Causal inference is a central topic in education research, although oftentimes it relies on observational studies, which makes causal identification methodologically challenging. This manuscript introduces causal graphs as a powerful language for elucidating causal theories and an effective tool for causal identification analysis. It discusses…

Over the past decade, research on the use of technology in the mathematics classroom has focused primarily on issues of student learning and engagement. In this article, we focus on middle grades mathematics teachers' use of The Geometer's Sketchpad, and study both the decisions they make about when to use technology, and their motivations for…

Discusses research on representational pictures, which share physical resemblance with the concept the picture represents; analogical pictures, which convey a concept; and arbitrary pictures, or highly schematized visuals related logically to the things they represent. The contributions of each type to adult conceptual learning and learning from…

A subset of Statistical Process Control (SPC) methodology known as Control Charting is introduced. SPC methodology is a collection of graphical and inferential statistics techniques used to study the progress of phenomena over time. The types of control charts covered are the null X (mean), R (Range), X (individual observations), MR (moving…

Describes three experiments measuring changes in children's social speech which used the presence or absence of partitions allowing partial visual contact to alter verbal communication contingencies between players. Altered levels of speech and specificity confirm importance of physical environmental factors in regulation of children's play. (MBR)

The Agency for Instructional Television (AIT) has established a consortium of 42 state, provincial, and local educational agencies to develop computer/video materials in problem-solving, prepare inservice materials, and define and conduct policy studies. The purpose of this study, which focuses on the last task, was two-fold: (1) to identify…

A series of 28 15-minute video programs in mathematics designed for use in grade 4, It Figures uses a combination of drama and animation to focus on mathematical skills, ideas, and problem-solving strategies. This instructional television series has been used in the United States and Canada since 1982, and a survey of selected teachers using It…

This monograph is a guide to effective presentation of report data and information from institutional research. The work focuses on several types of presentation: the written report (alternative ways for presenting information, appearance, and the audience); graphic displays or charts (to present words or data in an organized or symbolic fashion;…