Formative and design experiments represent a methodology uniquely suited for educational research. Providing a practical overview of this emerging approach, the authors address the following questions: What is the origin of formative and design experiments and how do they compare to other approaches to investigating interventions in classrooms?…

The work of behavioral scientists and philosophers on value measurement is discussed, including a review of issues, controversies, and several attempts to measure values. The author points out vast disagreement in existing literature about value measurement, definitions of measurement and values in general, and the meaning of the scientific…

Three major methods of survey research, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, and mail questionnaires, are compared with respect to the quality of the data. The literature on experimental comparisons of these methods is reviewed, and the effects of the mode of data collection on aspects of data quality are examined. The effects of the…

The preparation and use of data needed to make objective, useful comparisons in higher education are considered. The needs for comparative data in higher education, including demands for accountability and strategic planning, are reviewed. In addition, data-related problems are considered: problems of narrowness, misrepresentation, sameness,…

This volume resulted from an attempt to compile comprehensive and accurate data about the popular reaction to social change for a seminar attended by European and American social scientists. The volume contains eight papers which reflect the three objectives of the seminar: (1) a review of psychological indicators of social change; (2) an…