A study of classroom behavior.

Abstract

Considerable interest has been shown in recent years in the development of techniques for the quantitative expression of personality traits not easily amenable to measurement by test methods. By the use of carefully defined categories of overt behavior, relatively short time samples, repeated observations, and systematic recording, the writer has attempted to accomplish the task of measurement through direct observation. 1 The adaptability of the general method to a variety of behavior traits has been illustrated by Goodenough. 2 The present investigation was initiated to test further the applicability of the method and to acquaint a class in the psychology of personality with its use.Whispering was chosen as the behavior to be observed. Wickman 3 has shown that whispering ranks first in frequency of occurrence among behavior problems in children, although teachers do not regard its occurrence in a child as a serious behavior disorder. A behavior problem is defined frequently as a discrepancy between the environmental demands made on an individual and his adjustment to them. Whispering, according to this definition, may or may not be a behavior problem in a particular classroom depending upon the requirements made with respect to it. The present report is concerned with an attempt to measure and describe whispering behavior in schoolroom situations quite apart from any judgment concerning its desirability or undesirability.

Effects of Classroom Social Structure and Disability on Engagement

“…The earliest studies of how time was spent in schools focused on evaluating teacher effectiveness, using class involvement as the outcome (e.g., French, 1924[as cited in Jackson, 1968; Morrison, 1926;Olson, 1931;Symonds, 1926). Carroll's (1963) "A Model of School Learning" was the springboard for renewed emphasis on classroom research related to time variables.…”

An investigation of the accuracy of momentary time sampling procedures with time series data

“…The latter procedures are ones which have had a long history of use punctuated by periods of interest in their accuracy (e.g. Goodenough, 1928Goodenough, , 1930Olson, 1929Olson, , 1931Loomis, 1931 ;Arrington, 1932Arrington, , 1943Beaver, 1932;Parten, 1932;Manwell & Mengert, 1934;Olson & Koetzle, 1936;Olson & Wilkinson, 1936;Murphy, 1937;Repp et al, 1976). Of more interest to practitioners, however, is the intermittent procedure developed by Bindra & Blond (1958) known now as momentary time sampling (MTS).…”

Pupil Engaged Learning Time: Concepts, Findings and Implications

“…Symonds (1926) found it was impossible, using attention scores only, to effectively discriminate between "able" and "poor" pupils. Olson (1931) was able to report a low negative correlation ( -.30) between time off-task and final test scores among high school students.…”