Child-staff ratios are an important quality indicator. They are often collected by observing one randomly selected classroom several times during a 2-h period on a single day. However, it is unclear whether these measures represent the ratios that children actually experience during most of their time in care. This study compared ratio data…

A variety of techniques for collecting and analyzing information about the natural use of natural languages is surveyed, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the properties of a research task that make a given technique more or less suitable to it rather than comparing techniques globally and ranking them absolutely. An initial goal is to…

Each publication in the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC) Focus series presents a small selection of the Clearinghouse collection focused on a topic of particular interest to mathematics and science teachers. In addition to meeting general requirements for inclusion in the ENC collection, curriculum materials in the Focus series are:…

This book is intended to explain principles of qualitative research to potential researchers and to provide them with a set of tools, and guidelines for critical thinking as they carry out such research. The chapters are organized around the elements of the research process which require decisions. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 2…

The thesis of this paper is that, in evaluating most innovative educational projects that are conducted in schools, tenets of formal experimental design and associated inferential data analysis methods should be given limited emphasis. The basis of this thesis lies in the problems and difficulties that undermine the design and implementation of…

An evaluation was conducted to determine the outcomes and impacts of participation in the ALBERTA BEST training program in terms of participant attitudes toward service excellence and business profitability. ALBERTA BEST is a customer service program offered by the Alberta (Canada) government. The evaluation involved a series of case studies…

This study investigated how 8 secondary school students coped with the task of choosing their own problems for a 9-week course in an alternative school in Ithaca, New York. The students chose a theme to be investigated before the class started, collected real data on the theme, and if they felt the need for it, analyzed it using Function Probe, a…

This manual has been produced to familiarize data users with the procedures followed for data collection and processing of the first follow-up dropout component of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). Necessary documentation is also provided for use of the data files. The base-year population covered by the NELS:88 included…

This study compiled descriptive information about what states are doing or planning to do with early intervention data systems, a component of early intervention systems as specified in Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The study examined the uses of data systems in eight states: Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,…

This manual, developed in an effort to take the mysticism out of program evaluation, discusses six phases of the program evaluation process. The introduction discusses reasons for evaluation, process and outcome evaluation, the purpose of the handbook, the evaluation process, and the Sequoia United School District Dropout Prevention Program. Phase…

Strengths and weaknesses of prevailing evaluation models are analyzed, with attention to the role of feedback in each paradigm. A framework is then presented for analyzing issues faced by evaluators of interactive instructional technologies. The current practice of evaluation relies heavily on 3 models developed over 20 years ago: (1) the…

The Multiple Option Observation System for Experimental Studies (MOOSES) is a flexible data collection and analysis package for applied behavioral research that addresses the needs of researchers interested in live coding of observational data. MOOSES allows the researcher to design a coding system for a particular research question. General types…

With constant changes taking place in the practice of public relations, evaluation and modification are requisite to maintaining a competitive degree program with competitive graduates. Whether a program is in the process of being developed or is being evaluated for certification or reaccreditation, it is critical to look to current and future…

In the field of child and family programs, a needs assessment, which is essentially a fact-finding exercise, can be conducted either by focusing on a particular program or by examining a population of interest. In conducting a needs assessment, it is important to be systematic, be clear about the information which is sought, be specific about the…

This guide, which is sent to postsecondary schools, provides them with draft cohort default rates for student loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. The guide is intended to assist schools in understanding how a cohort default rate is calculated, reviewing loan record…