"Block teaching" redirects here. For the program in the LDS Church formerly known as block teaching, see Home teaching.
Block scheduling or blocking is a type of academic scheduling used in schools in the American K-12 system, in which each pupil has fewer classes per day. It is more common in middle and high schools than in primary schools. Each class is scheduled for a longer period of time than normal (e.g. 90 minutes instead of 50). In one form of block scheduling, a single class will meet every day for a number of days, after which another class will take its place. In another form, daily classes rotate through a changing daily cycle.[1]
Blocks offer more concentrated experiences of subjects, with fewer, usually half as many if going through a schedule transfer, classes daily.
Under a traditional American schedule, pupils in a high school will study seven subjects a day for 45 minutes for each day of the week for a semester. There will be two semesters in the year so 14 subjects could be studied. Some pupils will not study all seven subjects. There was great variety as each school board was free to decide the requirement.[2]
Also referred to as A/B block scheduling, Odd/Even block scheduling, or Day 1/ Day 2 block scheduling. Students take three to four courses, around 90–120 minutes in length, per day all year long on alternating days resulting in a full six or eight courses per year.[3][4]
4x4 block scheduling
Students take four courses, around 90 minutes in length, every day for the first semester and take four different courses every day for the second semester. This results in a full eight courses taken per year.[3][4]
Waldorf blocking
Waldorf schools traditionally employ a mixed approach. Certain academic subjects are taught in intensive three to five week blocks known as main lesson blocks, while other subjects are taught in regularly meeting skills classes.[5]
Effectiveness
"Where we were able to combine data to produce summary effect sizes, we found that 4 x 4 block scheduling resulted in higher cross subject achievement than traditional schedules. However, the outcome average cross-subject achievement could conceal worsening performance in some subjects and better performance in others."[6]
A systematic review on Block Scheduling was also conducted by Dickson et al. (2010) at the EPPI-Centre which asserts that there is no conclusive evidence to support the introduction of policy guidance on the use of block scheduling in secondary schools in the UK. Although the findings do not indicate that participating in block schedules would produce negative outcomes for pupils across subjects, neither are the positive effects of block scheduling strong enough to recommend their implementation.[7]
Criticism
Some critics believe that certain subjects suffer from a lack of daily exposure to subject matter and practice that occurs with an A/B block schedule. Courses like mathematics, foreign languages, and music may benefit from daily practice and suffer from a lack thereof.[8]
A University of Virginia study of 8,000 college students found that students who had block scheduling in high school performed worse in university science courses.[1]
Some students are better able to manage their time with nightly homework in every class, while other students do better with larger homework assignments that are spaced out over several days. Some subjects may benefit from daily drills while other subjects may lend themselves to less frequent homework projects. Mid-term transfers between schools with different schedules can be problematic in cases where the schedules are different.[8]
^ ab"Block scheduling: Not helping high school students perform better in college science" January 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine by Robert Tai
^ abcH, Natasha. "What Is High School Block Scheduling? Block vs Traditional Schedules". Owlcation. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
^ abTrenta, Louis; Newman, Isadore (Fall 2002). "Effects of a High School Block Scheduling Program on Students: A Four-Year Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Block Scheduling on Student Outcome Variables". American Secondary Education. 31: 54 – via EBSCOhost.
^ abLewis, Chance W.; Dugan, James J.; Winokur, Marc A.; Cobb, R. Brian (December 2005). "The Effects of Block Scheduling on High School Academic Achievement". NASSP Bulletin. 98 (645): 72–87. doi:10.1177/019263650508964506. S2CID 59575924.
^Trostli, Robert (January 2001). (PDF). Research Bulletin of the Research Institute for Waldorf Education. 6 (1). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-11-05.
^(PDF). The College Board. May 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 27, 2011.
^"What is the effect of block scheduling on academic achievement? A systematic review". EPPI-Centre.
^ ab"The Case Against Block Scheduling" by Jeff Lindsay
External links
by J. Allen Queen (Original link no longer available. Redirected to the Internet Archive)
about block scheduling
Block Scheduling – by Karen Irmsher of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management
Block Scheduling: Is this Right for America’s Public Schools?- by John W. Cooper
Block Scheduling: Discussion and links at the Illinois Loop website
May 04, 2023
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Block teaching redirects here For the program in the LDS Church formerly known as block teaching see Home teaching This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Block scheduling news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Block scheduling or blocking is a type of academic scheduling used in schools in the American K 12 system in which each pupil has fewer classes per day It is more common in middle and high schools than in primary schools Each class is scheduled for a longer period of time than normal e g 90 minutes instead of 50 In one form of block scheduling a single class will meet every day for a number of days after which another class will take its place In another form daily classes rotate through a changing daily cycle 1 Blocks offer more concentrated experiences of subjects with fewer usually half as many if going through a schedule transfer classes daily Contents 1 Description 2 Schedules 2 1 Alternate day block scheduling 2 2 4x4 block scheduling 2 3 Waldorf blocking 3 Effectiveness 4 Criticism 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDescription EditUnder a traditional American schedule pupils in a high school will study seven subjects a day for 45 minutes for each day of the week for a semester There will be two semesters in the year so 14 subjects could be studied Some pupils will not study all seven subjects There was great variety as each school board was free to decide the requirement 2 Traditional SchedulingTime Semester 1 Semester 2Before 09 45 Sports training some electives09 45 10 30 Government Economics10 30 11 15 French French11 15 12 00 Geometry Geometry12 00 13 00 Lunch13 00 13 45 Computing 1 Computing 213 45 14 30 Biology Biology14 30 15 15 English English15 15 16 00 PE PE 2 Schedules EditMany forms of block scheduling were devised 2 Alternate day block scheduling Edit Also referred to as A B block scheduling Odd Even block scheduling or Day 1 Day 2 block scheduling Students take three to four courses around 90 120 minutes in length per day all year long on alternating days resulting in a full six or eight courses per year 3 4 4x4 block scheduling Edit Students take four courses around 90 minutes in length every day for the first semester and take four different courses every day for the second semester This results in a full eight courses taken per year 3 4 Waldorf blocking Edit Waldorf schools traditionally employ a mixed approach Certain academic subjects are taught in intensive three to five week blocks known as main lesson blocks while other subjects are taught in regularly meeting skills classes 5 Effectiveness Edit Where we were able to combine data to produce summary effect sizes we found that 4 x 4 block scheduling resulted in higher cross subject achievement than traditional schedules However the outcome average cross subject achievement could conceal worsening performance in some subjects and better performance in others 6 A systematic review on Block Scheduling was also conducted by Dickson et al 2010 at the EPPI Centre which asserts that there is no conclusive evidence to support the introduction of policy guidance on the use of block scheduling in secondary schools in the UK Although the findings do not indicate that participating in block schedules would produce negative outcomes for pupils across subjects neither are the positive effects of block scheduling strong enough to recommend their implementation 7 Criticism EditSome critics believe that certain subjects suffer from a lack of daily exposure to subject matter and practice that occurs with an A B block schedule Courses like mathematics foreign languages and music may benefit from daily practice and suffer from a lack thereof 8 A University of Virginia study of 8 000 college students found that students who had block scheduling in high school performed worse in university science courses 1 Some students are better able to manage their time with nightly homework in every class while other students do better with larger homework assignments that are spaced out over several days Some subjects may benefit from daily drills while other subjects may lend themselves to less frequent homework projects Mid term transfers between schools with different schedules can be problematic in cases where the schedules are different 8 See also EditAcademic term Modular schedulingReferences Edit a b Block scheduling Not helping high school students perform better in college science Archived January 23 2008 at the Wayback Machine by Robert Tai a b c H Natasha What Is High School Block Scheduling Block vs Traditional Schedules Owlcation Retrieved 28 August 2017 a b Trenta Louis Newman Isadore Fall 2002 Effects of a High School Block Scheduling Program on Students A Four Year Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Block Scheduling on Student Outcome Variables American Secondary Education 31 54 via EBSCOhost a b Lewis Chance W Dugan James J Winokur Marc A Cobb R Brian December 2005 The Effects of Block Scheduling on High School Academic Achievement NASSP Bulletin 98 645 72 87 doi 10 1177 019263650508964506 S2CID 59575924 Trostli Robert January 2001 Main lesson block teaching in the Waldorf School PDF Research Bulletin of the Research Institute for Waldorf Education 6 1 Archived from the original PDF on 2007 11 05 Block Schedules and Student Performance on AP Examinations PDF The College Board May 1998 Archived from the original PDF on July 27 2011 What is the effect of block scheduling on academic achievement A systematic review EPPI Centre a b The Case Against Block Scheduling by Jeff LindsayExternal links Edit Block Scheduling Revisited by J Allen Queen Original link no longer available Redirected to the Internet Archive Collection of web links about block scheduling Block Scheduling by Karen Irmsher of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management Block Scheduling Is this Right for America s Public Schools by John W Cooper Block Scheduling Discussion and links at the Illinois Loop website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Block scheduling amp oldid 1142683713, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
