A practical guide for designing and carrying out qualitative case study in education is provided. How-to advice for managing all phases of case study research is included. The focus is on case studies that draw from what is commonly known as the qualitative research paradigm rather than a quantitative, positivistic, experimental orientation. Three…

This study conceptualized school-based computer coordinators as change agents and analyzed their strategies, skills, and outcomes. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data from three computer coordinators, their supervisors, teachers, and parents. Data were analyzed case by case and then across cases, using the framework and method…

The linking of research and action, basic methods of social research, and the uses of research in distance teaching are examined, with examples drawn from the Lesotho Distance Teaching Centre and other distance teaching programs. Ways in which research can be useful and early stages of research design and planning are discussed. An explanation of…

The study of teachers as decision-makers is a recent paradigm in educational research. This decision-making approach considers the teacher as an active professional engaged in various decision-making activities prior to and during instruction. This paper describes a naturalistic research design employed in a recent dissertation that investigated…

The Austin Independent School District (AISD) Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) conducts three surveys to contribute to more informed and better decision-making. The Questions for Teachers and Questions for Administrators surveys are both sent out annually to determine the attitudes of District staff on issues of importance districtwide. The…

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the analysis of data collected by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). In simplest terms, the analysis can be characterized as establishing baseline estimates of the percentages of young Americans possessing certain skills, knowledge, understandings, and attitudes and…

In order to ascertain what data elements should commonly be considered in the development of a meaningful procedure for recording and analyzing library reference transaction data for planning purposes, a comparison was made between the development, use, and results of surveys designed and tested at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and the…

A subset of Statistical Process Control (SPC) methodology known as Control Charting is introduced. SPC methodology is a collection of graphical and inferential statistics techniques used to study the progress of phenomena over time. The types of control charts covered are the null X (mean), R (Range), X (individual observations), MR (moving…

This paper is the third in an Education Commission of the States (ECS) series focusing on the problems of youth at risk of not successfully making the transition to adulthood. The topic of this paper is the use of both existing and new information to understand the magnitude, scope, and future of students who are educationally at risk. The first…

Based on an assessment of the research of others and personal research experience, suggestions are provided on the analysis and reporting of data on high school dropouts. Most of the experience upon which these insights are based is associated with schools in Boston, Massachusetts. Topics covered include types of statistics to be reported,…

In response to a frequently articulated call for "ecological" validity from instructional communication investigations, this paper reports on methodological issues which evolved during the development and application of a coding scheme for content analyzing teacher compliance-gaining messages. Starting with a consideration of the…

Computer programs are presented to plot item and test characteristic curves and item information functions for parameter estimates produced by the LOGIST and BICAL computer programs. These programs provide data in tabular format, but their usefulness in test development and measurement courses can be greatly enhanced by graphic plots of the item…

The purpose of this study was to examine the variable of estimated earnings in order to determine how forecasts might be utilized to develop a securities portfolio strategy. The hypothesis stated that there is an inverse relationship between projected change in earnings per share and security performance. Ninety-one New York Stock Exchange…

Analysis of the responses to telephone and personal interviews by 21 teacher supervisors from six school districts in Pennsylvania revealed three possible patterns of direct supervision of teachers. "Nominal" supervision consists of voicing compliance with statutory requirements for observation of teaching, a clear focus on identifying…

The Visual Arts Program of the National Endowment of the Arts undertook a survey to determine the economic conditions of artists and the processes by which they exhibit works in four cities located outside the major art centers of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The selected market areas included Houston, Minneapolis, Washington, and San…