The six chapters of this theme issue attempt to define conceptual and methodological issues in the evaluation of integrated services systems and to begin to synthesize some of these issues. An introduction to these evaluation issues is followed by case studies and a discussion of implications for program and policy development. (SLD)

Deliberations at a national symposium on new directions in human development and family studies in the Indian context focused on: (1) assessment of the knowledge base; (2) identification of gaps in substantive content and scope for improving methodology; (3) delineation of research needs with special attention to gender issues; and (4) preparation…

Noting that one of the major ways in which social science can be utilized by society, it is stated, is through the application of experimental method to analysis of social problems, this article explores the organizational and institutional conditions under which social experimentation might be most effectively utilized for the benefit of society.…

The author's optimistic view of evaluation in the future includes increased utilization, especially in the private sector; more professionalization, with potential for conflict; more academic program development; more use in policy; increase in the use of complex methods; and more involvement in program development. (SLD)

This paper, one of a series which arose out of data gathered on Choctaw Indians, Negroes, and whites in a low income area of Mississippi, expands upon one aspect of a recently completed analysis by the author. In the study, an attempt was made to distinguish between the characteristics associated with income levels and those related to ethnic…

This Policy Research Brief explores the strengths of qualitative research and the types of information it can make available to policymakers concerned with issues affecting persons with disabilities. The naturalistic methodology employed in qualitative research is described. Three specific studies using qualitative methodology are excerpted and…

The papers presented in this collection examine the implications of a growing demand for qualified career education personnel including the need for staff training capabilities, particularly the possible requirements for supportive research and development (R & D) personnel. The papers are intended to provide information and perspective to those…

The Study of Successful Indicators (SIS) project in metropolitan school districts is one study within the Southwest Regional Laboratory's Metropolitan Educational Trends and Research Outcomes (METRO) Center. The mission of METRO is to address schooling issues surrounding the increasing numbers of educationally disadvantaged students in the Pacific…

This publication focuses on the challenges faced by modern societies as they seek to plan for competing in the global economy, educating the population for new competencies, maintaining the social fabric for nurturing and socializing the next generation, and providing opportunities for the health and well-being of all citizens. Emphasis is placed…

Economists agree neither on the means for assessing education's contribution to the growth of productivity in the national economy nor on the role of education in the recent slowdown in productivity growth. Consequently, neither economists nor educators can confidently recommend a set of policies that will clearly lead to increases in education's…

Objectives of a three-phase New York State study were (1) to test the feasibility of an institutional sampling survey for providing descriptive data about the nature and scope of continuing education in postsecondary degree-granting institutions, (2) to test the applicability of the Focus Delphi research method for assessing the priority…

Ethnography, a qualitative, small-scale, indepth approach to research developed within the discipline of anthropology, is here explored as a potential strategy in the investigation of issues related to educational governance and policy-making. The first section of the paper defines the term ethnography and discusses characteristics of the…

The 1990s show distinct changes from the 1960s in terms of the views held by education practitioners, policymakers, and the public concerning the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Developments such as the national education goals, the prospect of voluntary national education standards, and the possibility of a national system of…

Twenty years after the War on Poverty was launched, dependency on public support remains widespread. Part 1 of this report summarizes current research concerning the following issues affecting welfare programs: (1) evaluating the economic effects of welfare; (2) dynamics of dependency; (3) welfare and work; (4) welfare and family structure; (5)…

A perspective on the state of reservation development is provided in this document, which reports the results of a study conducted among 25 Indian reservations to determine the degree of integration between CETA Indian manpower plans and the Overall Economic Development Plans. An introductory chapter provides a history of the study and identifies…