The proportion of variance in student achievement that is explained by student SES--"poverty's power rating," as some call it--tends to be lower among smaller schools than among larger schools. Smaller schools, many claim, are able to somehow disrupt the seemingly axiomatic association between SES and student achievement. Using…

This article reports findings from an exploratory study of how learning support and resource teachers perceive each other's role. The study was conducted during the debate on the proposed changes to allocation and deployment of support teachers, following the publication of Circular 24/03 by the Department of Education and Science. It sought to…

Soft constraints hypothesis (SCH) is a rational analysis approach that holds that the mixture of perceptual-motor and cognitive resources allocated for interactive behavior is adjusted based on temporal cost-benefit tradeoffs. Alternative approaches maintain that cognitive resources are in some sense protected or conserved in that greater amounts…

Our aim in this study was to validate a stress-process model for Hispanic caregivers of adults with mental retardation that incorporates family functioning. The model postulates that maladaptive adult behaviors are related to poorer family relationships and higher levels of family burden, which in turn is related to caregiver psychological…

Although science is very successful at its business of explaining phenomena, it is not successful at explaining the nature of its own phenomenon: scientific inquiry. Absent understanding, myths, and misconceptions rush in. The author takes a closer look at the process of scientific inquiry, and presents a review of how scientists describe what…

The scientific method originated centuries ago, but it is taught only to a limited degree in science classes. It is proposed that the scientific method is not just a method for scientists, but also offers a general approach to problem definition and solving and serves as a guide to problem prevention and solution-challenging. The Scientific Method…

This book discusses the motivations that cause adults to go to the public library. It is grouped into eight sections concerning: (1) the research methodology and results used to determine four motivators that were good predictors of library use; (2) the development of library research; (3) several characteristics of library users in terms of…

Power refers to the probability that a statistical test will yield statistically significant results. In spite of the close relationship between power and statistical significance, there is a consistent overemphasis in the literature on statistical significance. This paper discusses statistical significance and its limitations and also includes a…

This study was designed to determine the instructional media competencies that inservice teachers of secondary education teaching disciplines recommend for preservice teachers in their discipline. A total of 975 questionnaires were sent to secondary school teachers in each of 13 disciplines in 25 randomly selected schools in Hawaii Oregon, and…

In workshops for teachers the author provides each participant with five sticks and challenges them to create a variety of configurations. In the process the teachers hypothesize and test a number of geometric notions. (SD)

Addressing areas of conflict between parents and young children, this study reports the results of interviews with parents about parent/child conflict that occurs in such natural settings as the home, the supermarket, and during visits to grandparents. Specifically, the investigation is concerned with three broad issues: (1) the identification of…

The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which collaboration with a more competent peer aids children's ability to solve mathematical balance beam problems under feedback and no-feedback conditions. Subjects were 61 children whose pretest scores on 14 balance beam problems that allowed reliable assessment at five increasingly…

This study of the validity of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test used data from predictive validity studies that were conducted by the GRE Validity Study Service (VSS) in 79 graduate departments. The performance criterion was first-year grades in graduate school. Observed validities were computed, and for each graduate department…

The decline in standardized test scores during the 1960s and 1970s is well documented and is seen in both aptitude and achievement test scores. This paper describes and analyzes the test score trends over the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s for five aptitude tests: (1) the Scholastic Aptitude Test; (2) the American College Test; (3) the Preliminary…

Problems involved in providing practical research experience in research methods courses are discussed. The two points in the research process where time is most critical are selecting measures and data collection. This paper suggests using a data base from previous research and having students conduct simulated studies based on randomly selected…