Cooperative learning and classroom climate

The impact of two cooperative learning techniques, Student Teams-Achievement Divisions and Teams-Games-Tournaments, on classroom climate among students was compared to a traditional whole-class format. Thirty-five student teachers were randomly assigned to one of the three classroom structures. Their pupils were 864 second-through sixth-grade students, including 288 non-Anglo (black and Mexican American) students. A new measure of classroom climate, the Classroom Attitudes Scale, was developed that produced two attitude factors: Social Relations and School-work Cooperative techniques generally produced a slightly more favorable climate on both dimensions, and especially for females on Social Relations. Of the cooperative methods, Teams-Games-Tournament produced a significantly more favorable climate for Anglo-American students. The results support the conclusion that choice of classroom structure can bias classroom climate in favor of or against different ethnic groups.     

Classroom environment influences on aggression, peer relations, and academic focus

Peers serve as reinforcers and models of behavior, and consequently classrooms containing high numbers of students with poor academic skills or behavior problems are likely to promote these behaviors in individual students. This study examined how variations in social and academic classroom composition as well as the larger school context affected behavior in a normative sample of children over a 2-year period. Teachers provided ratings of individual students, which were then aggregated to form teacher-based measures of classroom environment. Concurrent and longitudinal effects of classroom and school environments on individual behaviors were examined for students in 65 classrooms in 17 schools. Poorer classroom environments were associated with poorer levels of student aggression, peer relations, and academic focus. Changes in student behavior over time could be explained by the current classroom environment.     

Classroom behavior patterns of EMH, LD and EH students

This investigation determined whether classroom teachers could differentiate among EMH, LD and EH students based on their perception of classroom behavior patterns. Ratings were obtained on 10 scales from the Classroom Behavior Inventory for each of 20 exceptional students from each category of handicap and a comparison child of the same race and sex from the same regular classroom. As predicted from Schaefer's model of adaptive behavior, EMH students were distinguished by low intelligence, creativity and independent functioning. LD and EMH students showed a similar pattern of behavior when compared to typical students in the same classes but EMH students were regarded as more severely handicapped in their behavior. Although poor task-orientation was common to both EMH and EH students, the latter were evaluated as more distractible and were differentiated from both EMH and LD students on ratings of considerateness and hostility. The results are interpreted in relation to implications for screening and program planning based on the Classroom Behavior Inventory.     

Cultural values in the home and school experiences of low-income African-American students

The present study examined the presence of specific cultural values within the preferred classroom and home activities of African-American upper elementary students. Written scenarios were constructed and used to determine whether students preferred their home and classroom activities carried out under specific cultural terms. Students also reported their perceptions of teachers and parents’ cultural value-based preferences for classroom and home activities. With analysis of variance techniques, it was shown that students and their parents have significantly stronger preferences for communal and vervistic activities at home and at school than for individualistic and competitive activities. Perceived teacher classroom preferences, however, were significantly higher for individualistic and competitive activities. Such findings underscore the presence of cultural mismatch in the classroom experiences of African-Americans and illustrate a need to enhance school-based efforts to appreciate and utilize cultural value variation.     

思维风格对中美大学生课堂学习行为的影响研究

对长期以来具有争议的中美学生存在课堂学习行为差异的现象,研究者推测中美学生由于具有思维风格的差异,造成他们对课堂内容的处理方式的区别,从而影响他们不同的课堂行为反应。研究对来自于中国学生、中国留美学生和美国学生三组样本的数据进行分析。结果表明在控制了文化组别和学习动机因素后,思维风格仍能显著预测课堂学习行为,并能部分地解释中美学生之间存在的课堂学习行为差异。     

Teachers' Conceptions of Creativity and Creative Students

Teachers' conceptions of creativity and creative students were investigated. Questionnaires were administered to elementary school teachers to examine their attitudes, beliefs, and current classroom practices. Teachers were found to possess inaccurate concepts regarding what constitutes creativity and revealed conflicts with the classroom behaviors demonstrated by creative students. The paradox between teachers' reported support for creativity enrichment and virtual lack of related classroom practice is explored as a result of multiple misconceptions and contributing variables.     

The latent four-zone structure in classroom seating space

The purpose of this study was to extract a latent space structure of classrooms from students seating preferences, and to determine whether classroom division on the basis of latent space structure is useful in predicting actual seating behaviors. The actual seating positions of 151 female junior college students were observed in classrooms once a week for one semester; then students were asked to estimate their seating preference among 49 seating positions in an imaginary classroom. Students did have different preferences for seating positions. A factor analysis suggested that classroom seating space should be divided into four zones: rear, front, center, and sides. A multiple discriminant analysis suggested that the seating positions that students actually took reflected a four-zone structure. Classroom division based on the four-zone structure proved useful in understanding students' seating behaviors.     

羞怯对小学中高年级学生学业求助的影响：有调节的中介

采用问卷调查法,以936名小学生为被试,探究了羞怯对小学生学业求助的影响机制。结果发现：（1）羞怯显著正向预测小学生的执行性求助和回避性求助,显著负向预测工具性求助（老师/同学）;（2）自尊在羞怯与小学生学业求助各维度的关系中都起到了中介作用;（3）班级环境在羞怯和自尊,自尊和工具性求助（老师）的关系中起着调节作用。研究结果揭示了羞怯影响学业求助的作用机制,对教育者引导学生形成适应性学业求助具有启示意义。     

Utility of teacher behavior ratings for identifying special needs students

The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of a teacher behavior rating instrument for identifying special needs students. Using a modified form of theDevereux Elementary School Behavior Rating (DESB)Scale 35 kindergarten through grade 6 regular classroom teachers completed ratings on all of their 876 students. Subsequently, extensive aptitude, academic, social, and behavioral assessment was conducted and those students were identified who were in need of supportive educational programming to function adequately within the regular class setting. Analysis of the teacher behavior ratings indicated a highly significant difference between those students identified for special supportive services and their regular classroom peers on 9 of 11 behavioral factors. The findings lend clear support for the use of classroom teachers' behavior ratings in the identification process.     

Performance‐approach and performance‐avoidance classroom goals and the adoption of personal achievement goals

Background. Students’ perceptions of classroom goals influence their adoption of personal goals. To assess different forms of classroom goals, recent studies have favoured an overall measure of performance classroom goals, compared to a two‐dimensional assessment of performance‐approach and performance‐avoidance classroom goals (PAVCG). Aims. This paper considered the relationship between students’ perceptions of classroom goals and their endorsement of personal achievement goals. We proposed that three (instead of only two) classroom goals need to be distinguished. We aimed to provide evidence for this hypothesis by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and also by divergent associations between the respective classroom goal and students’ personal goal endorsement. Sample. A total of 871 (474 female) 10th grade students from several German high schools participated in this study. Method. Students responded to items assessing their perception of mastery, performance‐approach, and performance‐avoidance goals in the classroom. Additionally, the students reported how much they personally pursue mastery, performance‐approach, and performance‐avoidance goals. All items referred to German as a specific school subject. Results. A CFA yielded empirical support for the proposed distinction of three (instead of only two) different kinds of classroom goals. Moreover, in hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) analyses all three classroom goals showed unique associations with students’ personal goal adoption. Conclusions. The findings emphasized the need to distinguish performance‐approach and PAVCG. Furthermore, our results suggest that multiple classroom goals have interactive effects on students’ personal achievement strivings.     

Using student-managed interventions to increase homework completion and accuracy

We examined the effectiveness of self-managed individual and group contingency procedures in improving the completion and accuracy rates of daily mathematics homework assignments. A group of sixth-grade students having homework difficulties in mathematics were selected for the study. There was substantial improvement in the amount of homework completed over baseline for a majority of the students, whereas the results for accuracy were mixed. Students who participated in the self-management training made significant gains on standardized measures of academic achievement and curriculum-based measures of classroom performance. Parents also reported significantly fewer problems associated with homework completion following the intervention. Students who were allowed to select their own performance goals made superior improvements in the number of homework assignments returned compared to students who were given a specified goal by the classroom teacher. Parents, subjects, and the classroom teacher responded positively on consumer satisfaction measures following termination of the study.     

课堂公平对高中生学习投入的影响及其机制：链式中介模型

如何提高高中生的学习投入一直是学者们探讨的极具现实意义的研究课题。然而,以往鲜有从课堂公平的视角进行的探索。本研究从社会交换理论出发,以621名高中生为被试,探讨课堂公平对高中生学习投入的影响,以及师生交换关系和学习自我效能感在二者关系中的链式中介机制。发现：（1）课堂公平与师生交换关系、学习自我效能感及学习投入两两之间均呈显著正相关;（2）课堂公平不仅能直接正向预测高中生的学习投入,而且还能够通过师生交换关系的单独中介作用、学习自我效能感的单独中介作用及二者的链式中介作用间接影响学习投入。研究结果揭示了课堂公平对高中生学习投入影响的内部心理机制,为通过营造课堂公平而改进师生交换关系与学习自我效能感及更好地提升高中生学习投入的水平提供了科学参考。     

中美高校教师教学风格差异与大学生课堂学习行为的关系研究

本研究通过学生的评价对中美高校教师的教学风格进行测量和比较,并对两个教师群体在教学风格上的差异能否部分地解释中美大学生存在的课堂学习行为差异进行了检验。研究采用相关量表对185名中国大学生和120名美国大学生施测,要求他们对教师的教学风格和自己在课堂上的行为表现进行评价。数据分析结果表明,学生所感知的中美教师在执行型、保守型和整体型风格上存在显著差异;中美大学生在课堂学习行为的课堂活动参与、提出问题、对师生关系的独立性等维度上存在显著差异;学生所感知的教师教学风格的各维度均与学生的课堂行为表现显著相关;教师教学风格中的保守型和整体型能够部分地解释中美学生之间存在的课堂学习行为差异。     

We're all in this together now: group performance feedback to increase classroom team data collection

This study's primary goal was to evaluate the use of performance feedback procedures delivered to a classroom team to increase daily data collection. Performance feedback (PFB) was delivered to four classroom teams responsible for the daily collection of data representing student performance during prescribed instructional activities. Using a multiple-baseline design, the effects of the team performance-feedback were evaluated for the target student, and for generalization to data collection for all classroom students. A secondary question evaluated if student on-task behavior correlated with increased data collection. Finally, social validity was investigated to evaluate team satisfaction with the PFB intervention. The results demonstrate improved data collection across all four classroom teams for the target student in each classroom and generalization within classrooms to all remaining students. Slight increases in student on-task behavior were observed in three of the four classrooms, and teacher satisfaction ratings were high.     

A Comparison of Results and Acceptability of Functional Behavioral Assessment Procedures with a Group of Middle School Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (E/BD)

There is currently controversy over the validity and applicability of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) procedures with students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD). A set of FBA procedures, including teacher and student interviews and direct classroom observations, were carried out with eight students with disabilities (7 classified E/BD, one classified LD). Results indicated that when all three methods (teacher/student interviews, classroom observations) yielded a ranking for a function they agreed 64% of those occasions. For those situations in which there was overall disagreement there was agreement between teacher interview and classroom observations most of the time. Social validity data indicated that both students and teachers felt that the assessment procedures were a useful and productive process.     

Response cost in mainstreamed settings

This study illustrates the use of a response cost token system to decrease inappropriate behaviors of mainstreamed students in the regular classroom milieu. Data were taken on a student's inappropriate request for teacher attention and another student's inappropriate verbalizations. A reversal design was employed. Results showed that a response cost token system was a viable and effective method for decreasing inappropriate behaviors of mainstreamed students in the regular classroom. Reasons for the effectiveness of this technique were discussed.     

Silent or Talking in the Classroom: Implicit Self-Stereotyping Among Asian and White Students

In academic settings, Asian students are often described as less talkative than White students. We provide an account of this phenomenon based on research on cultural influences on the self, self-categorization, and implicit social cognition. We hypothesized that the classroom context activates a process of implicit self-stereotyping. Asian and White participants were asked to imagine themselves in a classroom or leisure context. Next, they completed Implicit Association Tests assessing their self-concept, ethnic stereotypes, and ethnic identification. In the classroom context only, ethnic stereotypes accounted for a more reserved self-concept among Asian participants and a more talkative self-concept among White participants.     

The effects of classroom teaching on students' self-efficacy for personal development

The personal development of students is an essential component of school guidance and counselling programmes, but no published research on guidance and counselling has investigated the effects of regular classroom teaching on students' self-efficacy for personal development. In this study, questionnaire items were constructed to measure classroom teaching, student self-efficacy for personal development and student use of deep learning strategies. Data were collected from 16,208 secondary school students in Hong Kong. Using structural equation modelling, regular classroom teaching was found to have a direct effect on personal development self-efficacy as well as an indirect effect through student use of deep learning strategies. Implications of these findings for implementing a whole-school approach to guidance and counselling are discussed.     

Controlling for Prior Attainment Reduces the Positive Influence that Single-Gender Classroom Initiatives Exert on High School Students’ Scholastic Achievements

Research points to the positive impact that gender-segregated schooling and classroom initiatives exert on academic attainment. An evaluation of these studies which reveal positive effects highlights, however, that students are typically selectively assigned to single- or mixed-gender instructional settings, presenting a methodological confound. The current study controls for students’ prior attainment to appraise the efficacy of a single-gender classroom initiative implemented in a co-educational high school in the United Kingdom. Secondary data analysis (using archived data) was performed on 266 middle-ability, 11–12 year-old students’ standardized test scores in Languages (English, foreign language), STEM-related (Mathematics, Science, Information and Communication Technology), and Non-STEM subjects (art, music, drama). Ninety-eight students (54, 55% female) were taught in single-gender and 168 (69, 41% female) in mixed-gender classrooms. Students undertook identical tests irrespective of classroom type, which were graded in accordance with U.K national curriculum guidelines. Controlling for students’ prior attainment, findings indicate that students do not appear to benefit from being taught in single-gender relative to mixed-gender classrooms in Language and STEM-related subjects. Young women benefitted from being taught in mixed-gender relative to single-gender classes for Non-STEM subjects. However, when prior ability is not controlled for, the intervention appears to be effective for all school subjects, highlighting the confounding influence of selective admissions. These findings suggest that gender-segregated classroom initiatives may not bolster students’ grades. It is argued that studies that do not control for selection effects may tell us little about the effectiveness of such interventions on scholastic achievement.