The "Value-Added School Review (VSR)" is an analytical model designed to assist schools in identifying and addressing opportunities for school improvement. The model works best when it is focused purposefully on students and the student learning outcomes as defined in the "Guide to Education". It complements the processes…

This guide summarizes "Effective Programs for Struggling Readers: A Best Evidence Synthesis," a research review conducted by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Research and Reform in Education. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the achievement outcomes of alternative approaches for struggling readers in grade K-5: (1) one-to-one…

The chapters in this book reflect the work of science and mathematics educators who have worked for many years at the international level. As members of the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education, their work provides readers with issues, models, practices, and research results that have applicability and…

The manual is intended to help teachers of gifted elementary students teach independent learning skills. As a framework, it may be used to provide goals, objectives, conditions, and criteria for developing individualized educational programs (IEPs); to develop evaluation strategies; or to design instructional activities. Objectives and…

The efforts of researchers to produce a pool of approximately 30 validated and field-tested topics for use in future administrations of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination in writing are reviewed in this paper. Various sections of the paper (1) describe the procedures followed; (2) explain the reasons for making certain important…

This report presents the rationale and design of a vocabulary program created as the instrument for research exploring the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. The first section of the report reviews the current state of the art of vocabulary instruction and discusses the techniques used in two commercial basal…

Describes the use of EXPER SIM (experimental simulation) as an instructional tool in speech communication research. Several sample models are offered along with a discussion of the advantages and drawbacks of using the computer for social science research. (JMF)

Argues that students lack an understanding of how research is done. Proposes a science exercise that provides authentic research experience for ninth-grade students in an advanced-placement chemistry class. (CCM)

Recounts the author's experience teaching a course for doctoral students at New York University on dissertation research and writing. Argues that the course was as much about learning to be inspired as learning historical methodologies. Includes the full syllabus for the course with commentary. (DSK)

One of five modules in the administrative series of the 16-module series designed to train vocational education curriculum specialists, this module is intended for use in classes or individual study arrangements at the preservice or inservice level by students with varying amounts of experience in vocational education. (These modules are revised…

A general laboratory course should include projects that familiarize college students with the variety of methods available to the researcher. Described are four research projects that address questions about human behavior by means of experimental, observational, survey, and archival research methods. (RM)

Since the publication of the first edition of "Studying Your Own School", practitioner action research has become an established professional development practice in schools and teacher education programs.While the fundamentals of practitioner action research have not changed, the challenges of large scale reform have dramatically…

Described are engineering programs that have used automated data acquisition systems to implement data collection and analyze experiments. Applications include a biochemical engineering laboratory, heat transfer performance, engineering materials testing, mechanical system reliability, statistical control laboratory, thermo-fluid laboratory, and a…

Guidelines for learning and teaching structural equation modeling (SEM) in doctoral-level social work educational programs are offered. Essential ingredients of an introductory course, successful and unsuccessful methods of instruction, practical course organization, and integration of the material into the doctoral curriculum are discussed.…

This document is an update of Focus on Research: A Guide to Developing Students' Research Skills (Alberta Education, 1990). Focus on Research was developed in response to suggestions from Alberta teachers during the implementation of Focus on Learning: an Integrated Program Model for Alberta School Libraries (Alberta Education, 1985). …