Missing data are a common occurrence in survey-based research studies in education, and the way missing values are handled can significantly affect the results of analyses based on such data. Despite known problems with performance of some missing data handling methods, such as mean imputation, many researchers in education continue to use those…

Past research studies suggested that many students could benefit from well-structured classroom management strategies to help in the reduction of discipline problems that some may have. The research, however, was inconclusive as to which classroom management strategies are the most effective in managing behaviors within the classroom setting. The…

This article explores how concept maps and mind maps can be used as data collection tools in mixed methods research to combine the clarity of quantitative counts with the nuance of qualitative reflections. Based on more traditional mixed methods approaches, this article details how the use of pre/post concept maps can be used to design qualitative…

This article describes how to design program assessment for mathematics departments, in two-year and four-year colleges across the Midwest, based on a set of components that was generated from a Delphi survey. An example is provided to illustrate how this was done at a small four-year college. There is an alignment between these components and a…

This article examines the Framework for Participation: a research tool established to support a recently completed study. The research was undertaken to explore the relationship between achievement and inclusion because headteachers and teachers in some schools continue to resist becoming more inclusive in their student intake on the grounds that…

This paper reports on the preliminary results of a research project "'Beyond immediate impact: Study abroad for global engagement' (SAGE)" which examines the long-term impact of study abroad on various forms of global engagement. The study employs a retrospective tracer study and mixed methods research design. Survey results from 6391 study-abroad…

Based on a mixed methods research design that included an examination of the impact of summer, case study analyses, and survey findings, English learners appear to have an advantage over their non-English learner peers in resisting summer loss and developing social competence. This study examined the effect of summer vacation on the oral reading…

Modern school leaders may fed uncertainty in their feelings of satisfaction given the complex and changing nature of the principalship. Reforms in administrative preparation and training programs attempt to provide professional growth experiences that address evolving administrative expectations while universities and school districts strive to…

The effects of method of reproduction, status of researcher and personalization of signature on the initial rate of return of mail questionnaires were investigated, using a one-page combination cover letter and questionnaire mailed to 200 full professors, 200 associate professors and 200 assistant professors at the University of Maryland, College…

A close look at who does what in training and why evaluation is still a big problem. (Editor)

This article discusses 5 approaches that secondary researchers might use to obtain robust estimates in structural equation modeling analyses when using data that come from large survey programs. These survey programs usually collect data using complex sampling designs and estimates obtained from conventional analyses that ignore the dependencies…

Evaluators who perform formative evaluations would be well served to apprise themselves of recent survey research in framing formative evaluations. Illustrative examples are used from research into such diverse areas of activity as: the development of identities attached to different forms of modern rock and roll; the rationales that juvenile…

The author reports on a survey of secondary school pupils' attitudes regarding computer-assisted instruction and specific software packages in their English classes. The students concentrated more on learning issues than technological concerns in their comments. (CH)

The historical linkages between the evolution of the survey research method and applied social research is reviewed. It is argued that most or all of the elements of the modern survey were developed in response to immediate, practical (as opposed to academic) concerns. (TJH)