Presenting a portrait of a high school literature classroom, this paper gives a detailed, evocative characterization of what one particular and well-regarded high school literature teacher actually does in her classroom. The paper describes how the teacher-researcher chose a colleague whose experience and expertise were generally thought to be…

This paper presents a qualitative case study of three interns who completed the 5-year teacher education program at the University of Tennessee and, following their intern year, were hired as teachers in the high school where they had served as interns. The program at the university prepared teachers in two phases: the undergraduate years, devoted…

Using a qualitative research approach, the researcher interviewed (over an 11-month period) four black, low-income mothers of children with disabilities concerning their perceptions of empowerment in interactions with professionals from an outreach agency attempting to increase family involvement in the special education process. In previous…

Excerpts are taken from published works, college curricula and handbooks, and other sources to examine the aim of colleges in terms of student outcomes. Written in outline style, the document begins by setting a context. Subsequent sections have the following headings: (1) What Outcomes or Characteristics Do We Think Our Students Will Need To Be…

In the past few years, political, economic, and social conditions in Ontario have changed rapidly. In some regions unexpected shifts in population have adversely affected school organization, and schools have had to be opened or closed in haste. This study has a twofold aim: to develop a methodology that will enable Ontario school boards to make…

This paper describes two studies that utilize different research methods, one statistical and one non-statistical, conducted by The National Urban League to assess the needs of black communities. The first study, Black Pulse, whose purpose was to assess the conditions and attitudes of black Americans, consisted of a detailed, statistical survey of…

Based on weekly reports sent via electronic mail, correspondence between sites, and bi-monthly audiotapes from teachers, this qualitative study analyses data from 32 elementary and secondary Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) teachers in five schools concerning management changes that occurred in teaching and learning in the new computerized…

Applications of the qualitative approach in the evaluation of special education and second language programs are addressed in this paper. Qualitative data are recommended for providing detailed descriptions of specific program elements, and can be obtained through interviews, observations, case studies, and ethnographic studies. Six evaluation…

Phase III of the Louisiana School Effectiveness Study (LSES-III) was designed in part to obtain rich, qualitative data on the characteristics of more and less effective schools in the Gulf South. Data were gathered on eight matched outlier pairs of schools during the 1984-1985 school year. Of the eight historically ineffective schools in LSES-III,…

Policymaking is a subjective, cultural, and intellectually complex activity in a democracy and should be researched with the multidisciplinary approach. This paper focuses on theoretical implications of the multidisciplinary approach and on its opposing position, the structural-functional approach, in educational policy research. The paper briefly…

A participant observation study was conducted to address socialization, cultural, and values questions related to high school students' interactions with microcomputers. Specific issues addressed included: (1) student social patterns in microcomputer interactions; (2) cultural and sex differences in microcomputer interactions; and (3) student…

This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study examining the role of digital teaching portfolios in teachers' professional development and classroom practice. The participants, all teachers, took part in a formal course in which they develop a digital teaching portfolio. The findings suggest that the processes involved in creating digital…

This final report describes a one-year qualitative research study that explores service coordination to children with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) and their families. First, the project's conceptual framework, an ecological approach, is briefly explained. Next, the concept of service coordination is discussed, noting the role of the…

California's Southwestern College (SWC) conducted student surveys and synthesized research data to create a report that identifies 12 common student experience themes, providing a framework for improvement. The study includes information from various surveys, a review of responses to the 1990 Community College Student Experience Questionnaire, and…

Through a Pennsylvania statewide curriculum integration project involving 11 school districts, this research examines the curriculum reform process and determines which factors, or combination of factors, are absolutely essential for successful curriculum reform. Comparing programs and their respective levels of success makes it clear that only a…