The first of a projected series of three studies addressing the differing organizational contexts of the special education director's work and the resulting consequences, this investigation examined the work of a special education director in a "staff" position with respect to the consequences to the district at this organizational…

All first, second, and third grade teachers in one rural southwestern school district were observed to find out (1) what they were doing while their reading groups read stories, (2) whether they changed their teaching strategies when they changed reading groups, and (3) whether their strategies during story reading changed from grade to grade.…

A longitudinal study tested the hypotheses that in relation to parents with an external locus of control, parents with an internal locus of control: would have a higher level of mother-infant interaction, would have more self-directing and less conforming values for children, and would have children who showed more academic competence. The initial…

This study focused on a comparison of the factor structures of the scores on l8 teacher competencies measured by both low-inference and high-inference observation. The observation inventories used were the Classroom Observations Keyed for Effectiveness Research (COKER) for low-inference observation, and the Teacher Performance Assessment…

The report describes a study which looked at two-way interactions among teachers and severely physically disabled and nondisabled children who were followed from kindergarten through first grade. Seven of the children had cerebral palsy and one a muscular disorders. Data collection included direct classroom observation on 74 days; interviews with…

Research on everyday learning has begun to illuminate some of the relations between activity and knowledge, and thus can help educators reconceptualize classroom activities. For example, how and what children learn about money epitomize many of the differences between everyday and school-based problem solving. The general goals of this paper are…

This manual gives teachers information about the score reports they receive after participating in the Tennessee Career Ladder evaluation process. It also contains a discussion of the scoring and equating process used to calculate the results. The score report consists of the following: (1) a summary; (2) results by domain; (3) results by…

It was noted that paraprofessional child caregivers working with economically disadvantaged children did not base instructional choices on data derived from direct observations. As a result, this practicum was implemented to improve the observation and recording skills of five caregivers serving as group leaders of day care workers. Centers…

Illinois Specialized Teacher Evaluation Programs (I-STEP), Incorporated, has developed a performance-based system for evaluating teachers. A review of the literature convinced I-STEP that evaluation programs are most useful if they are aimed at helping teachers improve their instructional effectiveness, and if they obtain evaluation data from many…

The competency based teacher education (CBTE) program at the University of Toledo (Ohio) is constructed around ten basic goals which are behaviorally stated and cover the fundamental tenets of the American educational system. To evaluate the program, the goals were examined in relation to five contexts which were identified as being of major…

This learning activity package on observation of the patient is one of a series of 12 titles developed for use in health occupations education programs. Materials in the package include objectives, a list of materials needed, a list of definitions, information sheets, reviews (self evaluations) of portions of the content, and answers to reviews.…

The use of time in school, specifically the portion of time defined as active responding time, has been shown to correlate significantly with achievement. The comprehensive observational methodology of the academic engaged time studies provides the basis for systematically investigating student responding time and elements of the educational…

The Assessments of Performance in Teaching (APT) is a classroom teacher performance evaluation procedure mandated by the South Carolina legislature for all student and first year teachers. Aiming to measure minimal competence, the instrument addresses five performance dimensions: planning, instruction, class management, communication, and…

Based on the alternatives approach to drug abuse prevention, two service opportunity courses were offered to 8th and 9th grade students. Students in Cross-Age Tutoring were taught tutoring and communication skills and spent one period, 4 days per week tutoring elementary students. Students in School Store (a service opportunity developed for this…

A male bias in United States society persists in that power, competitiveness, and rational planning are rewarded while nurturing, cooperation, and intimacy are devalued. This pattern of societal "reinforcement" severely penalizes women. Social learning in childhood, particularly in games, much like on-the-job training in adulthood, has important…