: (1) amount of class time devoted to academics and direct instruction; (2) parent support of academic activities; and (3) student effort. The study and its findings are discussed. (MT)

An observational study of 12 mixed-age and 12 single-age Dutch primary reading/language and mathematics classes revealed that time-on-task levels were lower for the mixed-age classes. However, no significant differences in achievement test scores were found. (IAH)

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)

We conducted 2 studies to investigate undergraduate performance, perceptions, and time required in completing sequentially ordered, randomly ordered, or reverse ordered exams in introductory psychology classes. Study 1 compared the outcomes and perceptions of students (N = 66) on 3 non-comprehensive multiple-choice exams which were sequentially,…

The study investigates the effect of explicit contrastive analysis and translation activities on the incidental acquisition of single words and collocations. We compared three high school groups of learners of the same L1 and comparable L2 (English) proficiency. Each group represented one instructional condition: meaning focused instruction (MFI),…

This study conducted at a small southeastern university compared student learning as measured by pre- and post-tests, faculty time spent, student time spent, and student-completed course evaluations for two graduate level school library media courses offered in both hybrid and fully online formats. Using pre-test scores as covariates to control…

An aspect of the complex relationship between students homework and academic achievement (Cooper, Robinson, and Patall, 2006) was examined by correlating TIMSS 2003 mathematics results with the data about homework in 46 countries of the TIMSS study. The TIMSS results had no statistically significant correlation with the teachers' emphasis on…