Not Just about Time: Instructional Practices and Productive Time in School

Abstract

Student learning is a pervading concern for national governments, states, and local school boards. Additional time is commonly seen as a potent administrative lever to affect student learning. One administrative premise equates allocated time with productive time, assuming that students take advantage of the time resources available to them. This study uses an innovative measurement strategy to show that students are disengaged a large portion of the time in academic classes, and that the current array of instructional methods and strategies produces low rates of productive time, especially for minority students. The study concludes that instructional reforms rather than the simple addition of time may be more productive in raising standards and in bringing about greater social equality in education.

Absenteeism and Beyond: Instructional Time Loss and Consequences

“…Yair (2000) gave students in the US watches that beeped at random times, during which students reported what they were doing. He found that the gap between allocated and productive instructional time is significantly larger among minority students.…”

Can we administer the scholarship of teaching? Lessons from outstanding professors in higher education

“…The pragmatic administrative commitments mentioned above unintentionally lead to the assumption that courses, instructors and experiences slowly accumulate to produce educational effects (Sorenson and Hallinan 1977); that it is essentially time-to-learn that determines educational effects (Yair 2000b); and that with additional skills, all faculty in higher education can become ''good teachers.'' Another significant aspect in this context is the assumption that instruction should be standardized, and that variation between professors is actually an organizational noise that should be minimized through accountability mechanisms (Altbach 1999;Lucas 1996).…”

Table des matières — Table of Contents

“…l'attention. (adapté.de.Yair,.2000a,.2000b (Alain,.2004;.Godwin,.1988;.Grapentine,. 2000 Note.. L'effet.total.indique.au.lecteur.de.combien.va.varier.le.facteur.dépendant.lorsque.le.facteur.indépendant.change.d'un.point.…”