This concluding paper examines the contributions in this Guest Issue by locating them within the ongoing debates about the role and contribution of social science research, particularly through the production of journals. Set in the context of on-going attacks on the relevance of social science research and the failure to respond to major crises…

This guide describes the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) approach to measuring impact using examples from its own case studies, as well as showing how to maximise the impact of applied social science research. Applied social science research needs to demonstrate that it is relevant and useful both to public policy and…

The question of capacity building in education has predominantly been approached with regard to the methods and methodologies of educational research. Far less attention has been given to capacity building in relation to theory. In many ways the latter is as pressing an issue as the former, given that good research depends on a combination of high…

Research studies published in THEORY AND RESEARCH IN SOCIAL EDUCATION over the eight year period between 1979 and 1986 were reviewed and evaluated using an instrument developed by the authors. Descriptive summaries of the findings, along with examples of good and bad practice, are reported. (Author/BSR)

This document consists of two separate publications: (1) "The Power of Knowing", a brief 12-page description of the Chapin Hall Center for Children, and (2) "Projects and Publications", a 67-page list of the center's projects and publications as of Autumn 1997. "The Power of Knowing" describes the Chapin Hall Center…

Discusses the limitations of current social science research on American Indians, the lack of Indian participation in research and tribal reactions thereto, the dearth of American Indian researchers, and proposals for curriculum integration in educational research training for Native Americans. (SK)

This article discusses the future contribution of art therapy to social science research and proposes that art therapists proactively develop collaborative ties with qualitative researchers from fields such as psychology, social anthropology, and education. Although the application of art as a tool in qualitative research is not new, its potential…

This newsletter reproduces a discussion between Eskil Bjorklund, former director of The Council for Studies of Higher Education in Sweden and his successor, Thorsten Nybom, concerning the Swedish Research on Higher Education Program. This program was established in 1968 to direct the organization of research on higher education and award research…

This chapter examines, from four perspectives, the ways in which educational research, development, and evaluation activities in the United States are organized, controlled, and supported, and considers whether research can be properly used to shape educational policy and practice. First, the size and historical development of the research and…

The relationship between the social structure of knowledge systems and knowledge syntheses is explored in order to define the social and cultural requirements for effective linkage. Following an introduction (section 1), analysis is divided into 5 additional sections. Section 2 discusses tools for conceptualizing knowledge systems, including…

Three broad statements summarizing nine axioms underlie a conceptualization of the character of behavioral and social research: (1) social and behavioral science is inherently reflexive, (2) ethics and epistemology are inseparable, and (3) the inherent complexity of behavioral and social phenomena must be reflected in the models developed to guide…

Reviews the information-processing approach to problem solving to apply research findings to cooperative problem solving in social studies classes. Provides examples of how experts and novices solved problems in a study on domestic Soviet affairs. Delineates a problem-solving instructional strategy by explaining nine guidelines that employ…

This book, consisting of 13 papers, deals with the theory, practice, and reactions to participatory research in the area of social research for development. Included in the volume are the following papers: "Breaking the Monopoly of Knowledge: Research Methods, Participation, and Development," by Budd Hall; "Creating Alternative…

University-based institutes and centers were examined in terms of their origins, structure, functions, characteristics, control, and their role in the university. It is suggested that institutes and centers enable higher education institutions to accept new responsibilities and pursue them in new ways. A combination of societal, professional, and…