Time-on-task: Issues of timing, sampling, and definition.

Analyzed the extent to which variations in methodological characteristics of time-on-task observations alter the substantive importance of time-on-task for student achievements. Using an existing observational data set, different observational decisions were simulated to assess their effects. 108 2nd–5th graders served as Ss. Five issues were examined: definitions of off-task behavior, duration of observation time during a class period, number of days of observation, schedule of observation in the school year, and number of students sampled. Results show that variations in observational characteristics affected the substantive conclusions in all 5 areas examined, and the largest differences were due to changes in the duration and number of days of observation. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)