Developmental scientists are often interested in subgroups of people who share commonalities in aspects of development; these subgroups often cannot be captured directly but instead must be inferred from other information. Mixture models can be used in these situations. Two specific types of mixture models, latent profile transition analyses and…

This paper provides practical guidance for scholars and practitioners looking to develop more rigorous, comprehensive, and inclusive research that could guide proactive efforts to improve access, experiences, and outcomes for college students with disabilities. To do so, we (a) identify critical challenges affecting research and assessment related…

The authors present a pedagogical primer on the highly controversial business strategies of data mining and automated prediction. They provide a summary that allows business professors and students the opportunity to better understand the privacy and ethical issues that arise from high-tech, Internet-based organizations implementing programs to…

It is essential for middle school leaders to develop and promote school-wide literacy models, organizational structures that have a significant impact on the learning environment for all students in their building. However, school-wide literacy models can be difficult to implement and sustain over time. Drawing from an Office of Special Education…

Embarking in an educational research paper is one of the daunting processes any scholar can go through. And the process is even harder for novice education students who wander through the plethora of terminology, styles and paradigms trying to figure out their way in that jungle called educational research. The following of the review presents the…

This article is an outgrowth of the evaluation and assessment process in a large interdisciplinary studies (IDS) program at West Virginia University. We argue for the importance of collecting and assessing quantitative and qualitative data concerning learning outcomes, student satisfaction, career choice and development, and graduate education…

It is essential that before a school or district begins a classroom visitation program, everybody is clear about what to expect and what their role is to be in the process. The purpose of this article is to establish a typology of classroom visitations that might help schools and districts to achieve that clarity. Implemented well, each of the…

Suffering from data overload? Many schools are. Although schools have lacked sufficient student achievement data to make good instructional decisions in the past, many are now snowed under with data. They are data rich but analysis poor. How can content, vertical, or interdisciplinary school teams make sense of all their data? How can principals…

This article presents a fairly quick, easy way to decide what size sample is needed for a survey, given a desired level of confidence and degree of accuracy. The method proposed will work on any multiple response instrument. A technical mathematical explanation is also included. (GK)

Discusses the expanded uses of school identification-card systems for college campuses and the benefits to the campus of having a one-card, multi-purpose system. Addresses tips for setting up a one-card system, and its future potential and benefit to a college. (GR)

Outlines the recordkeeping system at Great Valley School in Pennsylvania that helps students become more responsible. (MD)

Compares qualitative and quantitative research in terms of features, researcher role, design, data collection strategies, data analysis, and judgment. Offers advice about selecting a method. (SK)

Describes the participant-observation technique for data collection and proposes its usefulness as a research methodology in library science. Procedural steps are outlined and suggestions are offered for successful completion of participant-observation research. (10 references) (Author/MES)

Faculty feedback is an effective method for administrators to assess their performance and work toward leadership improvement. Guidelines for developing and using self-styled faculty feedback instruments are provided. (MD)

This article argues that treating interviews with adolescents as actual instances of adolescent-adult interaction yields an additional order of data, located in the conversing, which can complement the content analysis and interpretation of answers to questions. The technique is illustrated by transcribed passages from interviews with young…