Teacher Time-On-Task: An Analysis of Classroom Time Use for Two City School Systems, 1985

Teacher use of classroom time was the focus of this 1985 study. An analysis of on- and off-task behavior of 38 randomly selected elementary teachers in grades three, four, and five comprised the data for the research. The effect of interruptions, both inside and outside the classroom, were analyzed as well as teacher on- and off-task percents by system and across grade levels. The study showed that a majority of teachers were on-task over 70 percent of the instructional day, averaging just over 74 percent of on-task behavior. Interruptions accounted for a substantial portion of off-task behavior for some teachers with more interruptions occurring inside the classroom than from outside sources. Teacher on- and off -task percents between school systems were comparable with System I displaying slightly higher percents than System II in on-task behavior, 77.1 percent and 71.8 percent, respectively. On­ and off-task percents by grade level showed many similarities with fourth grade teachers from both systems scoring higher percents in on-task behavior. Recommendations were made regarding further study of teacher time-on-task. Improvement in the teaching categories of set and closure was also recommended to teachers from both systems participating in the study