A variety of measures have been developed to quantify intervention effects for single-case experimental design studies. Within the family of non-overlap indices, the Tau-U measure is one of the most popular indices. There are several Tau-U variants, each one calculated differently. The appropriateness of each Tau-U variant depends upon the data…

This paper contrasts mixed methods design with strategic research design. Mixed methods research both advocates for itself as always better than singular research methods, while also seemingly allowing a wide variety of researchers to count their work under the very large umbrella of mixed methods. We argue for strategic research design as a set…

To draw informed conclusions from research studies, research consumers need full and accurate descriptions of study methods and procedures. Preregistration has been proposed as a means to clarify reporting of research methods and procedures, with the goal of reducing bias in research. However, preregistration has been applied primarily to research…

The main objective of this text is to share the process of conducting a qualitative case study that analyzed the construction of a novice school psychologist's professional identity during her first year of work in a school's guidance department. This text aims to tell "the real story behind the research"; therefore, the description of…

To promote knowledge convergence through collaborative learning activities in groups, this qualitative case study involved a layered approach for the design and delivery of a highly collaborative learning environment incorporating various instructional technologies grounded in learning theory. In a graduate-level instructional technology course,…

Analysis of the assumptions underlying the stakeholder approach to evaluation combined with the limited experience in testing the approach reported in this volume, suggests that some claims are cogent and others problematical. (Author)

This paper presents a comprehensive case analysis of formal environmental scanning processes in three different institutions of higher education. The study focuses on how environmental scanning activities are organized and used to support institutional planning and decision-making. Special emphasis is placed on describing how environmental…

The study of teachers as decision-makers is a recent paradigm in educational research. This decision-making approach considers the teacher as an active professional engaged in various decision-making activities prior to and during instruction. This paper describes a naturalistic research design employed in a recent dissertation that investigated…

This report is arranged to display and explain the work of the Evaluation Design Project staff during the 1980-81 grant year. The intent of the entire project is to examine existing district policies, procedures and programs that appear to contribute to systematic use of evaluation and testing for educational improvement, and to make…

A study conducted by the School District of Philadelphia and that city's Federal Reserve Bank, entitled "What Works in Reading," was used as a case study to determine what factors influence the translation of research findings into educational policy. The Philadelphia study, which examined variables associated with achievement growth in…

Combining community participation in decision making with methods of social investigation, participatory research focuses on involvement of the subjects of the research in the research process. Adult educators are exploring this research method which, unlike quantitative research, serves the needs of individuals and not those of policy makers who…

Research on sex differences in communication has produced mixed and contradictory results. An erroneous overlap exists between self reports of male-female behaviors, others' reports of perceived behaviors, and stereotyped projections based on social conditioning. The solution to this confusion in gender communication research may be triangulation,…

This report presents results of a series of studies documenting current practices in the evaluation of gifted programs and investigating the factors which make evaluation more useful to decision-makers. The investigation involved establishing several databases containing three kinds of information: (1) abstracts of articles relating to evaluation…

The Multi-Ethnic School Environments Study evolved in response to the need for a research base for identifying teacher training needs in newly desegregated school districts. The ultimate goal of this five year project is to generate teacher training processes and materials to aid teachers in coping with the realities of desegregation. The first…

The critical relationship between students and their programs of study that affects student retention is examined. Current views of retention are reviewed, and the nature of retention studies that have been conducted during the last decade is analyzed. It is suggested that studies of persistence be conducted with the following possibilities in…