In a course entitled "Field Methods for the Study of Education," three themes dominate: professionalism, Darwinian methodology, and application. Unifying these are the notions that the proper use of theory is critical to good ethnography and the natural history/Darwinian paradigm is the central core of the anthropological, ethnological…

Described are computer assisted instruction exercises designed by a college professor to help undergraduate psychology students acquire fundamental skills in data collection--recording the data, using tables and graphs, and recognizing functional relationships. (RM)

Advanced special education students rated 23 of the domains of the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS). Results indicated that the most important considerations for determining method of measurement for ABS were: time necessary to obtain behavioral sample and severity of behavior. Suggests the domains of ABS be rearranged and redefined. (RC)

A computerized system is discussed that was developed and implemented through the University of Nevada's Office of Student Affairs to provide nonconfidential admissions information (demographic, economic, and scholastic data) to appropriate decision-making bodies in the community. These bodies included health planning agencies and the state…

Describes a student field project which measured and interpreted ground-level aspects of the urban heat island in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. Discusses procedural steps and decisions, field procedures, data compiling, findings, evaluation, and dissemination of results. (Author/CK)

The theoretical perspective and naturalistic methods of ecological psychology developed by Roger Barker are described. Ecological assessment implies examining (1) naturally occurring behavior; (2) environment immediately surrounding behavior; and (3) the individual-environment link. The specimen record, chronolog, and behavior-setting survey are…

Calls for simplicity when presenting data on student achievement. Data should help teachers improve teaching and learning, and focus on specific goals such as determining how many students are succeeding in a subject and, within that subject, what are the areas of strength or weakness. (Contains 22 references.) (WFA)

Four activities are described which focus on consumer awareness and judgment using data collection and judgment skills involving data from footwear. Worksheets for data collection and activities at home and at school are included. A set of ratings of sneakers from "Consumer Reports" magazine is provided. (CW)

Presents a theoretical discussion of evaluation research and the need for gathering data to support the decision-making process concerned with training program performance. Guidelines for conducting evaluation research are discussed, the participants involved with successful implementation are described, and data gathering methods are explained.…

Reports on an action research project, The Teachers' Research Network (TRN), in which teachers carry out their own classroom-based research. (BB)

Suggests sources of data related to the distinctiveness of a community college, including institutional histories, needs assessments, institutional impact studies, marketing research, and strategic planning studies. Considers ways of organizing the data. (DMM)

Presents examples of activities and strategies that integrate different areas of the curriculum with social studies. Includes a method for improving student comprehension of text materials, activities for using textbooks as a teaching tool and for integrating data collection and analysis into social studies, and a technique for problem solving.…

Reports on results of a Swiss project designed to provide descriptions of language competence at various cross-over points at which Swiss learners change from one educational sector to another in order to create a coherent information system for course planning, coordination of certification, self-assessment, and reporting achievement. (72…

Describes the Elementary Mathematics Research Model, which furnishes a vehicle for problem solving through real data collection and analysis. (MKR)

Describes a student affairs database developed especially for urban institutions of higher education. Such a database enables urban institutions to refer to comparison groups with similar characteristics. Specific examples of data use by chief student affairs officers and others are provided. (SLD)