The teaching of research methodology to graduate science students places an emphasis on scientific reasoning and on the generation and evaluation of evidence in support of research conclusions. Very little attention is paid to the teaching of scientific creativity, the processes for generation of new ideas, hypotheses, and theories. By contrast,…

Develops generalizations for empirical evaluation of software based upon suitability of several research designs--pretest posttest control group, single-group pretest posttest, nonequivalent control group, time series, and regression discontinuity--to type of software being evaluated, and on circumstances under which evaluation is conducted. (MBR)

Reviews the evolution of research on effective teaching in an effort to account for the lack of practical findings to assist classroom teachers. Four influences are detailed: teacher qualities vs the nature of teaching, lack of guiding theories/models, methodological problems, and the lack of criterion measures for comparisons. (RAO)

In a study to determine whether a male/female difference existed in the type of software preschool children selected and preferred (drill and practice or problem solving), results indicate no preference by sex was expressed; rather, there was an overwhelming preference for problem solving software by both males and females. (MBR)