This paper is intended as a contribution to the longstanding debate about the best way of handling value judgements in social research. In it we make a case for more "ethical reflexivity" in the sociology of education and argue that a systematic attention to value questions should be viewed as a taken-for-granted component of methodological…

Smith's article "On Construct Validity: Issues of Method and Measurement" is a fine tribute to L. J. Cronbach and P. E. Meehl (1955) that clarifies the current state and future directions in the understanding of construct validity. Construct validity is a dynamic process, and fit indices need to be used at the service of understanding, not in…

Mega planning has a primary focus on adding value for all stakeholders. It is realistic, practical, and ethical. Denning and then achieving sustained organizational success is possible. It relies on three basic elements: (1) "A societal value-added "frame of mind" or paradigm": your perspective about your organization, people, and our world. It…

Reactions to the publication of the National Council of Mathematics (NCTM) "Standards", in both 1989 and 2000, revealed the extent to which differing sets of values and beliefs had divided the mathematical community. This paper rejoins the debate surrounding the "Standards", exploring some of the opposing points of view while offering some…

The nature of land ownership is infrequently discussed by practitioners of outdoor education, though it is often central to the way they work. The recent controversy over the proposed sale of the Cuillin mountain range on the Isle of Skye in Scotland provoked heated discussion over rights to and benefits of this important place. The main point at…

This article elaborates a presentation made upon reception of the E. L. Thorndike Career Achievement Award in Educational Psychology from Division 15 of the American Psychological Association. It considers how value aspects of motivation apply to efforts to develop students' appreciation for school learning. Currently, we have only limited…

Among librarians, government information has a reputation for being a valuable but underused resource. A literature review of undergraduate citation studies, however, reveals that the use of government information has apparently increased so much for some subject areas that, after books and journals, it has become one of the most frequently used…

Research indicates that student control of their personal web space is an important factor that supports meaningful reflective learning within online web publishing contexts. The Penn State personal web space system allows for personal control of this learning space, although basic web publishing skills are required. The purpose of this study is…

The majority of social scientists continue to dismiss literary narratives as data that might lead to complex understandings of human phenomena. Introducing a method I call "novel inquiry", I argue that literary narratives merit inclusion as a source of data for educational inquiry. Utilizing literary narratives as a data source expands and…

This article explores teachers in the units of high quality education in Finland. It focuses on three questions. First, What are conceptions of good teaching of teachers teaching in the quality units? Second, What do they consider important in their teaching? And third, What is the relation between teachers' conceptions and the criteria used in…

Research on the qualities and characteristics that individuals value in those from whom they seek "career help" is very limited. Existing studies provide little insight into the meaning behind the labels individuals use to identify valued qualities and characteristics. We address this neglected area using qualitative interviews based on life story…

Various policy papers and research studies assert that teamwork is one of the most important skills for students to learn if they are to become meaningful contributors to the 21st century workforce. However, outside of organizational psychology and adult populations, few reliable assessments of this construct exist, with suitable validity evidence…

E-learning environments increasingly serve as important infrastructural features of universities that enable teachers to provide students with different representations of knowledge and to enhance interaction between teachers and students and amongst students themselves. This study was designed to identify factors that can explain teachers' use of…

Electronic technology has created a revolution in portability of information, documentation, and communication. We are now able to connect with people, information, organizations, and merchandise from anywhere at practically any time. As electronically fabricated environments replace actual physical surroundings, however, we become displaced.…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyse how participants in leadership training programs in higher education value and perceive their training process. Design/methodology/approach: A stylized theoretical model is developed indicating that leadership training may be designed along a collegial-managerial continuum. To study how…