A study sought to determine if there was a difference in task analysis data collected by interviews and by mailed questionnaire. The business that was interviewed reported a significantly greater number of tasks as performed by beginning employees when compared to the mailed respondents. (LRA)

How-to information for performing a skills audit is presented. Nine steps need to be performed in three separate phases: establish basic enabling skills data, compile the data, and summarize the data. A skills analysis can aid the training staff in deciding where to concentrate their instructional efforts. (CT)

Examines quantitative and qualitative evaluation and analysis of Washington State Library reference activities, based on research activities of the Consortium for Public Library Innovation. Several methods of data collection for a sample day are discussed, including a user ticket and a patterns of information requests form. (Author)

Program evaluation specialists at the University of Wisconsin-Extension studied the impact of continuing education efforts in a single county over a decade. They then assessed the impact of the findings. (CT)

Discusses the process of conducting a summative evaluation, characteristics of evaluators, and choice of assessment techniques. (SK)

Outlines the procedures used in the creation of the Cooperative Management Information System (CMIS) at Macomb County Community College: determination of information needs, data collection, and information storage and manipulation. Discusses the use of CMIS in assessing program effectiveness. (SK)

Problems of research and data collection in the West Indies include that territories without campuses are smaller and poorer, generally have no indigenous social science personnel so that research has to be undertaken by people unfamiliar with the environment, and that responses to interviews tend to be particularly unreliable because people are…

Describes the use of a microcomputer system (ECHO) which permits greater access to student thought processes. Initial piloting indicates that self-reports can be unobtrusively solicited from students during ongoing instruction. Research background, data collection approaches, and a description of the ECHO system are given. (MER)

Investigates the discrepancies between theory and practice in several aspects of education. Conclusions imply less than optimal application of theory to practice in Central Illinois classrooms. (Editor/RK)

Introduces the application of informetric methods to the World Wide Web (Webometrics). Presents a case study comparing the number of specific informetric analysis parameters of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway on the Web. Concludes that problems with data collection occur because current tools are inadequate and because collection methods, manual and…

Presents four articles exploring children's play: (1) "Play, Policy, and Practice: The Essential Connections" (Edgar Klugman, Sandra Waite-Stupiansky); (2) "What's New in Play Research?" (Doris Pronin Fromberg), including play processes and implications for practitioners; (3) "Observing Children's Play" (Margaret Cooney), describing benefits of…

Describes two projects featuring problem-oriented lessons and assignments. The Gallatin (Tennessee) High School Interdisciplinary Project was a four-year case study that investigated students' ability to make connections with their societal and school curriculum using self-selected cases, videodiscs, and literature. "Explorers of the…

Presents data on Pakistan Sign Language collected during videotaped interviews with informants. Questions whether nonmanual components of a sign should be included among the language parameters and considered equivalent to the phonemes of spoken languages. (seven references) (Author/CK)

Illustrates how concept mapping can benefit qualitative research to clarify relationships between and among various elements through nonstructured interviews. The research value of examining thoughts through visual representations is demonstrated through the context of a qualitative study of relationships between mathematics beliefs and practice…

Presents the results of an exploratory study that sought to identify the language learning strategies of learners of Japanese at the tertiary level. The study also sought to identify the most- and least-favored strategies of a variety of ethnic groups and to investigate the relationship between ethnicity and language learning strategy preferences.…