National testing and reform agendas, with their focus on school improvement, has led to increased collection and scrutiny of student data. The analysis of these data usually occurs at a school level, often by school leaders. What is less common is the opportunity for students to scrutinise their individual data and take ownership over the results…

Large quantities of data are now generated, collated and processed within schools through computerized systems and other digital technologies. In response to growing concerns over the efficiency and equity of how data is used, the concept of 'open data' has emerged as a potential means of democratizing data access and use across school…

In early childhood settings narratives that capture children's learning as they go about their day-to-day activities are promoted as a powerful assessment tool. However, in the New Zealand context there is increasing concern that learning stories currently downplay domain knowledge. Data from teacher interviews and samples of learning stories…

This paper draws on two studies, one conducted by each author, where procedures for gaining insights into people's beliefs about mathematics and learning were developed or adapted for use by the researcher. In this paper we discuss the use in each study of variations of the procedure called "Pupil Perceptions of Effective Learning…

Phenomenograhy, as an approach to educational research, began appearing in publications early in the 1980s with the predominant form of data drawn from semi-structured interviews. As a qualitative approach, it is used to describe the variations in people's experiences through their own discourse and for analyzing meaning that people ascribe to…

We present findings from case study analyses at five exemplary calculus programs at US institutions that offer a doctoral degree in mathematics. Understanding the features that characterize exemplary calculus programs at doctoral degree granting institutions is particularly important because the vast majority of STEM graduates come from such…

Technology facilitated teaching and learning can now influence the way both lecturers and students collaborate. The problem is that many of these interventions are conducted in a non-systematic ad-hoc way. There are concerns that merely adopting a traditional lecturing approach to a technology based environment provides little if any advantage to…

For the purposes of measurement such as aggregation, improvement, diagnosis, assessment, evaluation, reporting, and research; constructs must be measured and not just observed, counted, or collected. Valid and reliable measurement includes a defined construct, a choice of appropriate models, creation of instruments, and meaningful results. In…

It has been suggested since the early 80's that America's public schools are not meeting the needs of America's citizenry and that the schools are in need of repair. This paper describes a study conducted at Neville High School (Louisiana) in 1996-1997 and designed to examine the effects of facility renovation on faculty morale. Data collection…

The data reported here were gathered in three ethnographic studies in different research settings: a single school, school district, and research center/school district team. These longitudinal studies incorporated the use of ethnography for purposes of collecting data about classroom teachers, principals, staff developers, central office…

This paper reviews objectives, methodology, and data analysis procedures of a study concerning educational innovation. This research, part of the Procedures for Adopting Educational Innovations (PAEI) Program at the University of Texas at Austin, was undertaken to study interventions and their effects. It was considered a first step in determining…

Focusing on the use of the interview in the Procedures for Adopting Educational Innovations (PAEI) Project, this paper reports on the appropriateness of the interview as a research tool in change research and the types of information appropriate to its use. In this project, interviews are used to identify what an individual is doing, has done, or…

This paper briefly explains the possible two-mode techniques of factor analysis and discusses in more detail one two-mode technique, the Q-technique, which may be useful when the researcher is interested in obtaining information about "types" of individuals with regard to certain variables. A concrete heuristic example is used to…

This paper deals with six sets of concerns and suggestions that arise as attitudes toward urban teaching are assessed. The first set arises from the complexity of measuring attitudes. It is strongly recommended that critiques of attitude data be based on plausible rival hypotheses. The second set involves the identification of beliefs related to a…

A multi-case study was used in the self-study of three programs within an academic department of a mid-sized Southern university. Multi-case methodology as a form of self-study encourages a process of self-renewal and programmatic change as it defines an active stakeholder role. The participants in the three case studies were university faculty…