Classroom Observation Data for District C: Momentary Time Sampling

Abstract

<p>This report documents the results of momentary time sampling observations conducted in District C during the fall of 2004. It identifies typical student and teacher behaviors, as well as typical instructional organization patterns and task formats in Algebra I classes in this district. We found that District C beginning algebra teachers devoted nearly equal amounts of class time to whole class and independent work. These teachers spent about one half of the time we observed engaged in talking to their students about algebra or listening to students’ questions or comments about the day’s lesson. Their students were assigned paper and pencil tasks for more than half of the observational intervals and were expected to listen to lectures or participate in discussions for slightly more than 40% of the time. The most typical student behavior was listening to teachers (or displaying some other appropriate behavior) with taking notes, working on an assignment, or answering a teacher’s question (all active academic responses) as the second most typical type of student behavior.</p>