Explores understanding of chance measurement and how this develops over time through the analysis of response data collected in 1993, 1995, and 1997. Analyzes this data to document changes in levels of observed student outcomes using the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) developmental model. Results indicate no improvements in…

A longstanding debate focuses on whether suicide and homicide rates walk hand in hand or whether they are reciprocally related. Much of the research on this issue investigates whether suicide or homicide predominates in certain geographic areas or whether they trend together over time. We theorize that the degree of social integration and social…

Examined the performances of schools in a large urban school district using achievement data from a longitudinally matched cohort of middle school students (3,299 students in 24 schools). Results suggest that assessments of school performance depend on choices of ways to model and analyze data. (SLD)

As part of the impetus to increase and widen participation in the UK, and in Scotland in particular, there has been considerable effort put into creating links between Further Education Colleges (FECs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). However, because no unique identifier is used to track students between the two sectors, little is known…

The study purpose was to determine whether unsealed (with participant recording of daily steps) versus sealed pedometer monitoring elicits reactivity (i.e., changed behavior due to awareness of being monitored) in adults. In a randomized controlled crossover study, 28 healthy White adults (12 men, M age = 51 [plus or minus] 9.9 years; and 16…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue of "Data Notes" looks at student developmental education and gateway course outcomes by gender. The data show that more than half of students were referred to developmental math, with female students being more likely to be referred than male students. Females were more…

This inquiry uses teacher-candidate critiques of science lessons as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of an instructor's pedagogical approach to promote teacher candidate understanding of the nature of science (NOS) in a science methods course. Three cohorts of teacher candidates enrolled in a middle-years teacher education program were…

Mentoring has long been recognized as an effective strategy for retaining and supporting doctoral students in their programs of study. In this qualitative investigation, we conducted three focus groups of proteges, peer mentors, and faculty mentors to explore definitions, experiences, and expectations of mentoring. Results indicated that the three…

This article summarizes findings from a recent study of 451 Career Technical Education (CTE) and non-CTE students as drawn from seven high schools supported by an area career technical center. One aspect of this study examined each group's academic standing and their socioeconomic status, including the household living arrangements and the family…

Developmental Education programs are designed to provide assistance to students who are academically under-prepared for college-level coursework. Previous issues of "Data Notes" compared the outcomes of developmental students completing all of their required developmental courses to those not requiring developmental education. Using data…

Which factors promote transfer from community colleges to four-year colleges and universities? What can individuals learn about transfer from tracking cohorts of students? What can they learn from studying colleges that have a strong track record of transferring students? These questions are at the center of a study funded in 2007 by the…

Following an encounter with a student at the beginning of fall term, the writer reflects that today's student generation is a singular one: its members want to study, travel, make friends, make more friends, read everything (superfast), take in all the movies, listen to every hot band, keep up with everyone they've ever known. They live to…

Counseling psychology is a relatively new field that is gaining autonomy and respect. Unfortunately, research efforts in the field may lack an appropriate research design. This paper considers some of the more common types of research design and the associated threats to their validity. An example of each design type is drawn from the counseling…

Available evidence does not support the notion that aging is associated with increasingly conservative social and political attitudes, or the idea that attitudinal rigidity is the norm among older cohorts. To examine whether aging is associated with attitudinal rigidity, nine surveys from the National Opinion Research Center were analyzed to…

Historical data on enrollments in grades one through twelve and high school graduates in the four-county service area of the Gulf Coast Junior College District were collected for 1973 to 1978 and enrollments were projected for the years 1979 to 1989. Once grade and graduation figures were verified for accuracy, a Cohort Survival Method was used to…