The purposes of evaluation design are stated. A description of experimental, quasi-experimental, survey, and naturalistic designs is presented. Emphasis is placed upon the identification of sources of invalidity in these designs that may compromise the accuracy of inferences regarding program effectiveness. (Author/JAZ)

This monograph addresses the issues in phenomenology as applied to educational research. The first chapter discusses problems with the following traditional goals of scientific methodology when applied by social scientists to educational research: measurement, control, objectivity, generalizability, and prediction. The second chapter explains the…

Plantwatch is an international program in which observers note the spring flowering times of key indicator plants and report them on the Internet. Steps are outlined for teachers who wish to involve their classes in Plantwatch. Tips are offered for teaching younger and older students about phenology (the study of periodic biological events related…

Qualitative research is a model for systematic, data-based inquiry. It has been used widely in the social sciences, and it has a growing acceptance in educational research. Its purpose is to describe and understand a particular, bounded social setting. The differences between quantitative and qualitative research involve the methods employed at…

The article describes the three-year Education Development Center/Technical Education Research Center Middle School Technology Integration Project which is investigating how technology is integrated into language arts and mathematics curricula, and its impact on mainstreamed mildly handicapped students. The evolution of computer use at four…

The use of ethnography in educational research has a potential for building bridges between teacher practice and theory and research. In preservice teacher education, it can induce reflectiveness and encourage observational skills. In inservice education, research would be rooted in teachers' concerns and could become a joint enterprise between…

Describes briefly four qualitative research projects and examines four sets of questions which illustrate ethical dilemmas embedded in qualitative research of the type described: the conduct of qualitative inquiry in the classroom, project implementation, the effect of the researcher's presence in the field, and understanding questions of pedagogy…

This document describes approaches in conducting naturalistic studies in two different countries with contrasting educational settings. Naturalistic research methodology is described by one of the writers as "an explicit undertaking to lay aside our ideas and concern ourselves with finding the subjects' perspectives in their non-theoretical…

Describes a project involving students in hands-on scientific experiment to locate and identify areas of water pollution, based on Delta Laboratories Adopt-A-Stream Program. Describes getting started, working cooperatively, community support, recording and using data. Includes data sheet, checklist, and photographs of students at study site. (TES)

Discusses the philosophy of science and education, based on interviews with instructors at Wrigley Corners Outdoor Education Centre (Ontario). Uses hand feeding of chickadees as functional and metaphorical gateway for exploring importance of human contact with nature. Discusses how the personal transformative aspect of outdoor education challenges…

Discusses ways of awakening urban youth to the presence of the natural world in the city and thereby fostering their sense of stewardship toward their own place. Describes activities involving observation and exploration of small bits of ground, connection of these micro-environments to larger environmental processes, reflection exercises, and…

The revolution in hard sciences is explored, from the Cartesian-Newtonian worldview to the Heisenbergian universe, and consideration is given to whether the conventional, Cartesian model is a serviceable one for research in the social/applied sciences. Five axioms comprising the existing paradigm of logical positivism are outlined (reality,…

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute (Jamestown, New York) has been sparking a regional revival in K-12 nature studies and attracting attention from educators across America. Through summer training sessions and workshops, the Institute introduces multidisciplinary teams of teachers and community members to empirical research techniques for observing…

Describes, analyzes, and interprets the cultural values communicated by a Navajo art teacher in a K-12 boarding school in New Mexico. Much of the Navajo world view is expressed through content, instruction, and demonstration. This view emphasizes spirituality, harmonious living, and the process of seeing and drawing as a way of honoring and…