Head Start is a valuable federal program that improves the lives of our nation's most vulnerable children and their families. Research shows that Head Start programs improve children's learning at school entry and have a positive impact on long-term life outcomes. Research also suggests that Head Start could have a stronger impact on children's…

New and novel uses of evaluation processes and findings are possible when a community of practice develops as evaluation stakeholders participate in multisite evaluations in multiple ways. Developing such communities takes advantage of what makes multisite evaluations special. This chapter uses the example of the Innovative Technology Experiences…

In 1995, the National Science Foundation (NSF) contracted with principal investigator Iris Weiss and an evaluation team at Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) to conduct a national evaluation of the Local Systemic Change for Teacher Enhancement program (LSC). HRI conducted the core evaluation under a $6.25 million contract with NSF. This program…

For almost two decades, there has been growing interest in what design-based research (DBR) can contribute to both educational practice and theory. Since its introduction into the literature, this orientation to educational research has repeatedly been likened to aeronautical engineering as a way to clarify its nature and argue its potential. This…

Educational Information Centers are defined as those encompassing a broad range of search, retrieval, and dissemination activities aimed at providing both increased and more effective communication of results of research and development in the educational field to local educational decision makers and practitioners. Evaluation issues are…

The 10th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM 2017) is held under the auspices of the International Educational Data Mining Society at the Optics Velley Kingdom Plaza Hotel, Wuhan, Hubei Province, in China. This years conference features two invited talks by: Dr. Jie Tang, Associate Professor with the Department of Computer…

The dissemination of successful educational innovations has long been a strongly supported policy in educational settings. Recent research developments have led to a debate as to the appropriateness of a centralized versus decentralized dissemination policy. The current research provided a test of the modified Research, Development and Diffusion…

This evaluation plan, which is updated annually, provides a synthesis of the various evaluation activities of Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). During 1999, the fourth year of the Laboratory's contract period with the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, special studies and integrated studies were designed to…

In response to a recommendation that the Office of Educational Research and Development (OERI) adopt consensus panels such as those used by the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, this paper tries to represent the range of consensus panel applications and to identify the major considerations for OERI application. A…

THE RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES OF A STUDY COUNCIL ON THE PROBLEM OF MORE EFFECTIVE DISSEMINATION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH FINDINGS WERE REPORTED. THE CAPITAL AREA SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION IN ALBANY, NEW YORK, SURVEYED SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE THEIR MAJOR PROBLEMS AND INTERESTS FOR STUDY AND RESEARCH. MEETINGS WERE HELD TO PLAN PROCEDURES FOR…

A process was developed for planning the evaluation component of national adult education conferences. Study activities included a literature review of conference planning documents, structured interviews with past conference chairpersons and evaluators, and analysis of documents from national adult education conferences. A set of 15 activities…

Lack of support, both in funds and in philosophic commitment, is responsible for the limited extent of educational research and development throughout the nation. More convincing results of educational research and more adequate dissemination of findings are needed to enable the educational community to use those findings as the basis for positive…

AN EVALUATION OF THE WORK AND PLANS OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER ON EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENCES WAS PRESENTED THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH THE POLICY BOARD MEMBERS PROJECT DIRECTORS, AND FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION. THE INTERVIEWS WERE FOCUSED ON THE QUESTION OF "HOW CAN THE CENTER…

The leadership role of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) in developing a System of Expert Panels to identify and share promising and exemplary products, programs. and practices is discussed. The System of Expert Panels should enable the Federal government to help the public learn about replicable research and development…

This paper discusses the equity mandate of the National Institute of Education (NIE) and ongoing and planned research designed to enhance equity within the Institute's three major programs. First, the paper summarizes the congressional mandate and how the concept of equity evolved. Next, it details the three NIE programs including those on…