The issue of the "research-practice gap"--the problematic relationship between research in education and educational practice--has been widely reported in the literature. This critical literature review explores some of the causes and features of the gap and suggests some possible approaches for addressing it. These solutions involve changes in…

This article addresses the issue of falling response rates in telephone surveys. To better understand and maintain respondent goodwill, concepts of psychological contract and respondent expectations are introduced and explored. Results of the qualitative study show that respondent expectations are not only socially contingent but also…

Researching the intersection of class, race, gender, sexuality and disability raises many issues for educational research. Indeed, Maynard (2002, 33) has recently argued that "difference is one of the most significant, yet unresolved, issues for feminist and social thinking at the beginning of the twentieth century". This paper reviews…

This article explores some of the challenges and benefits of doing a dissertation with participants from a population to which I belong and on a topic some consider controversial, that of gay and lesbian educators. I describe the homophobia I experienced and how that homophobia affected my choice of topic, the research process, and my job…

Having a "normal" professional job and doing research impose different social and personal connotations. These differences materialize at least in two clear ways. First, it is common that researchers in the making find it very difficult to communicate to their closest social network (e.g., family and old close friends) the content and the…

This commentary on EC 602 595 questions cognitive referencing's validity as a model for allocating special services to young children with disabilities. The paper raises methodological issues in studies supporting use of the cognitive referencing model. These issues include the construct of delayed development, subject description, and use of a…

This paper provides a rationale for basic research and metatheory development in the field of learning disabilities, outlines the steps and cognitive parameters involved in validating such a metatheory, and discusses integrating the findings of basic research with instructional manipulations and reasons for the poor integration of theory and…

This paper affirms H. Lee Swanson's views in "Toward a Metatheroy of Learning Disabilities" and elaborates upon the role of basic research in learning disabilities. An alternative perspective on the nature of applied research is described that views applied research as theoretically driven research aimed at practical matters. (JDD)

In response to H. Lee Swanson's paper, "Toward a Metatheory of Learning Disabilities," this article argues that the field of learning disabilities does not need to be legitimized and that basic research in learning disabilities is not necessarily the prerequisite vehicle by which theoretical progress can be made. (JDD)

To the extent that applied behavior analysis represents a scientific and practical approach to the study of behavior, its technological character is essential. The most serious problem evident in the field is not that the research being done is too technical but that more good research of all types is needed. (JDD)

The claim that applied behavior analysis is overly technological is refuted, arguing that instead there is a lack of understanding of how technologies proficiently evolve. The solution lies in integrating basic and applied research sectors and coordinating efforts toward specific goals that are defined and valued by the culture. (JDD)

The field of applied behavior analysis is not overly technological but emphasizes technology in some areas, such as research procedures, and not others, such as adoption of intervention programs. Efforts are often focused on program implementation, with little attention to the preparation needed to implement or to leave an effective program in…

Discusses problems in carrying out time-series research in organizational settings that include issues of site selection; choices about data collection and degrees of involvement; the importance of clarifying research outputs, audience, and presentation; handling problems of complexity and simplicity; ethical issues; and managing a community or…

This paper urges researchers in learning disabilities not to embrace the risk/resilience framework without rigorous consideration of four issues: the meaning of risk and resilience factors; how to characterize learning disabilities as risk factors; just what the risk is; and how this framework may guide intervention efforts. (Contains references.)…

This report is based on selected surveys of research practices used in eight countries (Canada, France, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States). It is designed as a technical approach to help both scientists and decision makers unfamiliar with these procedures to define the most relevant practices in…