This article is a tribute to Graham Nuthall's contribution to classroom research from his early experimental studies through to his recent work on theory integration. It also explains the potential of the methodology, findings and theory building in our collaborative work to make a substantial positive difference for diverse students. The article…

This article explores how classroom-based teacher inquiry research supports teachers in constructing understandings about teaching and learning that are uniquely applicable to their own contexts in American urban schools. This study was conducted by two teacher educators in their year-long classroom-based inquiry research classes with…

We applied a classroom research model to investigate student understanding of sampling distributions of sample means and the Central Limit Theorem in post-calculus introductory probability and statistics courses. Using a quantitative assessment tool developed by previous researchers and a qualitative assessment tool developed by the authors, we…

Social studies research has been criticized for sampling bias, inappropriate methodologies, incorrect or inappropriate use of statistics, weak or ill-defined treatments, and lack of replication and/or longitudinal follow-up. In an effort to ascertain whether past criticisms were true of current research as well, a review was conducted of 118…

The focus of the study reported in this paper was the creative process in children's telling of stories (rather than analysis of the stories themselves). Storytelling was introduced as a possible weekly free-play school activity to children aged three to six, and most of the children chose to participate on several occasions. The storytelling of…

When preschool children were given a choice of activities, they spent significantly more time working with puzzles/brissle blocks than they did working at a computer. Sex and age differences were not statistically significant. Wide individual differences in the "holding power" of both the computer and puzzles/brissle blocks were found.…

This paper proposes that the study of schooling would benefit from more research that is social in nature. The characteristics of social research are described in terms of three dimensions--the extent to which "context" and "interaction" of phenomena are considered and the degree to which "participant conceptions" are incorporated in description…

The development of the between-class, within-class analysis has facilitated a more refined analysis of classroom processes and influences: those which affect a class as a whole, a student within a class, or an individual student independent of context. However, a problem arises in using a between-class, within-class analysis to infer a particular…

Methods for videotaping a second grade classroom effectively and unobtrusively are described. Guidelines for equipment and personnel needs, equipment placement, and recording procedures are included. Details of the difficulties such methods present are also described. (SAS)

This discussion explores children's understanding of the nature of distributive justice in classrooms and provides an initial model for further research. The issue of distributive justice arises in a situation when an individual assesses the fairness of the distribution of any limited resource, such as the physical, instructional and social…

A format is drawn for planning, writing, and assessing a collaborative research proposal. A description is given of the essential sections of a research proposal, and a brief explanation of each is provided. A suggested evaluation procedure is included to use for evaluating and ranking each proposal against established, published standards. These…

This paper describes a model of classroom processes that can be used in research on the nature of the relationship between school practices and student achievement. It is stated that the model specifies that criterion performance is a function of initial abilities and of the following four constructs: (1) opportunity, (2) motivators, (3)…

This document summarizes the highlights of research on teacher effectiveness and concludes with recommendations based on a synthesis of this past work. The various methodologies that have been used are discussed, from rating scales to objective observation techniques, such as OScAR and the ecological studies. The major problems in teacher…

Eighteen significantly different classroom lighting systems were measured and analyzed in order to determine how contrasts from different light sources affect the ability to see visual tasks in the school room. Using criteria and techniques established from previous lighting research, the lighting systems are evaluated according to their…

Dyadic interactions between teachers and students were recorded in 30 classrooms with each classroom being observed for one day. At the end of the day teachers were told the number of contacts they had with individual students and were asked to estimate the percentages that were a) response opportunities, in which the child attempts to answer a…