Recent discourse about the impact of university research has focused on "what" research impact is and less on "how" it manifests. To explore these two questions, we draw on knowledge theory and build on the distinction between explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge. We propose that tacit knowledge and knowing are necessary…

"Impact" is a notion that is not very well understood in research. Within Australian higher education, it has been bandied about within such frameworks as the "Research Quality Framework" ("RQF") and Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). Vocational education and training (VET) research is not immune from these…

Personal interaction between health policy makers and researchers is widely seen as the key to enhancing research use, but there are also increasing demands that policies be based on syntheses of the available evidence. A potential paradox arises in that whilst interaction may result in greater use of the evidence it might also lead to a partial…

This paper compares and contrasts two types of social research--policy-oriented research (practical and/or applied social discipline research) and academic social science research (theory-oriented experimental research). Data are based on 120 projects of social policy research conducted in The Netherlands in the areas of industrial and labor…

What types of instructional experiences help K-8 students learn science with understanding? What do science educators, teachers, teacher leaders, science specialists, professional development staff, curriculum designers, and school administrators need to know to create and support such experiences? "Ready, Set, Science!" guides the way with an…

To gain insight into the nature of cooperative and collaborative processes and to contribute information to those considering similar research, an effort was initiated by a school district and a research center to work together in a "collaborative" mode. It was anticipated that the needs of the school district would be addressed, that the goals of…

Addresses issues in the persistent gaps between the generation and use of scientific knowledge in educational and therapeutic practices in language disorders. Two science-practice linkage models are discussed for applicability to improved practice. Strategies for integrating research with practice are considered, with case studies illustrating the…

A three-dimensional model was developed to assist researchers in conceptualizing the research-study-impact process. Drawing on communication and decision making literature, the model relates time, action, and audience dimensions. The results of these relationships is labeled "institutional study impact." Impact is viewed as the outcomes…

Increased demands for colleges and universities to engage in outcomes assessment for accountability purposes have accelerated the need to bridge the gap between higher education practice and the fields of measurement, assessment, and evaluation. The "Handbook on Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Higher Education" provides higher…

Educational change is presented by narrating one school district's experience in developing and implementing changes in response to court orders to racially desegregate. With the assistance of Research for Better Schools, in a "change agent" relationship, school building grade-level organization was changed to early childhood through grade 2,…

A discussion of mass media studies, public broadcasting, and the relationship between public broadcasting and society provides the background for this study. Models for communication research study are examined to establish the methodology for the study of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). General background on Canadian public…

This case study, one in a series of research efforts designed to examine the utilization of the Administration on Aging's research, discusses reasons for the wide utilization of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) research. (The OARS methodology assesses the levels of functioning of individual elderly persons. The resulting…

THIS PAPER ATTEMPTS TO BLEND EDUCATIONAL CHANGE THEORY WITH EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE. TWO CASE STUDIES WHICH ARE COMPOSITES OF MANY FIELD STUDIES ARE USED AS EXAMPLES. ONE CASE STUDY INVOLVES THE INITIATION OF A CONTINUOUS PROGRESS PLAN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND THE OTHER INVOLVES THE INITIATION OF TEAM TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS AND HISTORY AT THE…

This paper reports research which utilizes a qualitative approach in order to document and describe the process of complex organizational conflict. Qualitative research methodology and conflict sociology can be relevant to analysis of organizational processes. The qualitative approach is interpreted to include techniques such as observation, event…

The first half of this monograph provides an overview of the theoretical concerns of evaluators. Definitions are provided of accountability, measurement, assessment, evaluation research, formative and summative evaluation, goal-free evaluation, goal-based evaluation, and evaluation. Several models of evaluation are described and discussed,…