A study of eye movements was conducted to determine whether the visual regions are perceived in their entirety on each fixation or whether the actual region perceived varies from fixation to fixation. The resulting data were used in a frequency of effects analysis. The frequency of effects problem arises once it has been established that an…

The purpose of this study was to apply the tenets of social exchange theory in developing cover letters for mailed surveys. A survey questionnaire designed to measure teachers' attitudes toward tests was mailed to 1200 Kansas teachers. Cover letters were written to create variation in perceived cost (time needed to complete the questionnaire) and…

Adopting the position, expressed by A. P. Bochner in his critique of small group communication research, that placing measurement in a secondary role increases the danger of accepting the claims of experiments with excessive error, this paper examines nine current quantitative small-group communication studies. Using a schema developed by J. F.…

One of 16 units designed for use in an Open University course on the education of handicapped students in the United Kingdom, this booklet analyzes the contribution of research to progress in special education and examines the relationship between empirical knowledge and moral principles in making educational decisions. An introductory section…

Short-term studies often do not capture the full story of the effect that a researcher is trying to describe. If one wishes to elucidate long-term educational processes and outcomes, the only direct way of doing so is to stretch the duration of research projects and to study the same subjects over time. The limited availability of valid…

Public concern about day care now focuses on infants and toddlers who began receiving out-of-home care before they had established attachments to their parents. In 1987, public conscience was inflamed by a series of reports in the popular media and the professional literature that underscored potential risks inherent in out-of-home care intiated…

This paper explores the ethics of educational connoisseurship and educational criticism. Three ethical criteria commonly used in social research--informed consent, avoidance of harm to participants, and confidentiality--are identified and applied to a particular case of educational criticism in a study conducted on teacher coping strategies. The…

Most, though not all, qualitative research is naturalistic in that the researcher enters the world of the participants as it exists and obtains data without any deliberate intervention to alter the setting. The resulting accounts of what people say and do form the basis for inductive rather than deductive analysis--theory is created to explain the…

A conceptualization of generalization and its place in educational research is proposed. Problems with existing approaches to generalization include limited concepts, misleading or simplistic results, perception variance or change, and the discouragement of sensitivity due to convenience. Researchers should distinguish between conclusions which…

The connection between item bias and test scores was investigated using a simulation approach. Two samples of hypothetical examinees were simulated using an item response theory model. The two samples were identical, except that the mean theta value 1 sample was 5 less than the other. The simulated tests consisted of 50 items with characteristics…

This paper outlines a methodology for assessing change in the parent-child relationship between infancy and toddlerhood. Specifically, the paper focuses on the utilization of the same or comparable tasks to observe and rate parent-child interactions at infancy and toddlerhood, and points out the scoring modifications that proved helpful in…

Researchers have only recently recognized that assertions by various educators that they have implemented educational innovations do not all mean the same thing or bear the same weight, according to the authors of this report. Efforts made by the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education at the University of Texas at Austin to…

In this fact sheet creativity is defined and stages in the creative process and characteristics of creative persons are discussed. Research approaches to creativity and blocks to the creative process are described. Six creative approaches to integrating creativity into counseling are delineated. (MCF)

It is argued in this paper that in a culture of "performativity" research into "education" is often avoided. It is observed in many research publications that attention is given to techniques of learning, teaching, management, social equity, identity formation, leadership and delivery of the curriculum, without a justification…

While there is a great deal of curriculum activity based on Piagetian theory, Piaget appears to be noncommittal about the applications of his theory. In general, he prescribes activity for the learner and points to the importance of the type and the optimal timing of intervention by the teacher. (CS)