The ubiquitous use of social platforms across the globe makes them attractive options for investigating social phenomena including migration. However, the use of social media data raises several crucial ethical issues around the areas of informed consent, anonymity and profiling of individuals, which are particularly sensitive when looking at a…

This account identifies some of the tensions that became apparent in a large interdisciplinary technology-enhanced learning project as its members attempted to maintain their commitment to responsive, participatory research and development in naturalistic research settings while also "enacting" these commitments in formal research review…

An experiment is described which uses a real-world sample of lawn fertilizer in a simple exercise to illustrate problems associated with the sampling step of a chemical analysis. A mixed-particle fertilizer containing discrete particles of iron oxide (magnetite, Fe[subscript 3]O[subscript 4]) mixed with other particles provides an excellent…

The symbiotic use of microcomputers and large-scale computers in educational research to greatly improve the ease and efficiency of analyzing research data is discussed. Two case studies of recent research are used to illustrate some of the procedures that are now possible. (MP)

Describes a method of evaluation which ensures maximum yield. Mentions common pitfalls in evaluation procedures and proposes Reality-Based Evaluation (RBE) as a safeguard against them. Outlines RBE and concludes that evaluation results must play an active role in bringing about change. (JG)

Outlines the pros and cons of Project JOLT, a "Scared Straight" type of program. Raises some theoretical, methodological, and political issues surrounding the Scared Straight approach. Illustrates some of the pitfalls in program evaluation in corrections and makes some recommendations. (Author/RC)

In this article, the author describes a project in which Collaborative Inquiry, or CI (Bray et al. 2000), was used by a small inquiry group consisting of a high school science teacher and two university educators, Marie Cashion and the author herself, Karen Goodnough, to explore Problem-Based Learning (PBL). In CI groups, co-learners work through…

An ethnographic project to develop a model for an ethnic studies program based on community education, community involvement, and a study of community history is described. The project took place in New Harmony, Indiana, a town of 600-700 persons with a strong European heritage, especially German. Part of the project staff was selected from the…

A review of research on vocational rehabilitation of the mentally retarded shows that many programs have been successful in placing clients. Evaluation methods are reviewed and vocational training methods in different states are described. Research shows that relevant evaluation, training, and placement can succeed. (JAC)

This paper reports the progress of an ongoing clinical research project on prevention services for at risk infants of mentally ill mothers. This project extends the prevention focus of early education programs into the mental health field. Previous research findings indicate that maximum preventive effects are achieved when programs (a) begin…

This paper traces the history of a series of early studies designed to identify and document unusually successful compensatory education projects. One of the major characteristics of the early studies is that they were based upon review and analysis of existing literature. Although they used similar data bases they varied considerably in…

This document presents an attempt to evaluate the benefits of Movement Plus, a program of physical recreation for elderly persons, designed to address the social, biological, and psychological dimensions of aging. The setting for the evaluation is described as a home for the aged which housed 96 elderly women. Research problems involved in…

This report of a panel discussion focuses on the design, rationale, and evaluation of the Adolescent Crisis Unit for Treatment and Evaluation (ACUTE), a program of crisis intervention for young adolescents. An overview of the structure of ACUTE's clinical program describes the efficiency of the program in seeing referrals at the time of crisis,…

This paper discusses how assessment practices in higher education can improve or hinder learning. An example is given to illustrate some common educational practices that may be contributing to underpreparation and underperformance of students. Elements of effective learning environments that may better address underlying metacognitive issues are…

This document introduces research aimed to explore methods that could be used to make inferences about causual effects of educational change over time when data are from an educational panel. This preface, the first in a series of 14 chapters described in SO 011 760-772, discusses an educational research project designed to examine affects of…