Pupil Engaged Learning Time: Concepts, Findings and Implications

Abstract

Contrary to the claims of pessimists and soothsayers who would have us believe that the area of research on teaching is essentially barren and unproductive with few consistent findings that are usable in classrooms, this paper seeks to dispel some of this gloom by focusing on an area that not only has a well established research tradition, but which is generating considerable interest at the moment. Recent research has substantiated what classroom practitioners have long believed about the relationship between pupil engagement and achievement. Furthermore, consistent teaching behaviours and classroom variables are beginning to emerge that are associated with pupil engagement on learning tasks. Systematic and detailed analysis of the related variables incorporated under “academic learning time” represent one of the most hopeful leading edges at the moment in research on teaching.

A phenomenographic investigation of teacher conceptions of student engagement in learning

“…Student engagement developed as an academic concept during the 1970s and 1980s, with many early constructs emphasising timeon-task and participation (McKinney, Mason, Perkerson, & Clifford, 1975;Smyth, 1980). Other primarily one-dimensional models then emerged that mainly focused on the psychological or cognitive dimensions of engagement (Ainley, 1993;Miller, Greene, Montalvo, Ravindran, & Nichols, 1996;Newmann, Wehlage, & Lamborn, 1992).…”

Working With Parents As Direct Intervention Agents

“…More specifically, when academic problems are the focus of concern, direct parental involvement as instructors may be supported by reference to current research that shows the importance of instructional time variables in the achievement of basic academic skills (e.g., Smyth, 1980) and that shows the relative advantages of individualized instruction which uses appropriately graded materials and adequate monitoring procedures (Bloom, 1980). Given effective instructional programmes and training, parents are For the past four years, we too have been developing well positioned to provideextra academic learning time ways of working with parents as direct intervention for their children under optimum conditions, thereby agents (e.g., Leach & Byrne, 1986;Leach & Ralph, 1986; increasing the likelihood of accelerating their Swerissen, Leach &Leach, 1985).…”

Relationships Between Teacher Perceptions of Principal Support and Teacher Allocation of Time

“…(Shedd, 1985). Part II will be derived from important principal factors identified in the Effective Use of Time study (Stallings and Mohlman, 1981 Three distinct phases of time research have been characterized by John Smyth (1980) when he reviewed the research on instructional time:…”

“…The modern era, as Smyth (1980) described it, centered on a time when pupil attention was generally ignored as a research topic.…”