The authors used an experimental design to compare the effectiveness of unstructured collaborative practice with individual practice on achievement on a complex well-structured problem-solving task. Participants included postsecondary students (N = 257) from a liberal arts college serving primarily nontraditional students and from 2 state…

Because of the difficulty of evaluating uneven performance among group members, many researchers suggest incorporating peer evaluations in a grading system that permits an instructor to evaluate and grade individual performance more equitably within a group. In this study, the authors employ expectancy theory to assess key factors that may…

The trend toward adopting a strengths approach to mental health practice with children and adolescents amounts to a paradigm shift from an emphasis on diagnosing disorders to tapping child capacities and assets toward the achievement of treatment goals. While the potential value and challenges associated with this shift has received ample…

Professional practice is built on sound knowledge specific to each discipline. This knowledge is developed and validated through a process of scientific investigation or research. However, lack of knowledge about the research process acts as a barrier to applying evidence-based practice within the school setting. Understanding the components that…

As learning and performance improvement continues to dominate the training research landscape, so does the need to justify the results of relevant interventions. One area in training research that has continued to elude practitioners and researchers is enhancing the use of trained skills back on the job (i.e., training transfer). Relapse…

This study compared the use of paper/pencil and computer tools for creating concept maps. Participants were 52 students in two combined 9th/10th grade biology classes. An independent measures research design was used. There were two treatment groups: computer and paper/pencil. The computer group created concept maps using Inspiration software…

We investigated how size and depth are perceived in a plane or convex mirror. In Experiment 1, using a plane or convex mirror, 20 observers viewed a separation between two objects that were presented at a constant distance and reproduced it by a separation between other two objects in a natural viewing situation. The mean matches generally…

A meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of Behavioral Parent Training for children and adolescents with externalizing behaviors and disruptive behavior disorders was conducted with 79 outcome studies conducted between 1966 and 2001. Separate analyses were conducted for studies employing between-subjects, within-subjects, and single-subject…

This article examines the relevancy of large-scale, quantitative methodologies in middle grades education research. Based on recommendations from national advocacy organizations, the need for more large-scale, quantitative research, combined with the application of more rigorous methodologies, is presented. Subsequent sections describe and discuss…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to use ecological footprint analysis (EFA) in an interdisciplinary graduate level course on sustainable development to better how education can facilitate learning and transform the perceptions and behavior of class participants. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an untreated control group research…

This article is the first of a research methods series dedicated to getting good results from survey research. In this series, "good results" is a stenographic term used to define surveys that yield accurate and meaningful information decision makers can use with confidence to identify current practices that merit continuation and to create or…

This article examines the nature and influence of peer group perceptions on pupils' attitudes to learning German and French. It begins with an overview of key findings from the literature, before reviewing selected results from a large PhD attitudinal survey using a multi-stage qualitative research design. The article focuses on the perceptions of…

Clinical practice and research are generally taught separately in Master of Social Work programs by faculty with distinct areas of expertise. This paper discusses the teaching of single-subject design research methodology by clinical faculty, in the clinical practice class. Examples from student papers demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating…

To provide graduate students in pharmacology/toxicology exposure to, and cross-training in, a variety of relevant laboratory skills, the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy developed a "methods" course as part of the core curriculum. Because some of the participating departmental faculty are neuroscientists, this course often applied…

The purpose of this research was to ascertain if there were any significant differences in the ability to read logos and to make the transition to reading logos in manuscript forms of kindergarten children who received direct instruction with environmental print, those who received indirect instruction, and those who received no instruction with…