A study investigating the discrepancy between potential and actual use of computer software in elementary education is described. Fifth- and sixth-grade students participating in a computer literacy program in one school were surveyed by questionnaire and interview about the feedback provided in a specific piece of cartooning and creative writing…

A survey in education describes the present condition of an educational program and forms the basis for knowing what is happening in a particular school. This volume is intended to be a practical guide to school surveying in South Korea, but not a scholarly thesis on surveys. The emphasis is on field studies and how surveyors can perform a school…

This report sought to test the hypothesis that living on campus fosters cognitive growth by estimating the relative freshman-year gains in reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking of resident and commuter students at an urban university. Data were collected from 210 college freshmen students at a large research…

Some methodological issues in the study of levels of knowledge are reviewed, and needs for further research are explored, drawing on an analysis of 12 studies reported since the late 1970s. In the 12 studies, 16 quantitative experiments were conducted. These were assessed for internal and external validity. Analysis revealed some shortcomings in…

Study-abroad programs are among the many academic programs being evaluated in the assessment of colleges and universities. One evaluative tool is the survey of students who participate in these programs. This paper discusses the use of such surveys by St. Mary's College (Indiana) during the past decade to gather information regarding program…

This study provides comprehensive data profiling the chief executive officers of higher education institutions in the United States who were in office in either 1986 or 1990 and is based on a survey administered by the American Council on Education in those years. The 1990 profile of presidents, which is the focus of this report, incorporates the…

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) designed a project to help widen the educational opportunities for disabled individuals through access to a broader base of information about programs and services in local two-year colleges. The focus of the first year's activity was the design and development of a database of information on…

This report describes some of the major New York City Board of Education automated data collection systems and databases, and the ways in which information about individual students in these databases is collected from the schools, aggregated by staff in different central Board of Education offices, and used in school- and district-level reports.…

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…

Based on the findings of a 1998 conference on the new assessment and accountability requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this report discusses critical issues that surround the assessment provisions included in the 1997 IDEA amendments and contains recommendations related to state and district-wide assessments…

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 annual report presents 1996-97 financial information on 20 degree-granting universities and related institutions in Ontario, Canada. The report first explains the general guidelines and reporting requirements used in compiling the report, including university accounting procedures, the principles of fund accounting involved, and definitions…

The DELTA program of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) is an open-entry, open-exit competency-based diploma program in 10 high schools that is designed to help recover former dropouts and to prevent students who are at risk from dropping out. Instruction in the program is individualized and self-paced, but goals for the DELTA…

This report identifies planned activities to be undertaken through the year 2004 to develop postsecondary education in California. Following an executive summary, section 1 of the report identifies recent changes in the environmental context of California postsecondary education in the following areas: elementary and secondary schools, California…

Evaluators usually assume that the data they receive are valid, or at least, that the data reflect that which is being evaluated. In a recent evaluation in a large southern school district, evaluators compared their raw interview notes with interview notes edited by the teachers interviewed or project staff. The program evaluated was Project SEED,…