In 1990, a survey was conducted of colleges in the Mid-Plains Technical Community College (MPTCC) area to determine the most effective organizational structure and staffing patterns for institutional research and to assess the kinds of information most needed. The survey instrument was mailed to 30 administrators in the Area Office and at…

A teacher education course on reading in the content areas had two goals: (1) to embody, rather than talk about, the reading-writing connection; and (2) to effect through a workshop setting a community of learners among the participants. Students were required to select, adapt, and apply instructional strategies from a variety of textbooks and…

Because of recent shifts in understanding the nature of knowledge and the process of learning, there may be major and long-lasting changes in the nature of educational research and its role for educators. Since most people understand through the use of metaphor, a metaphor that previously fostered the understanding of research is the assembly line…

Factors that affect the utility of financial data collected through the Higher Education General Information Surveys (HEGIS) are examined. Attention is also directed to the process associated with the collection and use of that data; roles and responsibilities of various parties to that process, with a focus on researchers' roles; and possible…

An interview study examined the assumptions about adult learning held by 28 educational policy-makers, researchers, and staff developers. Fifteen assumptions were inferred from the interview data, each forming a dimension that describes learning as experienced by the participants: (1) Adult learning experiences are envisioned as similar for all…

This paper reports on a study developed to determine what experts in the area of educational research perceive as the basic skills and knowledge areas that one who has successfully completed a one-semester graduate course in educational research should possess. A decision was made to conduct a Delphi study to identify these skills and knowledge…

This report arose from discussions among directors of interdisciplinary humanities centers who recognize disparity between what they believe is the popular view of the humanities and their perception of the significant work that their centers sponsor. The question of specialization in the humanities requires attention since it is so often…

A miniconference (consisting of four 60-minute sessions) was organized to contribute to the exploration of frames, forms, and contents of systematic cooperation and interaction between the researcher and teacher in the classroom. These proceedings of the conference include descriptions of the organization, purpose, and background of the…

Articles and essays in this journal issue focus on explaining ethnographic (observation taking into account socioeconomic and cultural factors) research procedures and showing how this methodology can be applied to English classes and reported in ways useful to teachers. The first article, by Paul Diesing, provides background on ethnography. The…

Research approaches to the complex issues related to college teaching and learning are discussed. Topics covered include: research itself (why improvement is needed, potential targets for improvement, types of research, and an integrated strategy for productive research); the learning activity; the teaching activity; learners; teachers;…

Twenty-one elementary and secondary school teachers enrolled in a course called "Writing Research: A Teacher-Researchers Seminar." The course met for 3 hours every 2 weeks during the school year. Teachers spent the first half of each class either discussing a series of research articles or talking with a visiting researcher. During the second half…

Educational research can serve to improve education in both developed and developing countries. It can be oriented toward increasing knowledge about the educational reality, generating theories, or confirming immediate educational political decisions. Educational research should be an interdisciplinary undertaking; this variety helps to unify…

An accountability requirement for government funds for research (the effort reporting requirement) is discussed, with attention to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21, which regulates direct and indirect cost reimbursement to universities. Effort reporting forms are used by faculty members to allot their time among a number of…

The purpose of this paper is to unveil how Peter McLaren's revolutionary brand of pedagogy, multiculturalism, and research colored my two-year qualitative research study, which unearthed twenty White female future teachers' experiences and perceptions in relationship to computing technology and male-centered computing culture. His ideas positioned…

There is presently a wide gap between educational research and educational policy, which seems to result from the esoteric nature of much of the research as well as from the fact that policy is guided more often by economic or social concerns than by educational considerations. The results of a study of college impact on student development are…