The actual process of reading diagnosis and the effects of examiner/student interaction upon the diagnostic outcome were explored in this study. A testing session of approximately 50 minutes, conducted by a university professor to determine the reading problems of a nine-year-old boy, was videotaped. Applying an ethnomethodological model for…

This paper consists of an essay on the role and problems of ethnographic research in education, as well as an ethnographic case study of a junior high school which is experiencing problems of violence and vandalism. The larger study which preceded ethnographic inquiry in 10 schools is described briefly. Reasons for providing only limited…

Data from Shiloh County's effort to improve quality of life for its residents lead to three conclusions: political intervention can convert private sector growth into a platform for rural development, exchanges between community and schools are not difficult to understand, and the ethnographer has a function in discovering local contexts to which…

Summarizes the burgeoning literature on teacher cognition, focusing on teachers as mediators of the social studies curriculum. Describes teachers as professionals who bring intellectual and moral agency to their work with children, the social studies curriculum, and the milieu of schooling. Reviews three studies which represent this research…

Proposes that the teacher-as-liminal-servant (stripped of usual status and authority) within a critical pedagogy is guided by compassion and commitment to teach as a social and moral agent in the service of social transformation. Asserts that educational rituals must create classroom conditions that spawn liminal dimensions of learning. (MM)

Discusses the role played by German schools in Denmark in the maintenance of the minority's identity and describes those constraints and tensions which are due to the symbolic value of German. The interrelationship of pedagogical problems and potential solutions with the perceptions fundamental to the minority group's identity are highlighted.…

Discusses the interactional state referred to by speakers of Hebrew as "brogez" as an example of the ritual regulation of conflict. Identifies specific forms and strategies of this type of interaction as they are used by Israeli children and their relevance to children's communicative competence. (SED)

Several conceptual issues in the theory of evaluation methodology are discussed and illustrated. Four objectives are to: (1) narrow the distinction between research and evaluation; (2) extend the scope of triangulation and multimethods; (3) approach the problem concretely with extended data and interpretations; (4) structure the discussion in…

Identifies and critiques a number of instruments that measure developmental aspects of play and leisure, the meaning and significance of leisure, attitudes toward play, the environment of play, and ethnographic and behavior stream methodology. Information on the reliability and validity of the instruments is presented. (SK)

This book is intended as a resource and an indispensable companion to welcome educators into the community of social science research. While it is recognized that some methodological frameworks are incompatible with others, the overarching premise of the book is to indicate how a wide range of researchers choose a methodology and methods which are…

Narratives exist within the African cultural ethos then and now in a variety of contexts. For African Americans, one function of the narrative has been the therapeutic effect of ameliorating oppression. Current literature on narrative therapy provides a foundation for discussing the healing power of narratives in the African American community.…

A two-phase ethnographic study conducted over the course of two semesters examined a project to create a web site on the Internet. Subjects were enrolled in either a "Features Writing for Business and Industry" course or an "Advanced Technical Writing" course at an open-admissions university offering a major in Professional…

A review of recent literature suggests excessive drinking by parents has a negative impact on the behaviors of the child. The families in First Nations communities in Canada have suffered considerably because of alcohol and the pressures of the surrounding non-native community; valuable teachings of the Elders have come under attack and the loss…

Bahamian women often carry the bulk of responsibility for family well-being, particularly in the domain of parenting. This ethnographic study investigated the role of Bahamian mothers and their perceptions of parenting. Face-to-face qualitative interviews, comprised of a series of open-ended questions, were conducted with 18 mothers on the islands…

This volume contributes to the understanding of higher education's catalytic role in shaping the microcomputer revolution. Academic computing is viewed here as a social and cultural phenomenon. An in-depth collection of mainly ethnographic studies of the academic computing revolution--its consequences, meanings, and significance--is presented. The…