Preliminary report on the relation of students' on-task behavior with completion of school work

On-task behavior is frequently measured by school psychologists during classroom observations. Unfortunately, the obtained on-task percentage is difficult to interpret because (1) the relationship between on-task behavior and school work completion and quality are unknown and (2) generalizability of the observations is limited. In this study, percentage of time on task was related to work completion and quality using the newly developed Kansas Classroom Observation Form. The obtained data, while preliminary, suggest a general "rule-of-thumb" for expectations of work completion based on various observed on/off-task behavior. Other findings, limitations of the study, and directions for research are discussed.