Classroom-based Instruction Research Articles

Training residential supervisors to provide feedback for maintaining staff teaching skills with people who have severe disabilities.

We evaluated procedures for training supervisors in a residential setting to provide feedback for maintaining direct-service staff members ' teaching skills with people who have severe disabilities. Using classroom-based instruction and on-the-job observation and feedback, 10 supervisors were initially trained to implement teaching programs themselves. The training improved supervisors' teaching skills but was insufficient to improve the quality of feedback they provided to direct-service staff regarding the staff members' teaching skills. Subsequently, classroom-based instruction and on-the-job observation and feedback that targeted supervisors' feedback skills were provided. Following training in provision of feedback, all supervisors met criterion for providing feedback to their staff. Results also indicated that maintenance of teaching skills was greater for direct-service staff whose supervisors had received training in providing feedback relative to staff whose supervisors had not received such training. The need for analysis of other variables that affect maintenance of staff performance, as well as variables that affect other important areas of supervisor performance, is discussed.

Accommodations for Individual Differences without Classroom Ability Groups: An Experiment in School Restructuring

This study examined an alternative approach for organizing reading and language arts instruction to accommodate individual differences in reading ability. The approach featured Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC), conducted without ability groups, with cross-age and peer tutoring, supplementary phonics instruction for some students, and classroom-based instruction from compensatory and special education teachers. Students in regular, remedial, and special education were included in an experimental and a control school. We found significant effects on reading vocabulary, total reading, and language scores in favor of the experimental school; but on several other measures, including behavior ratings, we did not detect treatment effects.

Video support in teaching about geographic information systems: a review of six videotapes

Abstract Abstract. The growing interest in teaching about geographic information systems (GIS) raises a number of issues concerning the effectiveness of conventional instructional methods. To convey basic GIS concepts and applications better requires much more emphasis upon visual media. One such medium is that of VHS (or Beta) videotapes. Six currently-available GIS-oriented videotapes are reviewed for this purpose. Their contents are summarized and an evaluation is made of the usefulness of each in classroom-based GIS instruction.

Media: The comparative effectiveness of videotape, audiotape, and telelecture in delivering continuing teacher education

Providing higher education for nontraditional students has become a point of interest for many colleges and universities (McMeen 1984). In urban areas it may be accomplished in a traditional manner through regularly scheduled afternoon, evening, or weekend courses. In rural areas the only choice available may be a specialized program or curriculum at a distant institution. Yet, evening or weekend courses may be impractical because of the travel time involved. Shortages in certain licensure fields, new certification requirements, and salary incentives have all contributed to a growing need for alternative methods of continuing teacher education. The use of audio and video technology in distance education, continuing education, and teacher training has been advocated since the late 1960s (Fraser 1985), but administrators have been reluctant to use technology in delivering what has traditionally been classroom-based instruction. This reluctance has been based on concerns over expense, as well as a lack of knowledge concerning the efficacy of such programs (Chang 1983). Thorman and Amb (1974) demonstrated equal learning by teacher education students receiving audiotape instruction versus live instruction. DeMuth (1979) reported that 94 percent of offcampus students felt audiotape instruction was a valuable experience. Ainsworth (1986) discussed the advantages of videotape instruction in higher education but did not present data to support its efficacy. Whittington (1987) conducted a review of literature concerning the instructional use of television, and concluded that it may be an effective medium, despite a lack of controlled research concerning its efficacy.

Classroom-based Social Skills Instruction for Severely Handicapped Preschool Children

Social skills instruction has been a neglected aspect of educational programs for young severely handicapped children. This paper offers suggestions, drawn from a variety of research literatures, for building classroom-based social skills instructional programs. Important features of classroom programming included allotting a specific portion of the class schedule but also providing opportunities for generalization across the day. The differential effectiveness of play activities and materials for supporting social skill instruction are noted, and a post hoc analysis of a peer-mediated intervention that demonstrated treatment by activity effects is briefly described. A number of potential intructional target behaviors are identified and two forms of classroom instruction for promoting social skills are described. The advantages of using peers as instructional agents are highlighted and the importance of access to socially responsive, nonhandicapped peers for facilitating generalization of social skills for severely handicapped children is emphasized.

Teaching the handicapped to eat in public places: acquisition, generalization and maintenance of restaurant skills.

This study examined classroom-based instruction in restaurant skills for handicapped persons. Three male students were taught each of four skill components in sequential order: locating, ordering, paying, and eating and exiting. Training was implemented in a multiple baseline design across subjects and consisted of modeling and role playing in conjunction with photo slide sequences and a simulated ordering counter. The use of a menu containing general item classes and a finger matching procedure for identifying errors in the delivery of change greatly reduced the reading and math skills necessary to enter and complete the program. Periodic probes were conducted in a McDonald's restaurant prior to, during, and up to one-year following the termination of training. In addition, two probes (overt and covert observation) were conducted in a Burger King restaurant to assess further generalization to a location different from the one depicted throughout training. Results showed that students' performance on restaurant probes improved as a result of training, generalized to novel settings, maintained over an extended period of time, and was comparable to that of a normative sample of nonretarded persons.

Viewpoint: External Degrees: Myths and Realities

Viewpoint: External Degrees: Myths and Realities