Although scholars and policy analysts both value quality-controlled collections of research results, they evaluate research according to different criteria. Nevertheless, an examination of a pessimistic fictional research experience and a more productive actual experience indicate that, although differences in focus between scholars and policy…

The concept of a problem-focused coursework model, the main inservice vehicle examined in this research conducted at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, incorporates traditional university input with training in implementation skills for teachers. The study examined the impact of a problem-focused model of coursework on the instructional…

A group of teachers and researchers organized the Written Literacy Forum (WLF) to investigate how research on writing instruction could be made more practical for educators. WLF examined common research assumptions and their effects on formal research presentations, highlighting the surprising lack of effort by researchers to talk with teachers…

A school-based intervention, Changing Teacher Practice (CPT), was developed to teach school leaders, principals, and resource leaders what research has discovered to be effective teaching and effective staff development. CTP was designed to determine if research findings could be used to improve practice and whether practitioners in a school…

This document addresses the first objective of a study to develop criteria to measure the effectiveness of vocational education demonstration projects. An introduction provides background to the project and the issue addressed here, namely the issue of interim and final acceptable evidence of project impact, including the criteria, documentation,…

This document addresses the second objective of a study to develop criteria to measure the effectiveness of vocational education programs. An introduction provides background to the project and the objective addressed here, namely the recommendation of proposal review criteria. Section II discusses development of the recommended criteria, which…

Because vocational researchers and practitioners have not been able to reach a consensus concerning criteria for judging excellence in vocational education and have been unable to agree on exactly which factors lead to successful programs, research in vocational education has had limited impact on improving practice. Two sets of research findings…

This paper presents a proposal for improving the relationship between the communities of research on teaching and teacher education. An examination is made on ways existing research on teaching might be used in curriculum planning for teacher education. Three changes are called for: (1) that researchers and teacher educators understand each…

This report contains the synthesis of Research on Instructional Effectiveness in Elementary Schools (RUETE). The emphasis of the research fellows was on large scale, classroom-based studies related to student achievement. Current research in the areas of active teaching behaviors, activity and task stuctures, and academic learning time is…

Schools have been accused of being insensitive to students' cultural backgrounds, and thus of failing to serve some populations because instruction and curricula are designed for middle class children. But teachers should be cautious about applying the findings of ethnographic studies which address this problem. Although ethnographic studies…

The changing nature of institutional research due to the expanded use and capabilities of information technology was explored through a regional survey of institutional researchers, who indicated their involvement in information systems development. Results were analyzed for all respondents, by type of institution (four-year versus two-year), and…

In accordance with research into what makes schools effective, efforts were made to translate the findings into a school improvement project in the New York City Public Schools. The research isolated five characteristics of schools identified as effective (that is, as demonstrating for 3 years the ability to deliver basic school skills to the full…

This paper illustrates how theoretical research and development of an innovative instructional approach have been successfully integrated with teacher training and classroom implementation. This approach, called "Complex Instruction", was designed to facilitate the development of cognitive, academic, and linguistic functioning of all students in…

This report presents a strategic plan for the South to extend its recent success in economic development to incorporate research, manufacturing technology, and new employment opportunities demanding highly skilled workers. The report first lists a set of goals and related objectives, and these are followed by two sections discussing (1) technology…

A description is given of the activities that occurred during the initial three years of planning and implementing a staff development program aimed at effective teaching and supervision in the Glendale, California, Unified School District. The report focuses on the third component of a five-year master plan, the planning and implementation of a…