The current study used a randomized control trial to evaluate a decision-making model on special education preservice candidates' instructional decision-making and self-reported confidence ratings when analyzing graphed student data. Thirty-two special education preservice candidates viewed authentic curriculum-based measurement (CBM) graphs and…

Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis is a statistical modeling approach that uses quantitative data to predict future outcomes by generating decision trees. CART analysis can be useful for educators to inform their decision-making. For example, educators can use a decision tree from a CART analysis to identify students who are most…

When undertaking quantitative hypothesis testing, social researchers need to decide whether the data with which they are working is suitable for parametric analyses to be used. When considering the relevant assumptions they can examine graphs and summary statistics but the decision making process is subjective and must also take into account the…

The reliability of data is a critical issue in decision-making for practitioners in the school. Percent Agreement and Cohen's kappa are the two most widely reported indices of inter-rater reliability, however, a recent Monte Carlo study on the reliability of multi-category scales found other indices to be more trustworthy given the type of data…

How can the structure of a management system be reviewed? What specific data should be collected and what procedures should be followed? The specific data collection methodology consists of three steps: (1) description of process outputs, procedures, and inputs; (2) evaluation of effectiveness, needs, and priorities for change in the process; and…

The purpose of this study is to apply an information-processing approach to risky decision judgments using the theory of information integration (Anderson, 1974; Anderson & Shanteau, 1970). (Author)

Two experiments investigated the effects of feedback on absolute judgments of loudness. (Editor)

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the P300 component of the human evoked response as an index of bisensory information processing. Data shows that the P300 promises to be a valuable tool for assessing brain processes during complex decision making. (Editor/RK)

Hierarchical task analysis (HTA), which requires description of a task in terms of a hierarchy of operations and plans, is reviewed and examined as a basis for making training decisions. Benefits of HTA in terms of economy of analysis and as a means of accounting for complex performance are outlined. (Author/MBR)

Methods of identifying effective special education practices are analyzed to help practitioners identify and adopt such practices. The contents of this guide include a flowchart for effective practice identification (EPI), an analysis of decision-making steps in this process, and two examples of identification procedures. The decision-making steps…

This two-volume document describes a study which focused on characterizing the elements involved in information seeking and retrieving, particularly in relation to the cognitive decisions and human interactions involved in online information retrieval. The study objectives were to conduct experiments and observations, under conditions as close to…

This study compared the efficiency (time) and accuracy of two representations of instructional algorithms--list versus flow chart--for the task of using indexes to search for document numbers in the U.S. Documents Monthly Catalog. Participants were 55 undergraduates and 5 adults at the Virginia Military Institute. Two sets (flow charts and lists)…

The creative management of change in a time of economic contraction requires planning reforms. Organizing for effective planning requires a total conceptual framework beginning with a stated mission and ending with a systematic approach to operations. Goals should be based on a market analysis of community educational needs and its translation…

A model for the assessment of funded vocational and career education projects presents a methodology for collecting data on innovative processes and materials, selecting promising practices, compiling selected innovative practices in a handbook, and dissemination of promising practices. The authors include a flow chart for the selection…