As the number of publicly funded early childhood education (ECE) programs increases, policymakers will need empirical evidence to justify the taxpayer investment. Such justification will require a stronger understanding of the essential components of an ECE program's design, as well as solid evidence on which components, or constellations of…

This is the report of a project funded by the British Educational Communications and Technology Research Agency (Becta) to identify the key--but forgotten--information and communication technology research projects in the UK between 1980 and 1999 and to review the contribution that these projects can make in informing the current Becta research…

The issue of research dissemination via websites is part of the larger research utilization question, and the authors begin with a review of literature on the theory and best practices in dissemination. The second part of the study involves an exploratory examination of the websites and dissemination practices of 30 research centers focusing on…

This paper aims to contribute to reflection on how rural research can better serve rural communities. Using the results of literature searches across the disciplines, it explores some major 21st Century debates about improving the usefulness of research for policy and practice. The paper begins with an examination of different debates in…

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.…

Reviews the principles of the behavioral model of learning and discusses the need to incorporate these principles in the development of educational software programs. Criteria for evaluating software programs based on their inclusion of behavioral principles are provided, and the evaluations of six available programs based on these criteria are…

This chapter from a longer work concerns the ability of children to solve arithmetic word problems. The studies reviewed suggest that, with age, children's improved ability to solve word problems primarily involves an increase in the complexity of conceptual knowledge required to understand the situations described in those problems. Considered in…

Results of 120 studies were combined by meta-analysis to determine effects on mathematics test performance of factors other than knowledge of content. Conditions that enhanced performance included testwiseness training, praise, word problem pictures, and frequent testing. Conditions depressing or not affecting performance were also noted. (MNS)

Experimental studies conducted since 1980 were reviewed. Each of the 34 studies concerning problem solving is briefly summarized, followed by comments, criticisms, and/or concerns. A summary indicates that experimental research of the 1980s seems to focus on: (1) children's processes, understanding, functioning, difficulties, and representations;…

This volume of "Archiving Methodology" provides contractors with standards for developing project-level documentation. This volume is designed to acquaint a potential data user with the research and/or evaluative effort that generated the archived data. It serves as both an introduction to and an overview of a collection of data files by…

What makes a fraction meaningful and a definition of the quantitative notion of fractions are discussed. Then observations from teaching experiments are presented. (MNS)

An experience in attempting to transform research into practice is described, with questions raised about the relationship between research and practice. The author begins by describing the two research traditions which exerted the most force on the design of the program. How the philosophy and findings of those traditions were interpreted and…

This bibliography identifies reports of research on correlates, causes, effects, and treatment of test anxiety. The listing was developed for a synthesis of research, performed by meta-analysis at Adrian College, Michigan in 1986-87. Guidelines for including studies were applied as follows: (1) the research concerned academic test anxiety, using…

Wheeless' trust and solidarity scales are examined under conditions of positive and negative target person. Valence of stimulus is shown to have a strong influence on the performance of the scales. The problems on Wheeless' scales were not detected in the original validation studies because of the normal validation paradigm. That paradigm…

Research is reviewed in four categories: teachers' beliefs about mathematics, mathematics learning, and mathematics teaching, and some other important teacher beliefs. Reflections are also included. (MNS)