School administrators' decisions to examine available research depends on a problem's magnitude, the match between problem and solution, and evaluation considerations. Likely sources of good educational practices are research syntheses, current implementation research, and student learning research from developers or publishers. Administrators…

Two superintendents explain how they use educational research. The Jericho (New York) Union Free School District used research to help reopen a school and change a junior high to a middle school. The Orange County (Virginia) Public Schools superintendent feels that certain areas of practice (staff development, grading, grouping, and evaluation)…

Compared to 2 earlier studies in which fewer than 5% of subjects had nursing master's degrees, a study in which 49% of 157 were master's-prepared nurses found the overall extent of dissemination and use of research findings was similar. However, master's-prepared nurses made more use of research findings than bachelor's-degree nurses. (SK)

Discussion of games and game-like exercises developed by the author at the University of Michigan focuses on the relationship between theory and practice in education. Highlights include simulation games, metaphoric games, literal games, and puzzle-based games. (LRW)

Addresses (1) how to characterize and organize Spanish verb morphology within Natural Generative Grammar, and (2) how such an organization leads to implications for second-language pedagogy, specifically, of verb classification according to a thematic-athematic distinction. (46 references) (GLR)

Discusses the potential usefulness of German critical social theorist Jurgen Habermas' theoretical framework for writing teachers to use as an aid to reflecting deeply about what they practice. (SR)

This commentary on the six research articles in this issue focuses on (1) the definition of higher order thinking skills; (2) the importance of studying higher order thinking; and (3) the development of intervention programs to improve individuals' critical thinking skills. (BC)

Responds to previous article's proposal to integrate first- and second-order therapies. Notes focus on deliberate ways to promote respectful stance in therapy. Considers limitations of intentional efforts and relationship of conscious mind to other natural orders of mind in living world. Suggests that therapist's deliberate efforts must be…

A conference commemorating the 400th anniversary of Comenius's birth was held in Prague in March 1992. The Czech scholar's basic premise was the panharmony of the universe (among nature, humankind, and the divine world). He integrated the elements of methodological, philosophical, theological, political, and social reform by stressing their…

Discusses the struggle between competing epistemologies. Warns of problems that arise when a theory or practice states that it is the "true" epistemological foundation for writing centers. Asserts that the stances teachers take toward how best to teach writing are determined by their view of where truth is located and how best it can be…

Three dimensions of practical knowledge are knowledge how, knowledge that, and tacit knowledge. Six means of acquiring practical knowledge are professional/vocational education, practice, internalizing the rules, monitoring and adapting performance, reflecting, and continuing education. (SK)

Continuing educators have several options for practice: (1) being clear about the nature of their business; (2) adopting a holistic approach; (3) building better preprofessional programs; (4) moving to where learning occurs; (5) legitimizing practical knowledge; and (6) addressing contextual influences. (SK)

Suggests that instruction and research that combine the humanities and computer science should be conducted by people skilled in both fields. Argues against dividing such work between idea and technical people. Describes a neural network approach to the study of metaphor that reflects the connectionist method. (SG)

The Health Promotion and Education Council of Virginia became an effective advocate by incorporating elements of the theory of innovation diffusion, such as working through opinion leaders, creating information exchange relationships, tailoring attributes of the innovation to achieve objectives, and communicating the innovation to legislators. (SK)

The model of discourse comprehension of W. Kintsch (1988) draws on connectionist ideas and gives rise to some mathematical questions that are investigated in this paper, giving theoretical support to the model. (Author/SLD)