Based on a review of GPA and SAT/ACT requirements at 221 institutions in 25 states, a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recommends that states, institutions of higher education, and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) maintain or establish a higher bar for entry into teacher preparation…

This article offers a rationale for the contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice in special education. In it, I make the argument that qualitative research encompasses the ability to study significant problems of practice, engage with practitioners in the conduct of research studies, learn and change processes during a…

One of the major successes of advanced quantitative methods has been its seeming ability to provide unbiased determinations of which education practices are effective for education in general and for improving the educational achievement and opportunity of the neediest students. The power of this methodology as applied in the top education…

In the current article, we consider the influential position of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and discuss several methodological areas that demonstrate the need for caution when using and interpreting PISA results. We motivate our argument by briefly describing the program's increased influence in educational policy…

Valid, scientific research is critical for ascertaining the effects of instructional techniques on learners with disabilities and for guiding effective special education practice and policy. Researchers in fields such as psychology and medicine have identified serious and widespread shortcomings in their research literatures related to replication…

The essay examines the variety of research methods and measures used in the first-year experience and students-in-transition field over the past 25 years. Interrogating the extant research, Kinzie explores whether the methods and analytic processes most commonly employed are adequate to advance our understanding of complex issues in the field. The…

Design-based research (DBR) evolved near the beginning of the 21st century and was heralded as a practical research methodology that could effectively bridge the chasm between research and practice in formal education. In this article, the authors review the characteristics of DBR and analyze the five most cited DBR articles from each year of this…

This report critically examines studies of how scientific research drives innovation which is then translated into socio-economic benefits. It focuses on research evaluation insights that are relevant not only to the academic community, but also to policymakers and evaluation practitioners--and particularly to biomedical and health research…

Analyzes selected critical issues concerning participatory research in adult education. Defines participatory research and looks at its development. Links this with the significance and rationale of the participatory approach in adult education and focuses on the problems of this approach. (JOW)

This paper offers an analysis of the methodology and the importance of reviews and integration by discussing the procedures, problems, functions, and values of this type of research, illustrated by the author's attempt to integrate the findings of research on the impact of colleges on students. (Author/DB)

Research can be related to reality, to meaning, and to decisions and decision makers. There are some assumptions about reality and research that are taken for granted: a) reality does indeed exist--which one must accept as true; b) research is an accurate portrait of reality--although no research has ever done justice to the original object; c)…

Suggests that societal change occurs more rapidly than dependable developmental research findings emerge. The research establishment in developmental psychology is examined to determine aspects which affect the ability of the system to produce better results faster. (BRT)

Unnecessary polarization between research traditions (basic vs. applied, experimental vs. correlational, and laboratory vs. field research) has resulted in extreme, nonproductive conflict between experimental rigor and policy relevance. The analogue model (described) grounds experimental studies in social problems without losing the unique…

A brief description of four of the major expedients that are being employed by doctoral candidates in counselling as they try to deal with problems in their research are presented. The result is a scarcity of findings having little consequence for either theory or practice. (Author/CG)