Design based research (DBR) has become a popular methodology for exploring various aspects of mathematics education due to its focus on theoretical development and practical implementation. Drawing on a recent meta-study into trends in mathematically focused DBR studies, this paper explores how this method is being used in comparison to its…

Obtaining informed consent is the foundation of ethics in clinical research involving human participants. Individuals who provide informed consent acknowledge they understand all aspects of the research including the nature of the study, the risks and benefits of participation, the participants' rights, study procedures, research duration,…

Single-case design is a repeated-measures research approach for the study of the effect of an intervention, and its importance is increasingly being recognized in education and psychology. We propose a Bayesian approach for estimating intervention effects in SCD. A Bayesian inference does not rely on large sample theories and thus is particularly…

The scientific rigor of education research has improved dramatically since the year 2000. Much of the credit for this improvement is deserved by Institute of Education Sciences (IES) policies that helped create a demand for rigorous research; increased human capital capacity to carry out such work; provided funding for the work itself; and…

Inquiry science instruction is especially challenging in elementary grades where teachers are constrained by crowded curricula and time. Professional development (PD) may provide an opportunity to support elementary teacher development of inquiry science instruction. The study examines the inquiry practice of two teachers who participated in an…

Educational leadership programs face increased pressure to ensure graduates are prepared (Barnett, 2004; Bass, 1990; Yukl, 2002) to guide progress toward student achievement targets. The ISLLC [Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium] Policy Standards (2008) uphold the importance of inquiry in leading school improvement. However,…

The majority of newly qualified teachers in New South Wales, Australia, begin their careers as casual teachers in fragmented employment contexts which make it difficult to build on the knowledge base gained at university through continuous, and continuously evaluated, practice in a classroom. This study explored the experiences of early career…

In this paper, the authors describe the benefits and pitfalls of mixed methods designs. They argue that mixed methods designs may be preferred when evaluating professional development programs for p-K-12 education given the new call for accountability in making data-driven decisions. They summarize and critique the studies in terms of limitations…

This paper analyzes three possible research designs using each of the four types of sums of squares in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). When the design is balanced (i.e., each cell has the same number of observations), all of the SPSS types of sums of squares yield equivalent results (testable hypotheses and sums of squares)…

The type I error control and power of a number of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and randomized block (RB) designs with curvilinear data were studied for tests of the additive treatment effect and interaction. For tests of additive effects, the analysis was also conducted using systematic assignment to treatments and using random assignment with…

The purpose of this paper is to articulate the common confusion of correlation for causation. Various articles that have addressed this issue are reviewed, and possible reasons for the misinterpretation of correlation as causation are presented. The differences between correlational and experimental research designs are reviewed, and the…

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was invented in the 1920s to partition variance of a single dependent variable into uncorrelated parts. Having uncorrelated parts makes the computations involved in ANOVA incredibly easier. This was important before computers were invented, when calculations were all done by hand, and also were done repeatedly to check…

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is a frequently used statistical procedure in education and the social sciences. Very often the use of ANOVA involves situations with unequal cell sizes. When confronted with data to analyze from an unbalanced design, the researcher should select very carefully from the method or option in the statistical package being…

Errors in methodology occur regularly in the conduct of surveys for educational research. This paper discusses some of these errors and alternatives. In the area of survey design, errors are common in: (1) missed opportunities in attitude scale planning; (2) blunders in item construction; (3) missed opportunities in item construction; (4) blunders…

The use of repeated measures research designs is explored. Repeated measures designs are often advantageous and can be implemented in a variety of research settings. One of the main advantages in repeated measures designs is the control of subject variability. Other advantages are the reduction of error variance and economy in subject recruitment.…