This study reports on an investigation into the impact of a national, school-based teacher development programme on learning and teaching in Kenyan primary schools. Building on a national baseline study (n=102), 144 video-recorded lessons, covering the teaching of English, maths and science at Standards 3 and 6, were analysed to investigate…

Combining diverse methods in a single study raises a problem: What should be done when the findings of one method of investigation conflict with those of another? The authors illustrate this problem using an example in which three study phases--quantitative, qualitative, and intervention--are applied. The findings from the quantitative phase did…

Existing research posits multiple dimensions of bullying and victimization but has not identified well-differentiated facets of these constructs that meet standards of good measurement: goodness of fit, measurement invariance, lack of differential item functioning, and well-differentiated factors that are not so highly correlated as to detract…

Using an argument-based approach to validation, this study examines the quality of teacher judgments in the context of a standards-based classroom assessment of English proficiency. Using Bachman's (2005) assessment use argument (AUA) as a framework for the investigation, this paper first articulates the claims, warrants, rebuttals, and backing…

Three alternate models for the use of multiple methods are outlined: (1) triangulation; (2) bracketing; and (3) complementary purposes. Application of these alternative approaches by researchers is discussed. (TJH)

This study describes a comparison between retrospective questions and daily diaries inquiring about positive and negative support in spousal interactions. The design was a multitrait-multimethod matrix with trait factors of positive and negative support, and method factors of retrospective questions and daily asked questions. Five questions were…

An approach to the analysis of multitrait-multimethod matrices is proposed in which improper solutions are ruled out and convergence is guaranteed. The approach, based on constrained variants of components analysis, provides component scores that can relate components to external variables. It is illustrated through simulated and empirical data.…

A means of transforming multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices into a classical multiple group factor analysis is outlined. A reanalysis of two numerical illustrations shows that the classical procedure yields results similar to those reached by D. N. Jackson's (1975) two-step procedure for analysis of MTMM matrices. (TJH)

Demonstrates the advantages of Rao's Distance (C. Rao, 1949) over the root mean residual square for model comparisons using an analysis of a sample of multitrait-multimethod data. A simulation study shows that the true orderings of intermodel proximities are received with a fair degree of accuracy. (Author/SLD)

Based on a mixed methods research design that included an examination of the impact of summer, case study analyses, and survey findings, English learners appear to have an advantage over their non-English learner peers in resisting summer loss and developing social competence. This study examined the effect of summer vacation on the oral reading…

This mixed methods study investigated the extent to which preservice teachers' discipline orientations are consistent with their perceptions of what makes an effective teacher. The study's first purpose was to determine whether preservice teachers tend to possess a predominant discipline style. The second purpose was to ascertain the degree to…

Having specialists in schools providing guidance for classroom teachers and addressing students' literacy issues is widely accepted. The roles these educators fulfill have changed over the years and the expectations of the role differ among professionals providing and receiving services. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of…

This article describes the validation of scores on actual and preferred forms of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC). The WIHIC is a 56-item instrument that assesses seven classroom environment dimensions: Student Cohesiveness, Teacher Support, Involvement, Investigation, Task Orientation, Cooperation and Equity. A sample of 978 secondary…

In practice, the inclusion of correlated residuals in latent-variable models is often regarded as a statistical sleight of hand, if not an outright form of cheating. Consequently, researchers have tended to allow only as many correlated residuals in their models as are needed to obtain a good fit to the data. The current article demonstrates that…

Studied planned incomplete data designs for the purpose of substantially reducing the amount of data required for multitrait-multimethod models. Simulations studied the effectiveness of Listwise Deletion, Pairwise Deletion, and the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Results indicate that EM is generally precise and efficient. (SLD)