In the first part of the dialogue between theories, which gave rise to a paper in this journal, we discussed the role played by normativity in didactics. In this work, with the aim of taking a step forward in this dialogue, we state explicitly some of the postulates of the anthropological theory of the didactic. They shape the object of study, the…

Contemporary case studies rely on verbal arguments and set theory to build or evaluate theoretical claims. While existing procedures excel in the use of qualitative information (information about kind), they ignore quantitative information (information about degree) at central points of the analysis. Effectively, contemporary case studies rely on…

This article focuses on the criticisms of current approaches in educational research methodology. It summarizes rationales for mixed methods and argues that the mixing quantitative paradigm and qualitative paradigm is problematic due to practical and philosophical arguments. It is also indicated that the current rise of mixed methods work has…

When estimating causal effects, unmeasured confounding and model misspecification are both potential sources of bias. We propose a method to simultaneously address both issues in the form of a semi-parametric sensitivity analysis. In particular, our approach incorporates Bayesian Additive Regression Trees into a two-parameter sensitivity analysis…

In the modern world information has become the new power. An increasing amount of efforts are being made to gather data, resources being allocated, time being invested and tools being developed. Data collection is no longer a myth; however, it remains a great challenge to create value out of the enormous data that is being collected. Data modeling…

It is common in regression discontinuity analysis to control for high order (third, fourth, or higher) polynomials of the forcing variable. We argue that estimators for causal effects based on such methods can be misleading, and we recommend researchers do not use them, and instead use estimators based on local linear or quadratic polynomials or…

In this paper, a focus is made on defining processes at stake in an unfamiliar situation coming from discrete mathematics which brings surprising mathematical results. The epistemological framework of Lakatos is questioned and used for the design and the analysis of the situation. The cognitive background of Vergnaud's approach enriches the study…

Three separate papers are included in this report. The first describes a two-stage procedure for choosing from among several instructional programs the one which maximizes the probability of passing the test. The second gives the exact sample sizes required to determine whether a squared multiple correlation coefficient is above or below a known…

Studies of group differences in intelligence often invite conclusions about groups in general from studies of group differences in selected populations. The same design is used in the study of group differences in other traits as well. Investigators observe samples from two groups (e.g. men and women) in some accessible population, but seek to…

Among the criticisms of Micko's Halo Model are: 1) it is too restrictive to fit empirical data, 2) it misrepresents unrelated percepts as bipolar structures, 3) it requires all dimensions to be bipolar, and 4) it causes the interpretations of orthogonality of factors and factor loadings to become problematic. (Author/BJG)

A major pitfall with fixed-effects analysis of variance in the nested design is illustrated. Under the null hypothesis of no intervention effect, the rejection rate for "F(sub fixed)" in the nested design is greater than the putative Type I error rate of the test, potentially to an extreme degree. (Author/TJH)

Math modeling is currently at the focus of educational methodologists' attention. However, little is known about the extent to which principles of the math modeling lead to methodological fallacies in educational research. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and principles of math modeling and to examine its application in…

This research project addresses a series of methodological and theoretical statistical problems in the analysis of categorical data using loglinear and logistic response models, which grow directly out of problems in the study of the American educational system, and in basic educational research. The project focuses on the adaptation and…

A causal model of halo error (HE) is derived. Three hypotheses are formulated to explain findings of negative HE. It is suggested that apparent negative HE may have been misinferred from existing correlational measures of HE, and that positive HE is more prevalent than had previously been thought. (SLD)

Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) is a data analysis method that is often used to control extraneous sources of variation in non-equivalent group designs. It is commonly believed that as long as the covariate is highly correlated with the dependent variable there is nothing to lose in using ANCOVA, even in non-randomized studies. This paper examines…