Objective: To encourage the inclusion of research practice in instruction. Methods: The choice to bring existing research into a classroom to enhance student engagement and learning does not have to rest with one's own practice; however, those whose primary responsibility is to teach may be required to connect their research to teaching. Results:…

To ensure the best possible outcomes for young children with and without disabilities, early childhood educators must enter the classroom ready to conduct all types of early childhood assessment--including determining if children need additional services, planning and monitoring instruction, and determining program effectiveness. They'll get the…

This document reports on dissemination lectures that inform the educational research community about the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). In the first two chapters, the background leading to the dissemination lectures, the procedures used by the project staff to accomplish dissemination objectives, and the methodological procedures…

This exploratory paper analyzes the federal policy for an impact study of research and development projects in vocational education. Positive effects were found on student outcomes, project personnel, and on occupational education practices. (Author)

The second research and evaluation conference of the Annie E. Casey Foundation attracted many participants from the public and private sectors. In spite of their diverse backgrounds and approaches to evaluation, the participants shared a sense that researchers and evaluators need to find better ways to collect and use information. The primary…

The Research Utilization through Learning Experiences Project (RULE) studied the impact of planned interpersonal meetings as a vehicle of research utilization. Results indicate enthusiastic endorsement of site visits as a means of gleaning new information. Evaluation of the outcomes indicate that visits led to identifiable changes in program…

This paper shares the outcomes of a developmental process designed to create a comprehensive teacher assessment program within a local school district. The paper includes a rationale that helps to explain the need for developing teacher evaluation systems different from most current models, the processes used to create the assessment program, and…

A consortium of 39 schools, colleges, and departments of education along with representatives of the Office of Education convened to study the salient problems in secondary teacher education. Areas of interest included: the working cooperation between administrators and faculty; the development of new curricula despite declining enrollment; the…

Two evaluation projects conducted for the Minnesota Agricultural Extension Service are examined from a user-focused perspective: (1) a needs assessment of large scale commercial farmers for program development by the Office of Special Programs; and (2) a review of the extension programs in Nicollet County. Each incorporated the focus group method…

The purpose of phase 3 of Project IMPACT (a project to assess the impact of vocational education research and development on vocational education programs in Illinois) was to review, further conceptualize, and refine the impact assessment system for vocational education research and development efforts proposed during fiscal 1989. The following…

In a survey of educational researchers, school and district administrators, and policymakers, 1,818 respondents rated educational practices and policies according to their influence on learning and assessability. Classroom practices, design and delivery of curriculum, and schoolwide practices were rated as more influential than federal, state, and…

This action research presents data about an online Master of Arts in Education (MAE) in Learning and Behavior Disorders (LBD), P-12 at Western Kentucky University. During extensive program revisions, the program developed a collaborative assessment model while preparing more than 300 special education personnel for work in rural schools.

The development of a graduate survey at Ohio Dominican College is described, and guidelines for implementing a graduate survey are provided. The survey assessed student characteristics, activities during college, endeavors after graduation, and attitudes, goals, and values. Project goals included: developing a graduate survey that could also be…

A model for preservice and inservice teacher self-assessment, which fosters improved performance, is divided into two phases. Phase 1 begins at the preservice level, and phase 2 is carried out during the time the teacher is under contract in a school setting. During phase 1, the teacher candidate explores the answers to three questions in…

This book describes an effort by Jobs for the Future (JFF) to help communities keep their school-to-career reform efforts on track through a process of goal setting and measurement that sets realistic and achievable reforms while still building toward fundamental educational change. The process is called "benchmarking," and those involved must:…