Purpose: The use of e-learning is largely predicated upon the assumption that it can facilitate improvements in student learning and therefore can be more effective than conventional techniques. This assumption has been supported by some in the literature but has been questioned by a continuing body of contrary or indifferent evidence. The purpose…

Evaluation of a faculty development in gerontology program used structured interviews, self-reports, and questionnaires to obtain reliable evidence. Methodological problems encountered were identifying institutional and individual effects, selecting measurement methods, and designing outcomes evaluation instruments. (SK)

This paper discusses the problems and benefits of conducting research in a small institution. Problems related to personnel, finances, expertise, and credibility, and advantages such as communication and cooperation are described. The University of Lethbridge has created a common data-gathering system, QAULTEP (Qualitative Analysis of the…

While educational technology applications in higher education have grown dramatically during the past 20 years, significant disagreements exist as to their effectiveness and impact. Advocates and critics tend to advance competing positions, but little evidence of technology's impact derived through disciplined inquiry has been presented in support…

Evaluations of special education interventions are different from research on medical interventions. Educational evaluations would be more useful if they applied an actuarial, or probability approach. Information should be collected over time and using various measures, thus increasing the available data. (GDC)

Applaudes National Art Education Association research efforts, but suggests that a major weakness in the program, and in art education in general, is the lack of a distinct philosophy of art education. Criticizes art-education researchers' over-reliance on theoretical authorities from outside of the field and neglect of their own experiences. (DSK)

Electricity conservation programs were implemented in matched pairs of office-classroom-laboratory buildings and dormitories. The methodological problems of predicting consumption levels, interpreting why changes in consumption occurred, and estimating initial waste levels are discussed along with their implications for the conduct of behavioral…

Several problems that an evaluator of an experimental college has to face and resolve are considered. These include: (1) the purpose of the evaluation and the role of the evaluator, (2) the utility of a research design model, (3) the specificity of program goals before the evaluation is planned, and (4) the appropriateness of standardized or local…

The role of content validity in policy-relevant research is illustrated in a study contrasting results of surveys concerning public opinion toward gun control. Inadequate content validity threatened inferences about the overall level of support for gun control, but not about opinion difference between sexes or respondents of varying political…

This paper reviews and synthesizes the available literature concerning the effects of intervention programs at the secondary and higher educational levels. In achieving an understanding of the design of these efforts it is important to recognize that the first projects, e.g. the Demonstration Guidance Project, Higher Horizons, established a…

Point of entry problems are faced by evaluators when asked to start an evaluation at an inappropriate time or to perform an inappropriate study. The fundamental purpose of evaluation is to help improve services. Guidelines are presented for choosing when to do a context, input, process, or product evaluation. (GDC)

Presents two groups of text encoding problems encountered by the Brown University Women Writers Project while using Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) to create a database of book transcriptions: dual emendation and correction, and multiple hierarchies. Offers several possible approaches to these encoding problems and analyzes the issues…

The multiple perspectives of participants in a program review process at three schools of education were determined, along with the effect of these perspectives on enactment of program review policies. Participating schools were Emporia State University, which has a large teacher education program, and the University of Kansas and Kansas State…

This document is a compilation of 10 papers exploring various aspects of the new and growing field of intercultural communication. The 11 authors are educators and researchers from institutions of higher education, research centers, and the Peace Corps. The papers are presented in two sections. Section I, Basic Issues in Intercultural…

The recent conceptualization of organizations as "open" adaptive systems rather than "closed" systems has lead to increased interest in the relationship between the organization and its significant environmental influences. In order to study the perceived sources of internal (organizational) and external (environmental)…