The field of learning analytics was founded with the goal to harness vast amounts of data about learning collected by the extensive use of technology. After the early formation, the field has now entered the next phase of maturation with a growing community who has an evident impact on research, practice, policy, and decision-making. Although…

In this article, the author reflects on three or four main areas where policy and research coincide or conflict as exemplified in the varied articles of the "Cambridge Journal of Education" and suggests some of the things that he and other authors might learn from each other. Before considering those areas where the researcher philosopher and the…

Identifies six needs assessment procedures applied in educational and other organizations, provides examples of how each is used, and discusses the relationship of needs assessment to problem solving. Kaufman's Outcomes Model is described and the Organizational Elements Model is presented as a pragmatic approach to contemporary decision making and…

Discusses a shift in administration and decision making at colleges and universities since 1975 towards substantially more use of data and analysis to respond to such constituencies as federal agencies, state legislators, students, and donors. Urges the use of research to respond to new policy questions, such as appropriate rates of withdrawal…

Discusses the role of philosophy both in public life and the university in addressing difficult public policy issues. Examples noted include a program applying principles of medical ethics to death and dying and a leadership development project at Indiana University South Bend, and the "Just Caring" research and outreach project, which…

Weaknesses in the field of education that have implications for collaborative research are considered, and education is compared to the more mature professions of health sciences and engineering which have agreed-upon standards and controls. Educational practitioners and researchers are seen as turning to collaborative decision making to bridge…

This paper identifies trends in the population of students with learning disabilities (LD) in the public schools and explores reasons for these trends. It notes that there has been a 198 percent increase in the number of children served as LD between 1976-77 and 1992-93 due to a lack of consensus on the definition of LD and school-level processes…

This pair of rejoinders to Rainforth (EC 609 966) by the original authors stresses that commitment to an educational philosophy (such as the inclusion philosophy) should not override the educational needs of individual students with mental retardation. The lack of empirical support for many such educational philosophies is also noted. (DB)

The National Institute of Education's (NIE) statement of procedures is presented that is used to determine which of the 17 existing regional educational laboratories and research and development (R&D) centers are ready for long-term special institutional agreements. Long-term agreements are defined as 5 years of NIE support. The statement…

Suggestions of how a university should go about the task of technology transfer are presented. Two important lessons to relate include: the imperative of a decision-making infrastructure and maintaining perspective. Experiences at the University of Houston when a professor made some discoveries in high-temperature semiconductivity are described.…

The need for accountability in school psychological services is receiving increased attention. School psychologists are now being asked to demonstrate the effectiveness of their services. Data collection procedures can improve services to clients and systems, enhance the delivery system's psychological services program, validate the need for…

Specific approaches are proposed to increase collaboration between researchers and practitioners to meet the growing research needs of the nation's schools and to assist in data-based decision-making efforts. A research-practice paradigm is described. (TJH)

Issues in the impact of educational research on educational policy and practice in Australian schools are addressed in this paper, which provides an overview of the numerous research and evaluation projects being conducted in Australian education. Specific questions examined are the extent to which: (1) the research subjects (schools) benefit from…

Small increases in research and development funding and the state of the economy pose serious challenges to research universities. It is unlikely that the financial pressures will moderate. Research universities will be challenged to downsize by restructuring resources without compromising their quality. (Author/MSE)

This report provides a conceptual framework for guiding decisions regarding the administrative delivery and course content of the freshman orientation seminar. The proposed framework relies heavily on empirical evidence generated by college-level research in the areas of student retention, student learning and academic achievement, and student…