The Institute was 1) to provide a group of 13 experienced teachers with techniques for teaching elementary school students to recognize and define problems, and 2) to work closely with these teachers, evaluating the effectiveness of their teaching techniques over a period of 1 year. A series of workshops used reading, films, discussion, and…

A collection of articles related to testing instruments of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) are reviewed. The report has been organized into four sections. The first discusses briefly the background and purposes of the NTE and the hazards of combining data on these tests in research studies. The second section is concerned with articles…

The purpose of this manual is to serve as a guide for the professional supervisor of the Scales of Functional Independence of the Balthazar Scales of Adaptive Behavior (BSAB-I). The BSAB-I is based upon intensive and extensive observations of the eating, dressing, and toileting behaviors of the ambulant severely and profoundly mentally retarded,…

Nonverbal behaviors in young children, including facial expressions, gesture, and body movement, were studied. Decision-making behaviors were viewed on a less intentional-intentional continuum ranging from beginning or pre-decision behavior which suggested little or no intent to middle or exploratory behaviors indicative of more intent to end…

The Quality Assurance Model for Process Evaluation has been developed by the Southwestern Cooperative Educational Laboratory. It provides educational administrators several alternative techniques for maximizing desired terminal behaviors. By working with project directors, the evaluator helps to assist the program's implementation, providing…

The purpose of this study was to develop an observation system which would describe some of the important phenomena in groups that have the task of making a decision about a controversial issue involving value conflicts. The basic design to develop the observation system involved the analysis of transcriptions of group discussions of controversial…

A study to investigate the significance of teacher decisions concerning the social and physical dimensions of the Open Classroom was conducted. Preliminary observation reviewed teacher goals and decisions for the Open Classroom. This research is based upon Hall's theory of culture reflecting the communication model. There are five basic structural…

Thirty children, 7.5 to 8.5 years, in two classrooms in a Catholic school trying to implement an informal curriculum were studied. The classrooms were not "exemplary"; The children had lower-middle-class origins. Each child was observed under free-choice conditions for approximately 80-90 minutes over a 3-month period. Two-minute narrative records…

This study examines the relationship between observed behaviors and attitudes of black fathers and the association of these paternal measures with the self-identity of their preschool children. Twenty-one working and middle class suburban black families were studied. Four black male interviewers were trained to collect the parent-child interaction…

This paper reviews the literature pertaining to the measurement of attitudes toward reading, and recommends a workable approach for the elementary grades based on available instrumentation. The preliminary section summarizes the findings of studies relating to the theoretical framework of the psychology of reading. Reading research findings…

The ecobehavioral approach to assessment of instructional outcomes is based on observational methods and behavioral research design. A practical observational system for use in examining the percentage of time in which a student uses various tasks and materials during a specific instructional activity is described and illustrated in detail.…

Describes several facets of small-group instruction including teacher, group, and individual behaviors and use of time. Observational data were supplemented by teacher interviews concerning student groupings. Grouping practice appeared to result from decisions teachers made primarily on the basis of three factors: the teacher, the students, and…

Designed to evaluate the use of microcomputer-based labware (MBL) in junior high school science, the Computer as Lab Partner Project examined classroom experience of using MBL; system features used and curriculum designed; classroom procedures, processes, and interactions; gains and benefits of MBL use; and potential difficulties in MBL…

Analysis of feedback provided by 40 teachers in self-contained special education classes serving learning disabled, emotionally handicapped, or educable mentally retarded students discerned no differences by type of handicap involved or in comparison to regular classroom teachers. Results raised questions concerning the appropriateness of…

Discusses emotional responses and adjustment problems of preschool children when relocating. Particularly addresses young child's perspective on moving, typical reactions to relocating, and parent and teacher strategies to ease transition to new environment. Such strategies include (1) maintaining empathy, (2) being flexible, (3) being observant…