Using a symbolic interactionism theoretical perspective, this project examined the merits of team collaborative action research as a tool in comprehensive staff development for middle- grade teachers. The specific question examined during the action research was how inclusion of special needs students affects the academic and social achievement of…

A study explored the vocabulary development available in a variety of current preschoolers' television shows. A quantitative analysis of seven programs on two networks (PBS and Nickelodeon) was undertaken over a total viewing time of 40 hours; a qualitative analysis of techniques used to present vocabulary was also documented for these shows.…

"What is it like to be in teaching together?" has been the guiding question for this hermeneutic phenomenological study with the full-time faculty of a small engineering college. It notes the faculty struggles and conflicts arising from diverse ways of knowing associated with gender and academic discipline differences. It also explores differing…

The major purpose of the workshop, "Setting a Global Agenda for the Nineties," was to identify an agenda for International Council for Distance Education (ICDE)-sponsored research. Three papers that were prepared for the workshop make up the major part of this report: (1) "Marrow Bone Thinking: Toward a Fair Representation of…

Seven combined or multi-grade classes, ranging from grades 2 to 5, were the focus of a qualitative, naturalistic inquiry. In each of the four elementary schools visited for the study, the decision to have combined classes had been made shortly before school started for administrative reasons. The study sought to determine the manner in which the…

The National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) is a training trust established by an industry trade association and a union to maintain the supply of well-trained competent elevator mechanics. The NEIEP conducts Train the Trainer seminars that present a skill-building program to give each instructor a range of techniques and strategies…

This study looked at the experience of four high school teachers as they worked to develop a collegial community by implementing the "Connections" program. The teachers were on the faculty at Cedar City High School in southern Ohio where their subjects were, respectively, English, Social Studies, and Physical Science; one teacher was in…

In the last 10 years, women's gender-equity reports have increased in number. Some theorists perceive quantitative procedures as "masculine" and qualitative procedures as "feminine." To refute this dichotomy, over 200 equity research reports produced between 1981 and 1991 were examined in a mini-meta analysis to identify the…

This document looks at advertising and political commercials in radio. When placing an advertisement, in any media in general and radio in particular, one takes into consideration qualitative and quantitative data: how many people are listening, and who they are, and what level of education they have attained. Listeners have extremely well…

It is argued that the debate between qualitative and quantitative research for educational researchers is actually an argument between constructivism and positivism. Positivism has been the basis for most quantitative research in education. Two different things are actually meant when constructivism is discussed (constructivism and…

A literature review synthesized the qualitative research from science education that described students' cognitive processes in conceptual change and the related effects of context. Studies were located by manual and on-line searches of more than 15 data bases to retrieve the published, unpublished, and fugitive research. The actual case studies…

This digest illustrates the variety of basic and theoretical issues in evaluation with which aspiring evaluators should be conversant in order to claim that they know the knowledge base of their profession. Coverage of the issues includes: the four steps in the logic of evaluation; whether qualitative evaluations are valid; whether it matters if…

Some reflections on the future of educational research are offered as responses to questions derived from an article by Ian Stronach ("Research Intelligence," n61 p3 1997). The first is the question of what the future holds for the philosophy and methodology of educational inquiry. A response to this question must recognize the importance of the…

This study examined how teachers use instructional methods to meet the diverse academic needs of students. Surveys were completed by 284 secondary school teachers from 28 high schools in 7 school divisions of the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium. Rural, suburban, and urban schools were represented. Qualitative and quantitative methods…

This microethnographic study examined the perspectives of paraprofessionals assisting students with disabilities in inclusive educational settings. Extensive open-ended individual interviews were conducted with 10 educational technicians from 10 different schools in Maine. Demographic data on paraprofessionals in Maine were also analyzed. The…