Do students in block schedule academic programs learn course content more effectively?
COMMENTARY
Block scheduling has received increased attention in recent years as an important scheduling option to support school reform efforts. As a time management strategy, block scheduling allegedly opens up possibilities for many desirable instructional arrangements, including, but not limited to, reduced student/teacher ratios, flexible groupings, and performance based assessment.
Despite the vigorousness of the recent renewed interest in and implementations of block scheduling, there remains little hard evidence to prove or disprove its effectiveness as a superior school schedule to increase academic achievement. Our patrons who wish to review extant evidence are advised to be especially attentive to those ERIC citations below that are classified as either "Research Report" or "Evaluative Report" in the "Document Type" field.
Commentary by Liselle Drake, Reference Librarian, ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment & Evaluation
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MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCES
[Check your local library or bookstore for access]
N.B. Major bibliographic resources may have been cited in the
bibliography of ERIC documents, above.
Adams, Don C. Leadership and the Change Process in Relation to Block
Scheduling. [audio recording] Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development, 1997.
Gainey, Donald G. Questions and Answers about Block Scheduling:
an Implementation Guide. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, 1999.
Marshak, David. Encouraging Student Engagement in the Block Period.
Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, 1999.
Vars, Gordon F. A Bibliography of Research on the Effectiveness of
Block-time, Core, and Interdisciplinary Team Teaching Programs.
Kent, OH: National Association for Core Curriculum, 1997.
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