A study conducted 15 years ago--which indicated that school administrators' success is dependent on the relationship between their personalities and the social setting of the school district--is criticized. The statistical analysis originally used is described as spurious. (MH)

Factor analysis is of limited value in investigating the influence of students' implicit theories about teachers' behaviors on student evaluations of teachers. (MH)

Experimental fourth grade teachers were instructed about characteristics of effective mathematics teachers. Using a standardized mathematics achievement test as the dependent variable, the model proved effective. The interactions between student aptitudes, teacher style, and instructional model helped to interpret the influences on student…

Computer-based Monte Carlo methods compared the predictive accuracy upon replication of regression of five complete and four incomplete factor score estimation methods. Prediction on incomplete factor scores showed better double cross-validated prediction accuracy than on complete scores. The unique unit-weighted factor score was superior among…

Different instructions accompanied faculty/course evaluation questionnaires distributed in university courses (stratified by level and size). Instructions differed in information conveyed about use and disposition of results. Instructions containing information about administrative or course improvement use produced higher ratings than those given…

Students with school problems responded to questions related to their school performances, attitudes, and behavior. Their parents and teachers responded to comparable questions. The student reports were consistently more positive than those of their parents, and the parents were consistently more positive than the students' teachers. (Author/RD)

Disruptive pupil behavior increased during teacher-initiated transition time as opposed to nontransitional time. Procedures for structuring transitions to increase time-on-task and maintain smoothness and momentum are described, and teachers' conceptions of time and classroom time flow are discussed. (Author/RD)

University students' evaluations of instructional effectiveness and faculty self-evaluations were collected. The effect of class-size depended upon the specific factor being evaluated. Small and large classes were generally rated more favorably. Relationships between class size and faculty self-evaluations were similar to students' evaluations.…

Estimates of teacher effects on pupil achievement and attitudes in the seventh and eighth grades were obtained, controlling for entering achievement. Results indicated strong teacher effects on pupil attitudes in both mathematics and English. Teacher effects varied depending upon subject matter and class mean initial achievement level. (Author/RD)

Eleven studies of the accuracy of teachers' reports of their classroom behavior are summarized. Teacher reports of specific behaviors were not very accurate, but grouping answers into dimensions resulted in greater correspondence between teacher reports and observations. Self-reports used to classify teachers on a continuum appeared trustworthy.…

Twenty studies of the effects of teacher questions on student achievement were reviewed. Internal validity of experiments and integrity of treatments were less adequate than population and ecological validity. Whether teachers used predominantly higher cognitive or predominantly fact questions was found to make little difference in achievement.…

Research indicates that classroom controversy facilitates student problem solving, creativity, perspective taking, epistemic curiosity, conceptual conflict, and transition in stages of cognitive and moral reasoning. Thus, creating controversy is an important teaching strategy for increasing learning and intellectual development. Conditions…

Evidence from evaluation studies of open classroom effects on children is not sufficiently consistent to warrant unqualified endorsement of that approach over more traditional methods. However, there is enough evidence to support the open classroom as a viable alternative when teachers and parents are interested in such a program. (RD)

Research on training counselors and clinicians demonstrates that several behavioral training components effectively aid trainees in acquisition of relatively discrete therapist skills. However, limitations in methodological sophistication and in the development or procurement of valid dependent measures render these promising results tentative…

Literature linking self-concept and achievement, and evaluation research on educational programs to improve self-concept are analyzed in terms of several self-concept theories. Evidence for a causal connection between self-concept and achievement is negative. Researchers have failed to explore other theoretical approaches to educational change.…