Examines the cross-dimensional and cross-situational consistency of the aggressive, assertive, and submissive behavior of male adolescents observed in a variety of naturally occurring school activities. Behavior was found to vary as a function of sex role orientation and the class of behavior investigated. (LS)

Reviews a doctoral dissertation that attempts to identify and analyze the behavior of successful middle school music teachers. Describes the instrument developed to measure these behavioral characteristics. Suggests that the videotapes of class sessions may be the most useful portion of the study. (LS)

Small group instruction was assessed in a naturalistic study involving 206 observations of mathematics periods in 33 classrooms of grades 4, 5, and 6 in 21 schools. Six types of group instruction were identified, and teachers' use of such groups was explored. (SLD)

Argues that assessment in early childhood special education needs to go beyond diagnosis of the child in isolation and include evaluation of the child using an ecological perspective. Three aspects of ecological early childhood assessment are discussed: (1) the family interview; (2) the evaluation of adult-child learning styles; and (3)…

A naturalistic approach to evaluation is illustrated through the description of the evaluation of a small-scale agricultural project in a village in Mali, West Africa. The evaluation considered program impact as well as the quality of the conclusions drawn using the illuminative model of evaluation. (SLD)

Discussion of Lois Lenski's children's books focuses on the realism that predominates in her work through the use of real-life observation as opposed to imagination alone. Ways to use her work as part of a whole language approach to teach reading as well as science, geography, and social studies are suggested. (23 references) (LRW)

Reports on a study of user-based relevance interpretations which considered the nature of users' thought processes in evaluating bibliographic citations produced by a document retrieval system. Factors found to be important include an individual's subject knowledge, professional training, educational background, anticipated usage of documents,…

Examined, through naturalistic observation, the multiple pathways taken by immigrant learners in joining a cross-cultural classroom community. Found that social acceptance by peer culture influenced children's creation of their identities; that images and ideals of the mainstream culture fueled children's dreams and desires; and that sharing…

Presents six case studies of EARTHWATCH expeditions which provide teachers with opportunities to work with scientists, participate in scientific discovery, and employ new technology. Educators join EARTHWATCH teams to explore tropical and dry forests, monitor ecosystems and species, unearth remains, and consequently develop innovative classroom…

The focus of this study was on comparing three groups of Algebra I 9th-year students: one group using linked representation software, the second group using similar software but with semi-linked representations, and the control group in order to examine the effects on students' understanding of linear relationships. Data collection methods…

A curriculum activity was initiated to provide preservice teachers with a personal knowledge base of active research procedures through the use of class-related activities. A research component was included in a required preservice class in assessment. Following the principles of scaffolding theory, students who had studied the elements of…

A majority of the empirical studies on questioning has focused on the effects of prior knowledge on the number and type of questions asked. Research has not been able to find support for the frequency hypothesis and the specificity hypothesis in questioning. The focus of these studies is briefly criticized, and a detailed critical assessment is…

This manual describes the results of a 3-year research project at George Washington University (District of Columbia) called the Assessment as Intervention Project, which explored approaches to parent-sensitive developmental follow-up for prematurely born infants who received neonatal intensive care and their families (N=25). After an…

The process of focus-finding in qualitative research is ongoing and dynamic, involves researcher choices and decisions (rather than pure discovery), and is a process of social construction in which the researcher interacts with the research setting. Focus-finding is discussed in the context of a qualitative research study of the integration of…

This document describes approaches in conducting naturalistic studies in two different countries with contrasting educational settings. Naturalistic research methodology is described by one of the writers as "an explicit undertaking to lay aside our ideas and concern ourselves with finding the subjects' perspectives in their non-theoretical…