The impact of the educational programs of zoos on the recreational visitor is addressed in this report. Unobtrusive or nonreactive research methods were employed as primary evaluative techniques by graduate social science students conducting six research projects at the Los Angeles Zoo. These studies were designed and implemented to examine: (1)…

An instrument for naturalistic observation in the childbirth environment is presented. Observable features of the parturient woman's physical state, stimulus contact she experiences, and themes of conversations with the woman are recorded using a system of categories to time-sample in cycles of 30 seconds for observing followed by 30 seconds for…

This 9-month naturalistic study investigated maternal influence on the responses of 1 1/2- to 2-year-old infants to emotional distress events occurring in the family environment. Mothers were trained to report details of distress incidents, of the child's reactions to the person in distress, and of the mother's own response to the child and to the…

The article describes the three-year Education Development Center/Technical Education Research Center Middle School Technology Integration Project which is investigating how technology is integrated into language arts and mathematics curricula, and its impact on mainstreamed mildly handicapped students. The evolution of computer use at four…

Discusses the interactional state referred to by speakers of Hebrew as "brogez" as an example of the ritual regulation of conflict. Identifies specific forms and strategies of this type of interaction as they are used by Israeli children and their relevance to children's communicative competence. (SED)

Reports studies of children's interactions at home with younger siblings and/or best friends. Finds gender and group composition differences in the play activities selected, amount of positive and negative interaction, and assumption of the roles of teacher/learner, manager/manager and playmate. (CB)

Using cognitive ethnography, this study examines the relationship between a first grade teacher's thinking about the management of students' behavior and her routine actions in the classroom. The purpose was to discover characteristics of her management plan, i.e., the relationship between criteria and strategies selected to achieve certain…

Examines maternal and paternal behaviors in 78 parent-child dyads in Mexican families. Observed patterns were found to run counter to traditionally held views of Mexican parental roles. Findings proved to be similar to those obtained in observational studies in the United States. (Author/CB)

This study investigates what thinking skills are needed to be a good artist or art student, particularly in a secondary school art course. Following a review of the literature, a qualitative approach was used to identify, describe, and classify the thought processes that are seen by the participants as being conducive to success in visual art. The…

This book is a collection of original essays on the practice of linguistic fieldwork and language documentation. Twelve leading linguistics have contributed chapters about the study of languages in a natural setting. They pass on lessons learned, best practices, and discuss a wide variety of topics including the attitude of the linguistic, the…

This descriptive study examined Ananda School (Nevada City, California) grades K-7, or as it is now called, Living Wisdom School (LWS). The specific goal was to examine the model of spiritual development embodied in the LWS program, its interpersonal dynamics, and its curriculum. The study sought to understand how the school operates within the…

Carries out a naturalistic small-scale study involving a class from a senior high school in Spain over two years. Analyzes students' essays on chemical change using text analysis techniques. Reports the development of four conceptual profiles and the implications of research for the process of teaching the concept of chemical change. (Author/KHR)

The representativeness of behavioral observation samples with durations of less than the whole time of interest was investigated with five profoundly mentally retarded physically handicapped adults in an institutional setting. It was found that the session representativeness was a function of the relative duration of the behavioral categories and…

Three occupational therapy fieldwork environments--mental health, adult physical disabilities, and pediatrics--were evaluated with the naturalistic inquiry methodology. Students and supervisors described and compared ideal clinical education environments with actual fieldwork environments. Different priorities emerged in the three environments,…

Describes a study that used a nonobtrusive methodology to determine the effectiveness of an information desk staffed by graduate students and nonprofessionals in an academic library. Relationships that were found between the level of staff members and the quality of reference services are described, and the implications for staffing patterns and…