The ethical and educational dimensions of the quest for multicultural and bilingual education are explored, introducing the variety and complexity of these problems and ways of thinking about them. The application of liberal, democratic, and communitarian theories of political morality is discussed as examples of alternative approaches to these…

A discussion of classroom research on language teaching looks at what researchers have learned so far from attempts to study what happens in the language classroom. The discussion is based on the idea that it is not the currency of instructional method used that matters most, but rather a fuller understanding of classroom interaction. The first…

This paper focuses on the geographic locale settings reported in two surveys conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The two surveys are the School Universe component of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey and the Public School component of the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Instances where the self-reported locale…

Typically, the Ph.D. degree is said to be more research-oriented, whereas the Ed.D. degree is aimed more at the educational practitioner. The two degrees were compared with regard to research design, statistics, target populations for inference of findings, and other characteristics. A sample of 1,007 Ph.D. and 960 Ed.D dissertations was selected…

Use of ethnographic methods to assess learning and staff development needs for workplace adult education programs is discussed, focusing on the teacher's role as ethnographic researcher. Four stages of ethnographic research are identified: (1) open-ended, inductive study; (2) structured observation; (3) analysis; and (4) speculation and sharing of…

This paper outlines procedures used to derive variables from data in the National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty; these variables were then used to create measures not expressly included as items in that survey. The derived variables were used to examine faculty satisfaction in two contexts: first, the complexity of satisfaction, and second, the…

This book is designed to provide knowledge about educational research and to help graduate students in education organize and conduct their own research. No prior familiarity with the principles, procedures, or terminology of educational research is required. Chapters are: (1) "Educational Research: Its Nature and Rules of Operation"; (2) "Types…

This book introduces the issues involved in the education of bilingual students and the role that classroom assessment plays in their school experiences. After summarizing what research tells educators, the book provides case studies of a group of highly skilled teachers assessing bilingual children. These stories capture the intricacies of…

This annual publication presents six articles on historical aspects of higher education. The first article is "The Urban Catholic University in the Early Twentieth Century: A Social Profile of DePaul, 1898-1940" by John L. Rury. It traces student characteristics during this period from primarily the sons (and later daughters) of European…

This Policy Research Brief explores the strengths of qualitative research and the types of information it can make available to policymakers concerned with issues affecting persons with disabilities. The naturalistic methodology employed in qualitative research is described. Three specific studies using qualitative methodology are excerpted and…

The Panel on Guidelines for Statistical Software was organized in 1990 to document, assess, and prioritize problem areas regarding quality and reliability of statistical software; present prototype guidelines in high priority areas; and make recommendations for further research and discussion. This document provides the following papers presented…

This book presents a comprehensive survey and analysis of the concept of self-direction in learning. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) distinguishes uses and meanings of the term self-direction and provides an historical introduction. Part 2 (Chapters 4-7) contains a more careful analysis of the four principal domains of self-direction: personal autonomy,…

Although multimedia technologies offer a great potential, educators and decision makers need to see evidence regarding the instructional effectiveness of multimedia in order to integrate it into the educational processes. The main purposes of this paper are: (1) to identify and discuss the main criticisms of media research, including the research…

A recent study of salary equity at an undergraduate institution using traditional regression-based methodology is presented. In a traditional salary equity study a linear model is empirically fitted for predicting salaries (the dependent variable) from a set of independent (predictor) variables using the most up-to-date data possible for some base…

This report presents the results of a federally mandated study done to determine the best means of identifying, locating, and counting homeless children and youth, for the purpose of facilitating their successful participation in school and other educational activities. Several alternative approaches to obtaining consistent national estimates of…