This article presents the methodology and findings on school attendance obtained over two years from 2006 for the National Behaviour and Attendance Review in Wales. The review was led and chaired by the author and the report was presented to the Minister for Children, Lifelong Learning and Skills and the Welsh Assembly Government in May 2008. The…

Research studies on service learning and teacher education have concluded that one of the major challenges is the lack of assessment studies that document the impact of service learning on students' academic development. In this research study, the perceptions of 65 preservice teachers on service learning were assessed. The major goals of the…

This book explores philosophical differences between feminist teacher-educators of the post-World War II generations and their students, who have experienced the restructured schools and recessionary environment of the "New Right." The volume reaches across boundaries and cultures with a life-history approach to women's studies, giving dimension…

In the mid-1960s, social scientists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss developed grounded theory as a systematic and rigorous method of qualitative data analysis leading to "the discovery of theory from data." In grounded theory, the researcher applies a set of coding procedures to the data until a provisional theory emerges inductively.…

The article argues that the law-related educational (LRE) community should understand education research methods better to demonstrate to policy makers and funding sources the value of LRE and to evaluate alternative educational strategies. To facilitate the reading and conducting of research, the article explains for LRE practitioners research…

In 1993, E. Perrigo and D. Gaut surveyed 222 business communication professors and received the names of textbooks that there instructors used. From the list, 10 were chosen and examined to discover what the authors deemed important knowledge for business students. Areas identified were: (1) the role or importance of communication in business…

Even though increasing numbers of blind students have been attending schools and colleges, little research has appeared specifically on the writing processes of blind writers. This paper presents a case study which developed a preliminary process account of the composing techniques of a blind executive who administers a medium-sized social service…

This study analyzes how undergraduate university teachers are thinking in the classroom about the theoretical and practical contents related to the subject called "Curriculum Studies." The study focuses on the aspects of the theory-practice relationship, the idea of curriculum, and the theoretical references used by the undergraduate…

This study examines how Robert Kapilow, Yale-educated classical- and Broadway-music conductor, educates diverse audiences about classical music. Phenomenological and case study methods were used to explore: (1) what music education has meant to Kapilow; and (2) how this view influenced his practice of teaching and conducting. Analysis of in-depth…

This paper summarizes practical strategies that qualitative researchers can employ to improve their interviewing skills. The first section, "The Art of Questioning: Wording Makes a Difference," presents several guidelines: (1) questions should be short and precise; (2) ask only one question at a time; (3) avoid questions in which the…

Groups from two Michigan-based science education projects, funded through the Kellogg Foundation Science Education Initiative, used networking conferences with cluster evaluation processes for their program assessment format. Cluster evaluation is categorized as a type of naturalistic evaluation, and it includes negotiated common cluster outcomes,…

This paper examines the nature and extent of friendships between disabled and nondisabled people through a study of several pairs of such friends. Indepth interviews examined such questions as how the individuals met, the history of their relationship, how each individual perceives the friendship, and how this friendship compares to other…

This study sought to identify the variables which influence the meanings of labels used by science education researchers doing qualitative research. In a qualitative emergent design study, participant observation, informal interviews, and document review were used to gather and analyze data in recurring cycles. Presentations and discussions among…

The paper describes a naturalistic evaluation study of an enrichment program for gifted learners in Newfoundland. The pull-out program (for two half days out of six) is described in terms of audience concerns and issues, standards, program components, and data-generating techniques (observations and interviews). The evaluation led to a report…

This qualitative study of expectations for and outcomes of practicums in library and information science had four aims: (1) to discover whether faculty, host librarians, and students had the same objectives; (2) to ask students what they experienced in the practicum and compare this to their previously stated expectations; (3) to assess the…