This article argues that the engagement of teachers in collaborative discussions about assessment can provide a fruitful context for valuable professional learning. It is of interest to those who provide Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers and teachers themselves. It looks particularly at the value of writing…

The inclusion of students with learning disabilities in the general education setting has resulted in a dramatic shift in the roles of educators, school psychologists, and administrators alike. Although many changes were anticipated, some were not. The primary purpose of this study was to engage school psychologists in a focus group to explore…

This article draws on data collected in group interviews with six young, urban Aboriginal mothers whose lives have included substance use and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/ Fetal Alcohol Effects (hereafter FAS/FAE) to highlight the multiple and often contradictory ways in which disability as a constituent of social relations is defined in public policy…

This study aimed to extend the currently limited understanding of how pedagogy is developing in response to the influx of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in schools in the UK and some other countries. A case study approach was employed to investigate how experienced classroom practitioners are beginning to harness the functionality of this…

Ethnography is used sparingly in audits, giving "richness" to phenomena which are preferably measured rather than interrogated. This paper considers the development of qualitative tools for equality audits in education settings, drawing upon an equal status review conducted in Ireland during 2005-2006 with dual interests in…

At both state and federal levels, partnerships of schools, parents, and communities have become an educational priority. Are teacher education programs adequately preparing preservice teachers for these partnerships? Focus groups of College of Education (COE) faculty from five Illinois Professional Learner's Partnership universities were conducted…

This study focused on examining the roles that leaders, in particular college presidents, may play in creating organizational learning that helps move diversity agendas forward. This study highlights under-examined information sources (students own stories and experiences) for creating organizational learning that can advance a diversity agenda.…

In spring 2005, a task force of Oregon State University librarians investigated whether undergraduates would gravitate toward subject portals tentatively named "virtual college libraries." A literature review and Web site inventory shaped our definition of a virtual college library. A preliminary needs assessment consisting of an online…

This document reports on a focus group meeting convened by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) Board of Directors to examine the concept of educational accountability for all students, including students with disabilities. The outcome of the meeting was a definition of "accountability" and a…

This study sought to identify characteristics of counselors and counseling services that are important in the selection of a counseling service. Subjects (N=28) were recruited through a newspaper advertisement and through mall intercepts. The screening criteria were designed to locate potential or previous counseling service consumers whose…

The perceptions of teachers who have participated in professional development experiences provided by the Urban Systemic Initiative in four sites (Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; El Pas, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee) were studied. Focus groups were conducted at each of the 47 schools across the 4 sites. Focus groups usually consisted of the five…

This paper describes the use of focus groups as a qualitative research method. The focus group is a carefully designed discussion that allows people to express their points of view and provide researchers with indicators of program impact. Participants in focus groups possess certain characteristics related to the subject under study. They are…

The purpose of this paper is to explore to what extent is there an understanding among physicians as to how continuing professional education (CPE) and Continuing Medical Education (CME) affect physicians practice? To address the question, focus groups were used to begin a process of identifying the components within each type of education so that…

In an effort to meet the new challenges for improving teacher education and student learning in P-12 schools in New York, and to develop a shared vision among partners of a National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education (NCATE) conceptual framework, the faculty and staff of a school of education in New York conducted a school-college…

Developed a taxonomy of teen-identified problematic heterosocial situations through 10 same-sex focus groups involving 58 adolescents. Results suggest the importance of romantic relationships in the lives of participating adolescents and show the range of situations identified in addition to dating. (SLD)