Educational standards are an essential tool for many school districts in their efforts to increase student academic achievement. Elementary school administrators and teachers play a critical role in the process of gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing student data with the goal of creating a meaningful plan to accomplish this goal. This article…

This paper describes research conducted at the 2005 AHRD research conference. A qualitative case study is developed with the purpose of capturing new learning that occurs within the conference and how new learning is created. In support of the research, a three-pronged conceptual framework including communities of practice and learning…

With schools being held accountable for helping students achieve state standards, and assessments measuring how well schools and students are meeting standards, the types and uses of data become increasingly important. This brief outlines a study conducted by the Education Commission of the States to understand how exemplary districts use data.…

Data can help identify solutions to some of the biggest problems in schools. Yet few schools use data effectively. The purpose of this book is to help schools become aware of the advantages of collecting and using data (data analysis) for overall school improvement. The book begins with an overview of the current state of education and the…

This book offers an introduction for teachers, students, and other educational practitioners to the techniques that transform informal observation into a recognized research tool. It is intended for those with little or no experience with formal observation. Four chapters focus on: (1) "Observation as a Data-Gathering Technique" (how observation…

The Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC) are designed to provide reliable, comparable data that are collected from teachers and students at the K-12 math and science classroom level. The data analysis and reporting tools are intended to assist teachers, administrators, and policymakers with planning for instructional improvement in several ways:…

This new edition is the result of an extensive review of the standards as defined in 1981. Taken as a set, the 30 current standards provide a working philosophy for evaluation. They define the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation's conception of the principles that should guide and govern program evaluation efforts, and they offer…

Results suggest that method of collecting data is not associated with accuracy of self-report. (Author)

Educational research would benefit if standards could be agreed for recording precisely what has been done in a research study, and if these records were available for scrutiny. Advantages claimed include better quality data, easier comparison with other studies, the possibility of analysis by others and greater credibility of findings. (BRR)

Discusses problems encountered in evaluating a mass drug education program including instrument selection, logistical constraints, and data analysis. Offers suggestions as to program evaluation improvement. (Author/RC)

Methodological adequacy in naturalistic inquiry is enhanced by understanding the differences between the naturalistic and rationalistic paradigms; by using simultaneous data collection and analysis, with prolonged field research, an audit trail, multiple sources, and referential materials; and by employing "thick description" extensively…

The authors show how to analyze occupational supply/demand conditions in a labor market. They discuss demand analysis and supply analysis, and list their outcomes. (CT)

Presents a model for needs assessment in school programs. The approach collects data from personal interviews with students, parents, community members, and professional staff; from an analysis of the existing curriculum; and from an in-depth student profile. (Author/WD)

Reviews the Davis-Bacon Act, including how its wage determinations compare to local construction wages as measured by sources other than the act's administrators; the effects of lags in the act's data-gathering process; and the savings that would result from changing the way prevailing rates are calculated. (CT)