The methods and findings of studies of the effects and value of preschool education and compensatory education programs, such as Head Start, are reviewed. After introductory comments on ideological controversies and on terminology, section 1 focuses on evaluative studies of the immediate and long-term effects of preschool education and early…

This document consists of four symposium papers each providing a critical examination of a particular data collection technique in vocational education research. Texts of the following presentations are provided: "Mail Survey Research," by Betty Heath-Camp; "The Telephone Interview as a Data Collection Technique," by James P. Key; "The Personal…

An extensive search of the literature on clinical supervision yielded 29 research studies and 3 works in progress. Studies using comparative measures conducted in K-12 school settings with inservice not preservice personnel were selected. These were grouped into four areas: attitudes toward supervision, effects of training, characteristics of…

Current research indicates that hospitalized children may profit best from preparation for surgery that is individually suited to their particular way of responding to hospitalization. It is likely, however, that preparation treatments will be provided for children in groups. Therefore, an attempt has been made to design and test information and…

Because of states' growing roles in education, the study of variation in state educational policies contributes to a better understanding of policy processes and to the prediction of possible policy outcomes. Comparing state educational policies involves choosing variables and analytical designs and defining cases, concepts, and measurement.…

School context constrains and supports field researchers' data collection activities, just as it can influence the educational change processes being studied. For outsiders, the accessibility of a school is affected by a number of factors. These influence findings and have implications for achieving data comparability across several sites.…

Noting that a substantial research literature on fathers has been built over the last 20 years and that fathers can no longer be considered "the forgotten parent" of the scientific community, this paper summarizes key research on fathers while highlighting concerns regarding the current emphasis on fatherhood expressed by parents and…

Noting that the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early childhood programs has important short-term behavioral and social benefits for such children and their families and that arguments for an "ethic of inclusion" have emerged within the field, this paper maintains that much remains to be learned about the nature of early childhood…

This paper comments on the impact of computers on statistical analysis and presents a concise, nontechnical overview of five statistical methods now being applied in educational research. Appropriate uses of these techniques are pointed out, along with dangers concerning misapplications. (PP)

Discusses the limitations of crossnational comparisons of secondary student performance in the U.S. and selected European and Pacific industrial countries, using mathematics and science data from the International Assessment for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Suggests the most serious problem is the rise of a new educational…

Reviews present and potential uses of videotape technology in behavioral research. Emphasis is placed on research methodology and the value of incorporating videotape in current research practices, including behavior observation studies, in modeling research, and in perceptual attribution investigations. Concludes with an analysis of advantages…

Describes results of a field study where 74 people were interviewed about their experience with using either an electronic or a printed version of a brief project description. The popular belief that electronic information systems are more efficient was not confirmed. Methodological problems of comparative media studies are discussed. (Author/LRW))

In the research paper considered, Stahl and Miller compare the effectiveness of whole language/language experience programs versus basal reader approaches. The article is criticized for its lack of longitudinal data, alternative interpretations, and information concerning the broad goals of whole language approaches. (TJH)

Asserts that Herrnstein and Murray's "The Bell Curve" (1994) is an attempt to influence and control public discourse about public policy and inequality. It examines four of the book's flaws in classification, analyses, research, and its failure to recognize intelligence as having both genotypic and phenotypic manifestations. (GR)

School vouchers, particularly since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Cleveland program, are one of the most contentious issues in American education. Seemingly contradictory results across available studies have caused confusion among diverse audiences. The authors suggest that these divergent findings are, in part, due to three…