Methodological deficiencies inherent in expert-novice reading research make it impossible to draw inferences about curriculum change. First, comparisons of intact groups are often used as a basis for making causal inferences about how observed characteristics affect behaviors. While comparing different groups is not by itself a useless activity,…

In his paper, the author contends that ethnic minority groups must use the "weapon of research" to answer some of the unanswered questions in vocational education and to give guidance toward future corrections of these problems. But the topic is emotionally charged, as intensive research in the past has generated resentment among minorities. The…

One reason the field of education research is so vague is that there is no specific methodology that belongs to such research. Policy makers and people who appropriate funds would get a clearer idea of what research can contribute to an understanding of schools, colleges, students, and teachers if the research community were clearer about what it…

A speech by Chancellor Donna E. Shalala of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is presented; it calls for a broadening university commitment to societal issues and for the university to engage in basic research on social policy issues in a fashion similar to the fundamental science and technology research currently undertaken. The lecture…

The purpose of this essay is to examine some of the reasons for the low implementation potential of most social psychological research (both in psychology and communication) and to suggest some ways in which the speech communication discipline can increase the applicability of its knowledge to the solution of contemporary individual and social…

This paper presents two models, one for organizing institutional research and research data, and the other for applying research findings to the decision-making process. The model for organizing research consists of four subsystems: goal-setting, program development, cost-effectiveness, and program review. Each subsystem has a distinctive…

Conducting research into an area of personal disability provides the graduate student additional maturation and increased self-realization. The student is able to contribute to the corporate knowledge of the disability through integration of past experience with knowledge and techniques gained through professional education. (Author/MLW)

During the past 20 years great efforts have been made to systematize and institutionalize educational research and development. At the same time, changing government priorities, shifting roles of participating institutions, and the politicization of social research have contributed to discontinuity and turmoil. The time has come to consider…

The purpose of the California High School Performance Reports is to provide a means for the public to judge a school's progress towards: (1) implementing the educational reforms outlined in California State Legislature Senate Bill 813; (2) upgrading the quality of its instructional program; and (3) improving student achievement. This paper…

Currently, findings of educational research are of little consequence to the curricular/instructional decisions of social studies teachers. Four basic conditions have created this inconsistency. (1) Since social studies teaching takes place among value and factual assumptions, decisions about educational practice are based more on value judgments…

There are at least three ways in which educational theory can be used in practice: (1) to reexamine our traditional approaches, (2) to provide direction in future practice, and (3) to generate research. Reexamination of traditional approaches through analysis and utilization of theoretical methods is one means of promoting constant growth and…

Perhaps the most effective way to increase the utilization of behavioral science knowledge by policy-makers is for the behavioral scientist to become one. The psychologist who serves as a policy-maker becomes aware of the policy issues in addition to relevant empirical evidence. The author, a psychologist, relates his experience as a member of a…

Adopting the position, expressed by A. P. Bochner in his critique of small group communication research, that placing measurement in a secondary role increases the danger of accepting the claims of experiments with excessive error, this paper examines nine current quantitative small-group communication studies. Using a schema developed by J. F.…

An examination of the literature supports the view that the implications of text studies have yet to have much impact on classrooms. For example, word frequency lists have been used widely in the preparation of reading materials. However, few books come with a list of the frequency of the words they contain. Thus, the main use of comparing texts…

There are three reasons to suspect the integrity of research that purports to validate policy decisions in the field of telecommunications: 1) the accuracy of measurement of input and output variables is dubious; 2) the adversary style of decision-making that dominates the field of telecommunications encourages researchers to arrive at only those…