Dimension: Time on Task

DefinitionTime-on-task is the amount of time that a student is engaged in active learning for the completion of a learning task (Hesse, 1994). There are two methods of time-on-tasks analysis. Researchers can calculate the different ratios between the time-on-task and other classroom activities of single students as well as the classroom mean. On the other hand, it might be interesting to just observe the ratio between the on-task time (code 3) and the off-task time (code1) or the percentage of on task and on plus off task (code3 / (code1+code3)). In this case we ignore all organization (code2) and private when finished with the task (code4) times and observe only the amount of time used when students should be working. This is interesting, for example when analyzing the effects of an intervention on students, the intervention should not be considered ineffective when teachers spend time on organization or when students are finished with the task.

NotesInstructions of use

Observation and coding should start with a clearly recognizable action, e.g. when the teacher starts to introduce the topic or to create groups for students. Coding ends when all instructional activities are completed.
Individual students get rated in 10-second intervals, which means they are continuously rated. The timeline is divided into 10-second intervals and for each interval a new marker is defined. The first marker goes from timestamp 00:00:01 to timestamp 00:00:10, the second marker goes from timestamp 00:00:11 to timestamp 00:00:20, and so on. Each 10-second interval is evaluated to determine which of the major observable activities in the table below characterize this period.

Notes on Saving Coding Files

We recommend a unique naming for each coding file, which should include the name of the recording, the observation number, and the name of the coding manual, e.g. VidXXX_01_time_on_task.

Target groupLehrkräfte

Kategorien
Not assignable
Organisation
Private - but finished with the learning task or task processing
Private - but not yet finished with the learning task or task processing
Real learning time

OriginOwn development

SourceHesse, H. G. (1994). Lehr-Lern-Zeit und Lernerfolg aus psychologischer Sicht (pp. 143-161).

CitationFan, E.; Siemon, J. (2024). Time on Task - Lehrkräfte [Ratingmanualskala: Version 1.0]. In: Classroom Observation Coding Manual System - Lesson Phases, Social Forms, and Time-on-Task [Ratingmanual: Version 1.0]. Erstanwendung 2015. Frankfurt am Main: Forschungsdatenzentrum Bildung am DIPF. http://dx.doi.org/10.7477/1152:415

Release date12.12.2024