The present study explored the ways in which the production of digital media, specifically podcasts (i.e., downloadable digital audio files), rooted in the key tenets of critical literacy, can support education for democracy, in addition to the overall benefits and barriers of podcasting in an elementary classroom. The project can be considered a…

Scholars have provided numerous critical analyses of the structural causes of poverty. Unfortunately, many teachers are still led to believe, via best selling books and mainstream discourse, that behaviors, neighborhoods, and families determine educational outcomes. This "culture of poverty" theory must be disproved; educators need to be…

This report considers the research conducted in Finland on photocopying and how it relates to teaching methods, and attempts to develop a theoretical basis for evaluating such research. In the first part of the report, it is argued that studies of copying need to target four separate areas of concern--knowledge, attitudes, activity (quantitative…

Explores problems involved in the quantitative verification of independent variables in investigations of the effects on student outcomes of planned variations in instructional behavior. Specifically addresses (1) gathering of data through direct systematic observation, and (2) analysis of those data through the use of inferential statistics. (GC)

Describes the Inquiry "I" which is designed as a learning tool for scientific inquiry. Explains the steps of prior knowledge, logical argument, experimental design, procedure, data collection, data transformation, results, and new knowledge. Uses guided and open inquiry approaches. (YDS)

The Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research (CAP LTER) project includes training elementary and secondary teachers. This training component, Ecology Explorers (EE), prepares teachers in grades 4 through 12 to teach about ecological principles and processes. The EE pedagogy employs scientific inquiry and data collection protocols.…

One of the most beneficial uses for technology in the science classroom is data manipulation. During labs and other learning experiences, students can quickly put the data they collect into spreadsheets or databases. Then they can make comparisons, create graphs, draw conclusions, sort the data in new ways, and, ultimately, give their data…

While helping high school students develop statistical thinking, teachers need to engage them in all phases of investigative cycle. Students should master some of the nonmathematical elements of the cycle involved in identifying a problem, creating a plan of attack and gathering necessary data.

The Delphi technique permits the collection of rich evaluation data. Benefits of using the Delphi include the collection of data that is generated by participants with minimal leading by researchers, an iterative process that demonstrates to participants how their ideas and opinions are being utilized in the research process, and a planned…

Instructional reform movements in the 1990s called for an effective and concurrent integration of various educational components. For effective classroom instructional reform, it was suggested that teaching method (pedagogy), learning theory, and technology be promoted concurrently to form synergistic relationship. Thus, the primary purpose of…

In the United States in the last few years, a considerable amount of attention has been given to literacy programs as a way to close the academic gap between English-only (EO) students and English language learners (ELL). Teacher education programs around the country have been dealing with issues of academic inequity for some time. There are no…

Recently, Argyle Middle School in Montgomery County, Maryland faced the prospect of corrective action for failure to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind Act. The county's Office of School Performance designed the Strategic Monitoring/Intervention Process to help schools identify students' academic progress both…

Triangulation involves the careful reviewing of data collected through different methods in order to achieve a more accurate and valid estimate of qualitative results for a particular construct. This paper describes how we used three qualitative methods of data collection to study attitudes of students toward graphing, hands-on activities, and…

Research is the planned collection, selection, and processing of information that typically takes three forms--historical, descriptive, or experimental. Historical research seeks to uncover facts with respect to events that have already happened, descriptive research seeks to uncover facts with respect to the current scene of events, and…

Procedures are presented for training classroom observers to collect data in naturalistic research projects. Training methods are directed toward the collection of highly reliable observational data. Pre-classroom training prepares observers for data collection by working with the coding manual, video-tapes, and written dialogues, and through…