In this paper two educational consultants, one a researcher in South African issues and the other a researcher in Kazakstan issues, share their respective experiences of teaching in South Africa and Kazakstan and examine their assumptions and methods of consultation. The paper analyzes how the consultants' observations of education in these…

As a dimension of a total school reform initiative, the Delcroft School faculty, committed to a more integrative literacy curriculum, implemented a proposed framework to align teaching/learning/assessment. The staff was already committed to implementing the integrative curriculum framework of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the new…

Examining both qualitative and quantitative approaches, this introductory text addresses media and communication research methods. Written for beginning research students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, the book is clear, concise, and accompanied by many detailed examples. Attention-grabbing dialogue begins each chapter and gives…

This interpretive research explores five first graders' perceptions of reading and of being readers, asking the questions: What does reading or being a reader mean to a group of children who are at the end of first grade? What do they see as its purpose? and How do they view themselves as readers? The data are presented in the form of narratives…

Elliot Eisner has sketched the outlines of the move toward plurality in educational research in an essay that embraces, perhaps unintentionally, a postmodern orientation that has the potential to disrupt the historically monolithic character of educational research. Eisner's discussion is expanded to suggest that qualitative research in…

A qualitative case study design was used to identify effective staff development practices in schools where there had been an increase in scores on the state-mandated tests over a period of 2 years. Informal interviews were conducted with 10 Algebra I teachers at 2 high schools, 4 eighth-grade mathematics teachers at 2 middle schools, 7 English…

This qualitative research studied patterns of student self-talk (thought) in a sixth-grade mathematics classroom. The research sought greater understanding of the mental labels and operative cognitive structures upon which students rely in order to participate in schoolwork. Twenty-four students were given "math journals" and asked to…

A qualitative study examined the use of retelling as a culturally responsive strategy for Micronesian students. More specifically, it examined the effect of the retelling strategy on the literacy development of an 11-year-old Micronesian student from Chuuk over the course of 9 months in a fifth-grade Guam classroom. Results showed increases in the…

Reports findings of a qualitative study of the educational experiences of 21 women who were academic high achievers who were disadvantaged as children. Most participants believed one reason they were successful is that they did not reveal their backgrounds to educators. The participants' relationship to the concept of disadvantage is explored.…

This study compared interactions in 18 families headed by either deaf or hearing parents with an eldest hearing child (aged 7 to 11). Transcripts of parent/child dyadic interactions during a vacation planning activity were analyzed. There were no significant differences between children in the two groups, though deaf parents demonstrated less…

From case study articles drawn from four journals in gifted education, two are identified as exemplars of qualitative case study research. The works of Coleman (2001) and Hebert and Beardsley (2001) are used to illustrate how researchers can plan qualitative case studies so that the perspectives of gifted students are included. (Contains…

Introduces and demonstrates a modified task analysis model. On the basis of this model applied in a qualitative study conducted in a program for hearing-impaired preschool children in Taiwan, findings that shed light on how and why discrepant behaviors in teaching practices can results from a well-defined and demonstrated pedagogy are reported.…

Describes an exercise that is centered upon an article by Simon Davis that focused on examining personal advertisements in "The Vancouver Sun" newspaper during the 1980s. States that students analyze this article, replicate his analysis, pursue their own questions, and learn about qualitative analysis software. Discusses the benefits of the…

A student staff inquiry project in one university's department of health education assessed the motivation and satisfaction of student staff and peer educators. Students created interview tools, collected and analyzed data, and developed recommendations. Through this student-driven process, several themes emerged (the need for more department…

Describes one pattern of reasoning observed in a mathematical activity with students in a grade 5 class and discusses ways in which the pattern is or is not mathematical. Describes patterns of reasoning in terms of ways of reasoning and degree of formulation of the reasoning. Distinguishes between mathematical reasoning and scientific reasoning in…