At a time when scientific and technological competence is vital to the nation's future, the weak performance of U.S. students in science reflects the uneven quality of current science education. Although young children come to school with innate curiosity and intuitive ideas about the world around them, science classes rarely tap this potential.…

The nature of research in the field of intellectual disability is discussed, categories of basic research from published articles are analyzed, and issues are identified. Strongly recommended is the establishment of a national foundation in Australia to identify research priorities and coordinate research efforts. (DB)

The chairman of the Committee on Labs and Centers, National Council on Educational Research, policymaking body for the National Institute of Education (NIE), states that education issues cannot be separated from questions of philosophy. Shared values represent an appropriate and useful utilization of taxpayer money at NIE. (MLF)

Twenty-eight researchers whose work is related to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) met in February 2006 at UNESCO for three days of discussion to advance the thinking on how research can create a foundation for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD). The overall purpose of the workshop was to…

This paper suggests directions, based on the scientist-practitioner model, toward which counseling psychology should move in response to the dramatic increase in the number of stepfamilies in contemporary society. "Stepfamily" is defined as a household that includes a parent-child relationship that pre-dates the couple relationship, thus…

A questionnaire was devised and disseminated at the 1983 American Camping Association (ACA) convention to ascertain from members the value placed on camping research. The questionnaire addressed the following concerns: who should be conducting research, how should research be disseminated, what are the important broad areas of needed research, and…

In response to a previous article, the paper discusses the distinction between basic and applied research, two contributions of applied research to theory concerning learning disabilities, and issues in metatheory development. (DB)

In response to a previous article, the paper suggests that solutions to current problems in learning disabilities are not directly dependent upon, and may not be affected by, basic research. The necessity of a coordinated theoretical foundation for research and the wisdom and feasibility of a movement to basic research are discussed. (DB)

This introductory article reviews trends in research in intellectual disability in Australia and reports on a workshop of the Research and Development Advisory Committee of the Department of Community Services and Health, that identified knowledge gaps and key issues. A coherent programmatic research agenda, characterized by interaction between…

In response to a previous article, the paper characterizes learning disabilities as the consequence of a transaction between students exhibiting certain individual differences and the social system of the schools. Basic and applied research can be related in good instructional research which includes the context of disability. (DB)

In response to a previous article, the paper notes additional reasons for the deficit in basic research and theory in learning disabilities, stresses the need for more good systematic research using multiple methods, and suggests that a metatheory for learning disabilities is not yet possible or profitable. (DB)

This article looks at the role of metacognition in various current theoretical conceptions of giftedness and reviews studies linking metacognition to giftedness. It is concluded that theoretical and research support exists for the importance of metacognition in giftedness but that major unresolved issues still persist and should be investigated.…

In response to a previous article, the paper stresses that, in addition to theory development, the field of learning disabilities needs to resolve definitional issues involving disability specificity, intelligence, measurement concepts, and the continua of abilities. Suggestions for developing operational definitions of both learning disabilities…

Careful work in comparing, analyzing, and critiquing the positions and communications put forth by various professional curriculum organizations would be valuable to the curriculum research community. Provides an example: "Principles for Australian Curriculum Reform," prepared by the Australian Curriculum Studies Association (ACSA). (MLF)

The article addresses what is regarded as unjustifiably pessimistic characterizations of memory strategy instructional research, and argues that solid laboratory research on strategy use is needed though much memory instructional research with direct classroom applications to learning-disabled students has been completed. (Author/DB)