When a family finds out their child has a disability, they enter the world of special education which has its own terminology, rules, settings and personnel. In addition to grappling with the meaning of their child's special needs, families are also thrown into the role of principle advocate for their child. The research study reported here…

On June 14, 2002 this journal [Pedagogika] held a roundtable, based in the Nizhnii Tagil State Pedagogical Institute, to discuss the problem of "The Schoolbook in the System of Sources of Knowledge and Means of Training Schoolteachers." The roundtable was conducted by Prof. V.P. Borisenkov, doctor of pedagogical sciences and…

This article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus-group research investigations into students' learning experiences. One previously published focus-group study is used as an illustrative example, along with other examples from the field of pedagogic research in geography higher education. An approach…

A successful undergraduate research experience depends on a good mentor/ teacher. Surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions reveal that students and their mentors agree that research learning is very different from classroom learning. They do however disagree about some of the dynamics and priorities of the mentoring relationship. (Contains…

Purpose: The "Other Voices" project provides the principles and tested pedagogies to answer the question "How do we teach to and about those who differ radically from each other religiously in the classroom?" Methodology: Eight institutions of higher education in upper New York State pooled their resources for eighteen months…

Across the United States, business leaders and educators agree that too many high school students are graduating without the skills they need to succeed in the workplace or in higher education. This lack of preparation leads to problems in meeting the needs of the economy, and it means remedial classes for college freshmen. Included in this…

Recognizing the considerable significance of schools' ability to create an environment of trust and mutual respect, the Center for Teaching Quality--in collaboration with the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards Commission and with generous support from the Karen and Christopher Payne Family Foundation--conducted two focus groups with…

This study looks at when individuals consider postsecondary education, how they approach their decision, the different paths they decide to follow, the roles other individuals play in the process, and what information students seek and consider in their decisionmaking. This report focuses on the types and sources of information used during the…

In order to meet the educational and economic demands of the United States in the future, institutions of higher education must increase the number of students who persist to the completion of a certificate or degree program, especially low-income students and students of color (Carnivale and Desrochers, 2004). To increase the persistence and…

This study explores working students' college experiences using the grounded theory approach. Focus groups were conducted to allow working students to elaborate on their college experiences, clarifying issues not easily addressed through surveys. Two theoretical propositions are offered to describe how working students are constantly searching for…

Conducted in urban and rural schools in two provinces of South Africa, the present study reports biology learners' understanding of concepts about genetics and inheritance. Participants were Grade 11 and 12 learners, aged 15-16 years. The tools included a written questionnaire, interviews, pre- and post-paper and pencil tests and focus group…

There have been few Australian studies of language maintenance amongst immigrant languages from the Indian subcontinent. The present study focuses on Tamil speakers in Melbourne from Sri Lanka or India, who are Hindus or Christians. Tamil is a pluricentric language that has been under the domination of English in these countries, at least amongst…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between change interventions and organizational learning. It seeks to identify the process through which team learning is developed, the factors that affect organizational learning and its influences on organizational effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach: Two groups of…

The study reviews a research project which, inter alia, is constructing an information literacy framework linking secondary and tertiary education and arises out of research conducted in both the secondary and tertiary sectors. The Project is firmly situated in a Scottish context but draws on UK and indeed worldwide experience. It began in October…

The article is concerned with the research approaches and nature of methodologies and epistemologies used by practitioner-researchers in a range of occupational areas. The authors use the experiences of candidates on a generic Doctorate in Professional Studies who undertake a module on research and development for professional practice. They also…