Innovation has become an increasingly important concept for Australian businesses in enabling them to continue to compete in an international market, but where does vocational education and training (VET) sit in this? To date, VET has been largely overlooked by the National Innovation and Science Agenda as a potential contributor in this field.…

We draw on the evidence-based practice (EBP) literature to consider the relationship between empirical results reported in primary research journals and prescriptive recommendations for practice based on those results. We argue that the relationship between individual empirical findings and practice should be mediated by two additional steps in…

This report reviews the research and development (R&D) structures and practices for vocational education, training, and employment in the United States, Germany, France, Sweden, and England. The organization and management of each country's R&D system as well as R&D agendas and priorities are analyzed. General observations and…

Notes that the same technical terms may be used by publishers as those used by dedicated R & D organizations, but the level of investment and breadth of activity clearly differentiates the functions. (Author/AM)

This analysis compares the efforts devoted to research and development (R&D) in education with those devoted to R&D in health and agriculture. Specifically, it characterizes the size and institutional arrangement of the educational R&D community and compares it on a common basis with the agricultural and medical R&D communities.…

Describes a new way of classifying uses of educational technologies based on a four-part division: inquiry, communication, construction, and expression. This taxonomy is compared to previous taxonomies of educational technologies. The utility of the taxonomy is tested by using it to classify "advanced applications of technologies"…

Several different philosophical approaches to general educational development in higher education are discussed and compared, including (1) positivist epistemology, a pragmatic, empirical perspective; (2) development of curricula promoting interpretation based on understanding; and (3) critical theory, which espouses development of people in…

Responds to Robert Slavin's article "Design Competitions: A Proposal for a New Federal Role in Educational Research and Development" (Educational Researcher, 1997). Compares two approaches to improving federal educational research and development management: the System of Expert Panels, and Proposed Design Competitions. Key similarities…

Responds to Sue Klein's comparative analysis on Design Competitions and Expert Panels (Educational Research, 1997) in which the author addresses drawbacks of the Expert Panels approach to educational product evaluation. Cautions that the approach is so minimalist a strategy that it could inhibit more serious attempts to build a system based on…

The objective of this paper is to present a method for extracting value from the research literature that should benefit educational practitioners. This method, called Convergent Analysis (CA), comprises the following steps. First, this focused question must be posed whose answer can benefit educational practitioners: under what conditions do…

This report describes the results of a cost-effectiveness comparison of the alternative programs (education and non-education majors) available at Texas A&M University for students seeking certification as secondary education teachers. The two alternative programs leading to secondary teacher certification, the major costs associated with the…

A regional workshop on "The Study of Secondary Education in Asia and the Pacific" was attended by 18 participants from Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Western Samoa. The major objective of the…

A SUGGESTED MODEL FOR ADEQUATE DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS CONSIDERS FOUR PRIMARY BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION--(1) DIVISION OF PERSONNEL LABOR INTO TASK ROLES, (2) INSTITUTIONAL DISTINCTIONS, (3) DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE GROUPS, AND (4) GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS INCLUDE LINKING SYSTEMS AND ROLES,…

Discusses the peculiarity of information technology transfer in schools as opposed to the transfer of technology in companies. Central problems of educational technology transfer are indicated. A typology of approaches to the transfer of technology from research to school is discussed, and a table shows actors and actions at different stages in…

In this keynote address presented at the Mid-western Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in October, 2004, the author discusses the increasing interest of federal policy-makers in scientifically-based research. A comparison between education and other disciplines is offered, and a proposal for increased rigor in educational research is…