The Qualitative Studies section of the Proceedings contains the following 10 papers: "An Alternative to Alternative Media'" (James Hamilton); "A Critical Assessment of News Coverage of the Ethical Implications of Genetic Testing" (David A. Craig); "Earth First! and the Boundaries of Postmodern Environmental…

This study examines the use of research techniques to generate information that informs curriculum development, in order to develop more powerful social studies curricula for the primary grades. The paper describes the studies of four implementations of units, all done in self-contained second-grade classrooms in suburban schools with traditional…

Student projects in both research and statistics classes promote active learning and critical thinking not found in more passive types of course delivery. Students start the dialogue of researchers as they internalize the process of conducting research projects with "real world" issues of interest to them in introductions to research and…

A large government agency had been experiencing a variety of changes. The new head of the agency approached communication researchers about doing analyses of the effectiveness of communication in the agency. The researchers conducted two studies: a qualitative one to identify organizational and organizational communication themes, and a…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the design and implementation of 10 neuropathology interactive videodisc instructional (IVI) modules used by Michigan State University undergraduate medical students in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the College of Human Medicine. The modules were developed by Michigan State University personnel…

This research, begun in Fall 1991, explored the learning-to-learn strategies of adult students taking computer conferencing courses for college credit. It investigated how these students define effective learning and how they direct their own learning and lifestyles to meet the unique demands of this medium. This research gathered data through…

This paper discusses the integration of positivist single-subject design with interpretive, or naturalist, qualitative methods in the development of effective interventions for rural special education students. The resulting research/intervention design includes: (1) extending the normal baseline period from 3 to 10 days thus allowing the…

Evaluation can be crucial to help meet the needs and requirements of the teacher, students, and curriculum in distance education. Distance education usually encompasses a wide diversity of students, multi-site classrooms, little opportunity for interaction among students, and unfamiliar technology. Because of these uncertainties, evaluation of…

Previous studies within traditional university settings indicate that a student's mathematics anxiety is directly correlated to previous school mathematics performance, as well as the attitudes developed during those prior mathematics classroom experiences. As a consequence, special programs have been devised at local levels to help students cope…

This paper describes the planning of a qualitative research methodology to develop strategies to improve and expand social interaction skills of deaf-blind students in supported employment settings. Characteristics of qualitative research are delineated and include: definition of the domain of the research; an evolving study design; behavior…

According to the literature on school-based management, there are two clear schools of thought on this issue. One school views school-based management as a positive and successful vehicle of school improvement. The other argues that it has been minimally successful in school improvement. The leadership role of the school principal is widely…

The Ohio State University Medical Center, a large urban academic medical center, and Mary Rutan Hospital, a rural community hospital in Logan County, Ohio, have been linked through a series of scholarly engagements spanning more than thirty years. What emerges from a qualitative study of key informants with personal knowledge of this interaction…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how drawings can contribute to generating new information when solvers use drawings in solving mathematical problems. For this purpose, two episodes, in which drawings enabled a solver to find ideas useful for his solutions, were qualitatively and closely analyzed, especially focusing on what roles…

"Curanderismo," or folk healing is seen as an important part of Mexican and Mexican-American culture, and continues to have significant influence in South Texas. A teaching unit, as well as lectures and various publications on curanderismo have been developed, based on research and interviews with practitioners. The practice of…

This paper describes a study which evaluated effects of Challenge Grant activities in the arts program at Montclair State College (Pennsylvania). An introductory discussion examines special problems of evaluation in the arts and provides a rationale for a humanist approach with a focus on meaning in art rather than comparison with one or more…