The methodology of interpretation of qualitative data was explored using a grounded theory approach to the synthesis of data, examining the construction of categories in particular. The focus is on ways of organizing data and attaching meaning, as research problems embedded in cultural context are explored. A qualitative research training task…

The American Association of School Administrators, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the National Council on Measurement in Education are cooperating on a project to develop competency standards for educational administrators in the area of student assessment. A…

The understandings of and interest in the environment of children in an inner-city black community were studied. To investigate their environmental moral reasoning, children's evaluations and supporting justifications were assessed regarding a hypothetical scenario that involved polluting a local waterway. Seventy-two children, 12 males and 12…

This study explored the relationship between test anxiety and metacognitive word knowledge on performance on a reading comprehension test. One hundred and seventeen college students completed four paper and pencil measures: (1) a self-report measure of test anxiety; (2) an archival test of reading ability; (3) a metacognitive word knowledge task;…

A hypermedia simulation, Sickle Cell Counselor, has been developed to anchor instruction for museum visitors using the task of advising couples about the decision to have children when there is a substantial genetic risk of sickle cell disease. A visitor can perform simulated laboratory tests and ask questions via interactive video. The anchored…

This study, undertaken at a Michigan high school, examined the development of collaborative relationships among school personnel, community members, and agency staff for the effective transition of students with disabilities from school to adult life. It attempted to identify the essential components and common barriers to such relationships and…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has developed a new generation of assessment tasks for evaluating student achievement in music. Using paper-and-pencil and performance formats, these tasks draw on the musical traditions of many cultures and historical periods. This report summarizes results from the 1997 assessment of eighth…

This exploratory study examined the interactions of preservice teachers with their pupils to determine if differences in interaction were seen. Explorations of teacher thinking, particularly the social cognitive process of trait attribution and the role of cultural background experiences, were key areas of analysis. The literature reviews…

Alcohol has been and continues to be the drug of choice of youth. More than 75% of adolescents have used alcohol by the age of 16 and over 60% of high school seniors nationwide have used some form of alcohol on the average of once a month. This study investigated factors affecting attitudes toward use of alcohol of 6th-grade students (N=68) and…

Policymakers have targeted what they perceive to be the inadequate content knowledge of teachers. Underlying resulting policies is an assumption that requiring prospective teachers to take more arts and sciences courses will remedy the problem. This paper examines whether or not this assumption is warranted. The discussion incorporates: critiques…

This paper describes a study of the differences between problem solving skills of graduate students in education who have had full-time teaching experience and those who have not. Information was gathered to determine the extent to which the use of concepts in problem solving and the use of problem solving strategies differ among educators as a…

The need for effective programs to delay sexual activity and to educate adolescents regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has never been greater. Statistics point out that a significant number of teenagers throughout the United States engage in behavior that increases their risks of becoming infected with HIV. This study examined…

This study provides a description and analysis of how teachers read research in light of prior beliefs about what research is and how it should influence teaching. Attention to teachers' beliefs has become an essential feature of studies designed to help understand research. The beliefs on which researchers and teacher educators typically focus…

The Future Quest curriculum is a functional curriculum to teach drug abuse prevention skills to youth with mild disabilities. The curriculum is a one-semester instructional program of lesson plans that incorporate research-based effective teaching practices and are specifically designed to meet the needs of students with learning and behavior…

This paper addresses issues identified in a survey of regular teachers needing to implement classroom-based remediation programs for children with language and/or learning disabilities. Sixteen teachers from two states completed open-ended surveys and participated in follow-up interviews. The survey examined their opinions concerning the inclusion…