Videotapes have proven useful in studying children's early classroom writing experiences, capturing and preserving the contextual integrity of the writing situation in a way that would be nearly impossible to do in words. Because the tapes can be played over and over again, it is possible to extract meanings from the situation that might otherwise…

This study was designed to provide a detailed description of toddlers' social interactions in day care settings and to identify variables that promote positive encounters among children. Twenty-four toddlers, ranging in age from 17 to 28 months, were each observed for approximately 4 hours during regular center activities. Across all center…

Materials were gathered in a first and second grade informal, family-grouped classroom over 45 days of two school years to provide an interpretive framework for looking at writing in context. Participant observation was used in order to see the classroom community from a member's perspective while at the same time making explicit those features…

The Learning in Science Project identified the learner as the key perspective for in-depth study into problems and difficulties in the teaching and learning of science at the 10- to 14-year-old level. Two complementary research foci were established to explore this viewpoint: (1) interviewing children using strategies designed to establish various…

This is a guide to help teachers at all grade levels to improve the quality of their student assessments. It is designed for preservice and inservice teacher education to assist in conducting performance assessments to evaluate student learning. Performance assessment requires a student to analyze a problem, synthesize information, and attempt to…

In the school year 1988-89 the school district of the city of Saginaw operated two programs designed to meet the special needs of bilingual and migrant students: (1) the Section 41, State Bilingual Education Program; and (2) the ECIA, Chapter 1, Migrant Education Program. Both programs operated at 21 elementary schools, 5 junior highs, and 2 high…

An evaluation was made on the effects of an improved staff ratio in New Zealand kindergartens. Aspects of four typical kindergartens staffed by two teachers were compared with aspects of four kindergartens that were provided with a third teacher. Data were collected from teachers, kindergarten children and parents. Findings indicated that the…

A participant observation study was conducted to address socialization, cultural, and values questions related to high school students' interactions with microcomputers. Specific issues addressed included: (1) student social patterns in microcomputer interactions; (2) cultural and sex differences in microcomputer interactions; and (3) student…

If organizations are to measure and use worker performance information effectively, they must distinguish between two components of performance appraisal: performance data (recorded information for comparing workers) and performance development (the process of improving human assets by discouraging ineffective and reinforcing effective job…

Peer influence on students has been of interest to sociologists for some time. But most studies of elementary classroom interaction have focused primarily on teacher-student interaction. A study of peer influence on other group members was designed to explain why students assigned to low ability groups became inattentive more frequently than…

The purpose of this study was to explore whether, and if so how, ongoing measurement and evaluation procedures affect the instruction that special educators provide and the educational decisions that they make. Eighteen experimental group teachers employed specific continuous evaluation procedures while 21 contrast group teachers employed…

An integral part of the clinical experience for athletic trainers at Lock Haven State College (Pennsylvania) is training in first aid and learning to evaluate not only sport-related injuries but all injuries. Thorough knowledge is expected of athletic trainers in the areas of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, and treatment of…

This paper examines the social phenomenon of leadership succession in a school from the perspective of the successor, based on the author's own experience in succeeding to the principalship of a junior high school. Using a combination of participant observation, informal interview, and existing and collected documents, the study was designed to…

This report describes the yearlong case study based on participant observation at a school which used ThinkAbout, a series of 60 15-minute instructional television programs designed to strengthen the reasoning skills of fifth and sixth graders, and to review and reinforce language arts, mathematics, and study skills. Discussion covers the patterns…

The first volume of a two-volume report on the study of sex equity in classroom interaction presents findings of previous studies of classroom interaction, methods used in the study, observations of classroom interactions, possible causes of sex segregation, sex differences in classroom leadership, and intervention implementation effects. The…