Internationally, the political appetite for educational measurement capable of capturing a metric of value for money and effectiveness has momentum. While most would agree with the need to assess costs relevant to quality to help support better governmental policy decisions about public spending, poorly understood measurement comes with unintended…

The Consider, Read, Elucidate hypotheses, Analyze and interpret data, Think of the next Experiment (CREATE) strategy for teaching and learning uses intensive analysis of primary literature to improve students' critical-thinking and content integration abilities, as well as their self-rated science attitudes, understanding, and confidence. CREATE…

This article describes a "Mastery Rubric" (MR) used to design both the curriculum and the assessments in a new two-year certificate programme intended to train physicians in clinical research skills. The MR for clinical research skills is built around a set of core research skills: critical review of literature; articulation of research objective;…

Since the publication of the Dearing report (1997) there has been an increasing emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning provision within higher education institutions (HEIs). This focus on provision has in turn generated much educational research into "approaches" to both teaching practice and student learning within higher education…

Qualitative research procedures may be characterized by the practice of empiricism that is sensitive to individual perspectives of reality. The many techniques that may be used are malleable and situation-specific in their design--contingent on those aspects of social phenomena that are chosen to be studied. Practical curriculum design for…

Outlines the Perry Scheme of Development, (which describes student developmental processes in terms of forms of thought and styles of establishing values and personal identity) as a useful analytical framework and describes its actual and potential uses in student evaluation, faculty development, instructional development and program design and…

Neo-marxist theory provides a better tool for educational researchers than other research methodologies because of its focus on empowering the dispossessed and its interest in the relationships between human activity and material circumstances. Traditional educational research is rooted in the positivist tradition and claims to be value neutral…

This paper explores the concept of educational psychology as a "linking science" between (1) theory and research in psychology and learning and (2) the educational arena of the schools. A linking science is defined as a special structure that intervenes between scientific theory and practical application. The author's first major point is that a…

This project brought together educational theorists and practitioners in Spain to create a model of teacher training based on research by trainees into their own practice and to create a curriculum of Spanish language adapted to the students of the location where it was developed. The project was undertaken in the context of educational policy…

In this paper the first descriptive results of a longitudinal study of organization and learning effects of 24 preservice teacher education programs are reported. Between August 1982 and November 1986 different kinds of qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected among 357 students and their 31 university supervisors and 128…

Maintains that empirical curriculum development (evaluating a curriculum as one develops it) can be a useful tool for drug abuse prevention efforts. Presents a model of a systemic process of empirical development that considers variables such as manipulation checks, interest, belief changes and perceived helplessness. Discusses research…

This practical guide is one of a series aimed at assisting academics in higher education in researching specific aspects of their work. Focusing on small-scale insider research in colleges and universities, the handbook covers contemporary issues, research methods, and existing practice and values in the area of teaching methods. Strategies for…