This study, undertaken in the summer of 1986, was to develop a comprehensive evaluation and needs assessment for the Alabama Judicial College. Qualitative research techniques (participant observation and in-depth interviewing) were applied to collect the necessary data. Judicial employees were observed in courtroom, office, training and social…

The process of focus-finding in qualitative research is ongoing and dynamic, involves researcher choices and decisions (rather than pure discovery), and is a process of social construction in which the researcher interacts with the research setting. Focus-finding is discussed in the context of a qualitative research study of the integration of…

A study examined student-teacher writing conferences in a ninth grade English class to uncover what significance this form of instruction has both as a collaborative methodology and as a factor in individualizing the process of learning to write in the secondary school. Subjects included a successful ninth grade English teacher at a public high…

A qualitative study was conducted of the contributions that institutional leaders make to fostering conditions that encourage high-quality out-of-class experiences for college students. A nine-member research team conducted the study. A process of nominations, recommendations and review yielded the selection of 14 institutions for the study. Site…

Three case studies investigated the school day of disadvantaged rural students with severe disabilities. Subjects were severely disabled girls, living in families with no income other than public assistance, and attending elementary or middle school in three poor rural school districts. A constant comparative method of single and cross-site data…

Evaluation of the professional role of teacher specialists in New York City (New York) Teacher Centers was conducted through use of an innovative case study approach. Three research/evaluation questions were considered: (1) what services were being delivered? (2) what impact these services have at individual teacher, school, and…

This article is a dialog between colleagues from different races who struggle with the complexities of doing qualitative research with participants who come from backgrounds that do not match their own. Based on transcriptions of extensive audiotaped conversations, the article explores issues related to studying across difference. The discussion…

This paper describes the implementation of the 6Rs writing approach into a summer literacy program offered to poor, urban children in New York City. Taking a cue from Rosenblatt (2004) the authors believe that readers and writers add onto their understandings and extensions of language as they engage in and transact with new readings, new writing…

The availability of distance courses has made it possible for some people to attend college because courses are accessible within their locality, or the time of course delivery is convenient to them. This opportunity for learning has not been without critiques of the quality of such instruction. Technology education programs with a history of…

With the increase in prominence of the investigative approach in Hong Kong science curricula from the primary to the senior secondary level, there is urgency for local science educators including primary school teachers to gain a better understanding of pupils' existing cognitive understanding and reasoning ability for performing science…

Presents an analysis of some aspects of conversational phonology by examining the general phonetic resources that are used by speakers of Tyneside (a nonstandard variety of English). This phonological analysis of the interaction of turn-completion takes into account pitch, loudness, and tempo, as well as segmental features. (TR)

Case studies of three nontraditional female college graduates from an Appalachian community in eastern Kentucky examined whether and how education changed these women's literacy habits. Also addressed were the literate practices they used in job, home, and community settings; the effects of their education on their children; and whether…

The purpose of this report is to provide a detailed overview of the development and initial validation of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). The MSLQ is an 81-item, self-report instrument designed to measure college students' motivational orientations and their use of various learning strategies (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, &…

This guide is designed to encourage students, faculty, and policymakers to become more self-reflective in their inquiry. Placing the pursuit of ideas at the epicenter of research, K-12 and higher education scholars advance ideas for enhancing educational inquiry, relying extensively on narratives, vignettes, and examples of key episodes in…

The transition from elementary to middle school can be an exciting as well as scary time for young adolescents. The stress of this transition can be decreased by incorporating transition programs that address student needs and concerns. This qualitative research study was designed to gain an overall sense of fourth grade in order to better…