Using data strategically to guide decisions and actions can have a positive effect on education practices and processes. This facilitation guide shows education data teams how to move beyond simply reporting data to applying data to direct strategic action. Using guiding questions, suggested activities, and activity forms, this guide provides…

Social Q&A allows people to ask and answer questions for each other and to solve problems in everyday life collaboratively. The purpose of the current study is to understand the motivations and strategies of answerers in social Q&A. Thus, three research questions were investigated: (1) Why do answerers participate and contribute in social Q&A? (2)…

This paper provides practical guidance for researchers who are designing studies that randomize groups to measure the impacts of interventions on children. To do so, the paper: (1) provides new empirical information about the values of parameters that influence the precision of impact estimates (intra-class correlations and R-squares); (2)…

Discusses asserting and assessing authenticity of digital information sources and why authenticity is an issue now. Describes three types of technical and social strategies (public, secret, and functionally dependent) for asserting authenticity. Cites examples of requirements for authenticity from the various stages in the research process. (AEF)

The role of educational evaluation in product development is part of a framework for discussing and organizing formative evaluation studies. This framework is two dimensional, with formative evaluation activity as one dimension and sources of information as the other dimension. Discussions are presented on the four categories of formative…

Illustrates how a qualitative approach was used to study the complex and poorly defined concept of information resources management. Explains the general approach to data collection, its advantages and limitations, and the process used to analyze the data. Presents results, along with lessons learned through using method. (Author/AEF)

Focuses on synthesis in research--the combination of thesis and antithesis in the dialectical process, producing a new and higher form of being. Discusses kinds of synthesis (unique communication, plan of operation, abstract relations); synthesizing information pieces; summary practice leading to synthesis; and questions of analysis and synthesis.…

The purpose of this brief is to summarize the methodologies and outcome measures used in Post-School Outcomes follow-up and follow-along studies of adolescents with disabilities. As a requisite in the Request for Proposal for funding of the National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO), knowledge development activities were to include: "Conducting a…

An annotated list cites reports, books, and other resources for institutional research into campus diversity. It includes studies undertaken by individual institutions, often including assessment instruments, organizational resources, books and articles, and electronic mail lists. (MSE)

This monograph is designed to provide nontechnical users, including policymakers, program planners, curriculum developers, career counselors, and job development and placement specialists, with an introduction to applied labor market analysis of local conditions. Addressed in the individual chapters of the guide are the following topics: the…

This manual is intended to assist volunteers and staff of volunteer organizations in the design of projects in various community and social service areas. The first section of the manual is a guidebook that addresses such aspects of the planning, implementation, and evaluation process as situational analysis, needs assessment, task-oriented…

This document presents the key principles underpinning effective evaluations as applied to policy initiatives in the field of lifelong learning (LL) and the various methods available to implement them. The following are among the topics discussed in Chapters 1-6: (1) the distinction between monitoring, modeling, and evaluation and considerations…