A discussion of college alumni surveys considers the kinds of information that are most helpful to the institution in fund raising, including names and preferred forms of address, significant others, demographics, Social Security numbers, occupational information, and income and net worth. (MSE)

Asserts that qualitative research methodology represents a fundamental reconceptualization about knowledge, validity, and education. Reviews the history and trends of educational research and argues that it is increasingly legitimate to use qualitative methods. (CFR)

Examines the structure of pedagogical knowledge housed in the memory of an experienced teacher educator and the influence of this knowledge on changes in the pedagogical knowledge structures of prospective teachers. The study involved teachers enrolled in one of three different sections of the same teaching methods course. (GLR)

Development, implementation, and evaluation of a treatment program for 222 violent criminal offenders with alcohol abuse or alcoholism are described. Evaluation of the program, with quasi-experimental techniques, shows that active program clients engage in fewer violent crimes and show improved life functioning in employment and social adjustment…

Explores the benefits of poststructuralism for feminist empirical research in education. It seems important for researchers to examine the gendered subjectivities offered to girls and women and the ways they accept or reject them along with other educational research topics. (SLD)

H.H. Spitz argues that interesting results from the preschool intervention of the Abecedarian Project continue to be disregarded. C.T. Ramey reiterates his earlier objections to Spitz's conclusions, and H.H. Spitz rejoins with specific objections to Ramey. (SLD)

The relationship between drama in education and program evaluation is explored through the evaluation of an elementary school drama program. The compromise approach presents evaluation as a complex adaptation of an innovation or growth profile. The report contains enough hard data to be useful for policymakers but is rich in information…

Describes a study that identified various strategies used by graduate students to navigate a hypermedia program about ethnographic research methodology. The strategies included independent interaction, accommodation of a learning partner, cooperation with a partner, collaboration mediated by the program, and reflective collaboration with little or…

Suggests that ethical problems in research involving contact with children can be overcome by using a participatory approach. Describes a study conducted in England and Wales that explored what part children are playing in decisions since implementation of the Children Act 1989 and what the participants think of the process. (LPP)

Examined parent/peer linkages and how both types of experiences influence substance use in European-American adolescents. Found that mothers' responsiveness lessened adolescents' peer orientation, which reduced substance use. This process was moderated by maternal values regarding adolescent alcohol use. Among fathers, closer monitoring was…

Offers some strategies for enabling science teachers to make better use of data-logging methods. These ideas are grounded in the belief that science teachers are expert lesson planners. Benefits gained for students using data-logging techniques are more likely to be secured through teachers re-interpreting their planning approaches in the new…

Results from a project of linked alumni and employer surveys at North Carolina State University were analyzed to explore the comparability of the ratings. A survey of administrators was subsequently undertaken to explore the impact of survey-based assessment information on planning, assessment, curriculum revision, and customer satisfaction at the…

Reviews studies of children's and adolescents' understanding of peace and war. Maintains that findings are influenced by measurement procedures and design and by a number of variables. Notes that recent studies suggest a relationship between understanding of interpersonal relationships and understanding of peace. Other variables such as social…

This introductory commentary discusses the following articles on studies that used in-depth case studies of students with learning disabilities to document individuals' progress over time, as well as the relationship between reading and writing instruction and students' development of self-regulation. The benefits of qualitative research are…

Holistic educational research looks beyond test scores as a measure of student development and considers broader perspectives, such as quality of life and community interactions. Approaches to making research more understandable, accessible, and practical at a grassroots level include qualitative research, informal research, participatory research…