Block Schedules vs. Block Schedules vs. Traditional SchedulesTraditional Schedules

And Their Effects On Science And Their Effects On Science Achievement, Inquiry Skills Achievement, Inquiry Skills

and Attitudes Regarding and Attitudes Regarding ScienceScience

Debbie MurphyDebbie MurphyEvaluating ResearchEvaluating Research

Fall 2004Fall 2004

IntroductionIntroduction

Our job as educators is to teach Our job as educators is to teach students how to learn.students how to learn.

We need to provide students We need to provide students with opportunities to use their with opportunities to use their cognitive processes.cognitive processes.

Does the block schedule offer Does the block schedule offer students greater opportunities students greater opportunities than the traditional schedule? than the traditional schedule?

History of the Block History of the Block ScheduleSchedule 1994 National Commission on 1994 National Commission on

Time and Learning proposed Time and Learning proposed that the school day needed to that the school day needed to move its focus from scheduling move its focus from scheduling of time to learning.of time to learning.

The report recommended The report recommended implementing block schedules to implementing block schedules to give teachers more time to give teachers more time to engage students in activity engage students in activity based learning opportunities.based learning opportunities.

Benefits of the Benefits of the Block ScheduleBlock Schedule

Relieves the fast-paced, Relieves the fast-paced, pressurized atmospherepressurized atmosphere

Provides opportunities for in-depth Provides opportunities for in-depth learning (inquiry, research, learning (inquiry, research, cooperative learning, etc.)cooperative learning, etc.)

Reduces daily administrative tasksReduces daily administrative tasks Offers teachers and students Offers teachers and students

innovative ways to interact and innovative ways to interact and accomplish their objectivesaccomplish their objectives

Current Research on Current Research on Achievement Test ScoresAchievement Test Scores

Despite the popularity of the Despite the popularity of the block schedule, research block schedule, research findings are mixed in regard to findings are mixed in regard to achievement test comparisons.achievement test comparisons.

The problem with standardized The problem with standardized tests is that they focus more on tests is that they focus more on content than processes.content than processes.

There’s More To Science Than There’s More To Science Than Achievement Tests!Achievement Tests!

According to the National Science According to the National Science Education Standards, inquiry is Education Standards, inquiry is central to science learning.central to science learning.

Highly effective teaching strategies Highly effective teaching strategies require higher level thinking skills require higher level thinking skills such as inquiry, cooperative such as inquiry, cooperative learning, exploration, analysis and learning, exploration, analysis and synthesis.synthesis.

A 90 minutes class schedule gives A 90 minutes class schedule gives teachers time to provide teachers time to provide opportunities for in-depth learning.opportunities for in-depth learning.

Why Would Schools Why Would Schools Abandon the Block?Abandon the Block? Budgetary concernsBudgetary concerns Poor preparation and ongoing Poor preparation and ongoing

training for teaching in the blocktraining for teaching in the block Lack of variety - for a block Lack of variety - for a block

schedule to be successful, schedule to be successful, teachers must use a wide teachers must use a wide variety of instructional strategiesvariety of instructional strategies

Poor utilization of the block timePoor utilization of the block time

Research PlansResearch Plans Compare the amount of inquiry Compare the amount of inquiry

activities in block and traditional activities in block and traditional schedulesschedules

Compare the attitudes of students Compare the attitudes of students toward science in block and traditional toward science in block and traditional schedulesschedules

Compare test scores in block and Compare test scores in block and traditional schedulestraditional schedules

Determine if lack of ongoing training in Determine if lack of ongoing training in instructional strategies was a factor in instructional strategies was a factor in the abandonment of the block the abandonment of the block scheduleschedule

ReferencesReferences Arnold, D.E. (2002). Block schedule and traditional schedule achievement: A comparison.

NASSP Bulletin, 86(630), 42-53. Bottge, B.J., Gugerty, J.J., Serlin, R., & Moon, K. (2003). Block and traditional schedules:

Effects on students with and without disabilities in high school. NAASP Bulletin, 87(636), 2-14.

Canady, R., & Rettig, M. (1995). Block scheduling: A catalyst for change in high schools. Gardiner, New York: Eye on Education.

DiBiase, W.J., & Queen, J.A. (1999). Middle school social studies on the block. The Clearing House, 72(6), 377-384.

Evans, W., Tokarczyk, J., Rice, S., & McCray, A. (2002). Block scheduling: An evaluation of outcomes and impact. The Clearing House, 75(6), 319-323.

Eisner, E. (1985). The educational imagination. New York: Macmillan Jenkins, E., Queen, A., & Algozzine, B. (2002). To block or not to block: That’s not the

question. The Journal of Educational Research, 95(4), 196-202. Lawrence, W.W., & MacPherson, D.D. (2000). A comparative study of block scheduling and

traditional scheduling on academic achievement. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 27(3), 178-182.

National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (2000). Pursuing excellence: Comparisons of international eighth-grade mathematics and

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National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983). A nation at risk. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Commission on Time and Learning (1994). Prisoners of time. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Rettig, M.D., & Canady, R.L. (2003). Block scheduling’s missteps, successes and variables. School Administrator, 60(9), 26-31.

Shortt, T.L., & Thayer, Y.V. (1999). Block scheduling can enhance school climate. Educational Leadership, 56(4), 76-81.

Veal, W.R. (1999). What could define block scheduling as a fad? American Secondary Education, 27(4), 3-12.

Veal, W.R., & Schreiber, J. (1999, September 19). Block scheduling effects on a state mandated test of basic skills. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 7(29).

Retrieved October 11, 2004, from http://epaa.asu/epaa/v7n29.html Viadero, D. (2001). Despite its popularity, block scheduling’s effect on learning remains

unproven. Education Week, 21(5), 38-40.