This Workshop on Survey Methods in Education Research tool consists of a facilitator guide and workshop handouts. The toolkit is intended for use by state or district education leaders and others who want to conduct training on developing and administering surveys. The facilitator guide provides materials related to various phases of the survey…

This primer introduces 23 practices designed to support students inside and outside of the classroom and increase their community college success. These case studies illustrate the five themes for effective student support that emerged from Student Support (Re)defined--a multi-year study performed by the Research and Planning Group for California…

This article presents an extended vignette describing a good practice model for implementing SEAL small group work at "Mellington Primary", a fictional school. The vignette/model was developed from in-depth case studies at five primary schools in the north-west of England during a national evaluation of primary SEAL by the authors. The…

Research on the relationships between health care aides (HCAs) and families of clients has been situated mainly in long-term care settings and includes scant findings about the perceptions of HCAs. Based on the findings of a larger qualitative study using a grounded theory approach, this paper addresses the topic of HCA-family relationships in…

Student focus groups persuaded a Kentucky school district to modify a proposed security plan. The Partnership for Kentucky Schools, a coalition of business working for continuous improvement, has produced a detailed guide "Turn Up the Volume: The Students Speak Toolkit" for schools seeking to conduct quality research. (MLF)

Describes the methodology used (focus groups, classroom observations, interviews, questionnaires, and surveys) and results of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Public Schools' external evaluation of their kindergarten through grade 8 program for gifted and talented students. Also discussed are the implementation of the findings and recommendations into…

This book is intended as a resource and an indispensable companion to welcome educators into the community of social science research. While it is recognized that some methodological frameworks are incompatible with others, the overarching premise of the book is to indicate how a wide range of researchers choose a methodology and methods which are…

Describes the process of developing a code of ethical behavior for personnel working in college programs for students with disabilities, under the aegis of the Association on Higher Education and Disability. Issues in implementation and the importance of training and professional development are also discussed. Several focus group scenarios for…

Describes the use of student focus groups to review and evaluate an interdisciplinary undergraduate program. Asserts that this technique reveals more significant information than using machine scorable tests. Concludes that the instructors' role is the most important factor in student attitudes toward a course. (CFR)

This report for the National Academy of Engineering's Office of Public Awareness represents the second phase of an examination of public opinion about engineering and technology. This document presents an analysis of six qualitative, focused group discussions or focus groups. Five of these groups were college educated Americans and one was…

This guide describes ways in which partners at the state level can move toward more integrated and comprehensive support systems for children and families eligible for services under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It reports on the collective experiences of states participating in the "Opening Doors Project,"…

This document sets out one segment of a comprehensive approach intended to assist institutions of higher education in developing and carrying out alcohol abuse and other drug prevention programs. Social marketing is described as a tool of environmental management, that seeks to produce a specified behavior in a target audience. Intended for a…