As lines between research paradigms continue to blur with the ever-increasing popularity of mixed methods research, there are useful, and occasionally oxymoronic, opportunities for educational researchers to juxtapose tools from opposing methods. The gold standard is just not possible in so much of what we do with small-scale research, nor is it…

In this article, the author challenges the validity and usefulness of the concept of "paradigm," as this term has been used in the social sciences generally, and specifically in the debates over research methods. He emphasizes that in criticizing what he sees as the misuse of the paradigm concept, he is not arguing for dismissing or ignoring…

A concern exists that mixed methods studies do not contain advocacy stances. Preliminary evidence suggests that this is not the case, but to address this issue in more depth the authors examined 13 mixed methods studies that contained an advocacy, transformative lens. Such a lens consisted of incorporating intent to advocate for an improvement in…

Paradigms serve as metaphysical frameworks that guide researchers in the identification and clarification of their beliefs with regard to ethics, reality, knowledge, and methodology. The transformative paradigm is explained and illustrated as a framework for researchers who place a priority on social justice and the furtherance of human rights.…

This article explores the practical relevance of pragmatism as a research paradigm through the example of a piece of pragmatic research that not only used both quantitative and qualitative research methods but also exploited the inherent duality of the data analyzed. Thus, the article aims to make the case that pragmatism as a research paradigm…

Discusses development of rational set generator--an overall method for creating a rational set of examples to teach concepts and evaluate student knowledge levels--which combines formulas for creating examples measuring discrimination and generalization. Also discussed are results of a study to test the efficacy of a rational set generator. (MBR)

Considers possible contributions of developmental psychology to analysis and solution of practical problems by proposing a practical action model comprising the following: nature of the phenomenon or problem; existence of the phenomenon or problem; outcome in case of no intervention; goals for intervention; achievement of goals; and assessing…

In the third volume of this 10-volume report, 3 causal models of the school improvement process are presented and are used to identify outcomes of implementation and the factors influencing success. The first model predicts individual-level outcomes as a function of the magnitude of expected changes in instructional practice and the time spent on…

A study examined the validity of using questions concerning retirement expectations in large-scale micro surveys. A simple static labor supply model that considered wages, hours worked, and health data was developed for this purpose. Next, the model was implemented using data from the National Longitudinal Survey (NLS) on the Labor Market…

Examines the impact of program design on the development of research-based practice models. The concept of program design is reduced to elements that can be examined for their reliability, validity, relevance, and internal consistency. (Author/RWB)

Describes a study of the process of school office automation which focuses on personnel reactions to administrative computing, what users view as advantages and disadvantages of the automation, perceived barriers and facilitators of the change to automation, school personnel view of long term effects, and implications for school computer policy.…

This study describes the use of event history modeling as a tool for understanding student departure from college. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics High School and Beyond (HS&B)/Sophomore Cohort longitudinal study a detailed history of individual students' college careers was constructed using a regression-like…