The Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) will establish technical standards and guidelines to ensure that the survey design and implementation processes of PIAAC yield high-quality and internationally comparable data. This document provides a revised version of the technical standards and guidelines originally…

This book emphasizes the importance of research to the school psychologist. Written in a conversational style, it looks at research as a tool for problem solving and a basis for action rather than as an academic exercise. Research is described as an interaction, a point of contact to get things moving, a different way of seeing a problem. The…

The use of the expert-novice technique in science education is examined critically. Discussed are four techniques including their methodological limitations. Improvements and alternatives in experimental design are suggested. (Author/CW)

The results of an in-depth analysis of the lab activities found in two popular high school biology textbooks are presented. Activities were rated against 24 task categories that parallel skills or behaviors which reflect scientific inquiry, problem-solving skills, manipulative skills, and observational skills. (25 references) (KR)

This study investigated the degree to which seventh- and eighth-grade students of different abilities acquired strategic planning knowledge from a problem-solving computer game called Wumpus. Regression analysis was used to determine the influences of individual differences and either activating or modeling instruction, and to assess transfer of…

Criticizes the Mitchell and Lawson (1988) report from the viewpoint of individual interview method. Provides Lawson's reply to the comment by showing differences in research philosophy and methods. (YP)

This volume is the first of 5 constituting the final research project report on the introduction, use, and impact of ThinkAbout, a series of 60 15-minute instructional television programs for fifth and sixth graders designed to strengthen reasoning skills and to review and to reinforce language arts, mathematics, and study skills. Background…

Provides an exercise for introducing research methods to undergraduates. The students view a graph revealing that left-handed people are underrepresented in older age groups. Small group discussions attempt to explain this phenomenon. A follow-up class discussion focuses on the different approaches and methods available for interpreting the data.…

Describes a research project that takes a problem-solving approach to teaching about social stratification. Students identify a local issue related to stratification (homeless, welfare reform, etc.). They break into small groups and design a research plan, conduct a literature search, perform the fieldwork, and arrive at a synthesis. (MJP)

Ethnographic research (1) observes human behavior in its natural setting over a substantial period of time, (2) claims that classes of events are better understood through intensive examination of carefully selected particular cases, (3) incorporates as many of the complexities and variables into a setting as possible, and (4) is usually comprised…

This review of the research on the cognitive effects of computer-assisted instruction begins with an overview of the ACCCEL (Assessing Cognitive Consequences of Computer Environments for Learning) research program at the University of California at Berkeley, which consists of several interrelated studies examining the acquisition of such higher…

The Action Research on Change in Schools (ARCS) project was a collaborative action research study that involved two levels of research: a specific research project in each of two junior high schools in Michigan and New Hampshire, and a simultaneous study of the collaborative action research process itself as it relates to teachers' individual…