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ERIC Number: ED138560
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1977-Apr
Pages: 57
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Effect of School and Task Structure on Teacher Interaction, Classroom Organization and Student Affects.
Abramowitz, Susan
This research paper sought to determine whether smaller sized schools decrease student alienation and increase program diversity both within the school and compared to others. Hypotheses tested were: (1) participation in small work units positively affects teacher task interdependence resulting in greater teacher interaction; (2) teacher interdependence results in increased differentiation among students and decreased routinization of student assignments; (3) differentiation and routinization affect student perceptions of their classroom environment. The data base was obtained through the administration of a teacher survey and a student questionnaire to participants in the Alum Rock Voucher Demonstration, in which participating schools are organized into smaller educational"mini-schools." The data is analyzed and discussion presented concerning each area of investigation. Conclusions presented are that: (1) teacher interaction, while more prevalent in smaller work groups, is more a function of task structure than of work unit size; (2) classroom organization is also affected more by the complexity of the task structure than the unit size; and (3) students seemed to enjoy class more when they are part of a smaller educational unit, though the benefits of small groups do not flow directly from class size but from a chain of causation in which small groups foster a more complex task structure, resulting in greater teacher interaction, differentiation, and less student routinization. (MB)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: National Inst. of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Rand Corp., Washington, DC.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A