The aim of the paper is to integrate notions of the improvement of student learning through a focus on the concept of engagement, and adds to that broader discussion through a recent empirical study of the perceptions of students gathered through a case study in a UK university. It is proposed that student engagement lies on a continuum from…

With regard to sexual content, an argument is often made that sexual jokes, innuendoes, and behavior on television "go over kids' heads." To address this issue, focus groups were conducted with children between the ages of 8 and 13. Children viewed a tape of a selection of clips containing sexual content from programs aired in 1996…

The Teaching Facilitator portion of the Mathematics for Tomorrow project seeks to help a small number of teacher-leaders acquire the skills, beliefs, and knowledge they will need to lead their peers in ongoing inquiry and investigation into mathematics teaching practice. This descriptive study examines the experiences, beliefs, and concerns of…

This document reports on a pilot study of public attitudes toward professional development for teachers. The study was based on four focus groups conducted by Public Agenda in Fort Lee (New Jersey), Birmingham (Alabama), Denver (Colorado), and Albuquerque (New Mexico). Each group was comprised of approximately 10 participants recruited by local…

This study examined parent education needs of fathers incarcerated at a state correctional facility. Focus groups and follow-up individual interviews were used with 30 fathers ranging in age from 17 to 28. All of the men had at least one child 6 years of age or younger. The sample represented a range of cultural and family backgrounds. The…

Policy catalysts such as welfare reform or research findings on the impact of day care provide new opportunities to frame the discussion surrounding early childhood education. This group of working papers examines effective language for discussing communication strategies for advocacy. The first paper, "Early Childhood Education and the…

Focus group interviews were used to gather information from adolescent participants that could be applied to the design of a smoking prevention program. Various students of low socioeconomic status took part in role plays, auctions, and guided discussions to learn about smoking attitudes. (Author/DF)

The intent of this study is to explore how WAP (wireless application protocol) technology mediates online discussions. The focus of this research is on the implications of WAP technology for online discussions, and the types of discussion topics that are most suitable for WAP-based discussions and the finding of the combination of WAP- and…

The aftermath of September 11, 2001 prompted the reexamination of the nation's defenses and vulnerabilities in light of new realities. Every sector of society, particularly those who protect the well being of communities, required change. Safety and security operations on the nation's college and university campuses are no exception. The nation's…

Critical thinking is an important learning outcome for college students. A review of the literature shows that this skill is affected by a number of factors, including exposure to cultural diversity. The University of Guam (UOG) located in the western Pacific is multicultural and multilingual. Using data from focus groups, this study examined the…

This report describes data from focus groups on teen pregnancy involving Hispanic parents of adolescents in four states. Participants wanted a good education for their children and positive, loving relationships with them. They wanted to communicate with their children and be closely involved in their lives. Most believed that to help prevent teen…

Data on private school finance are not available to inform educational policy discussions about private education. Because of interest in private school finances, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) contracted with the Pelavin Research Center of the American Institutes for Research to explore the feasibility of collecting data…

Research results are presented from focus groups and telephone surveys concerning the attitudes and opinions of public school educators on the issue of school design, and what educators would want to see in a millennial school design. The study report is divided into two empirical sections plus a conclusion. The first section presents the findings…

This study examined college choice within the African American community, focusing on how low income African American parents understand the college selection process. The parents studied were trying to help their children make a choice about what college to attend and why to choose it. Data were collected from more than 375 students, parents, and…

This study examined the views of students completing an educational administration preparation program at Southwest Texas State University (SWT) and students completing a similar program (program acronym MADE) at the Instituto Politecnico Nacional in Mexico City. Graduates of both programs received master's degrees. A focus group methodology was…