Background information, procedures, and suggestions for bird feeder studies easily conducted in high school or middle school settings are provided. Data collection and analysis are discussed. Examples of charts produced by these activities are given. (CW)

Argues for the scientific and practical value of participatory action research (PAR) and urges that this methodology be used in the social sciences. Defines PAR and places it in the context of traditional research. Illustrates the PAR process using two case studies. Claims that PAR can contribute to the advancement of social theory. (KO)

Examines a class project for the study of development across the life span that requires students to interview individuals from different phases of the life cycle and write a paper discussing their subjects' lives in terms of major developmental psychology concepts. Describes student preparation and project evaluation, discussing some potential…

This review, which examines three sources of evidence about the effects of computer-assisted instruction on student achievement (national surveys, research reviews, and recent experimental studies), concludes that existing evidence of computer effectiveness is scanty. A new research initiative is described which combines the benefits of survey and…

Seven qualitative issues associated with randomization that have the potential to weaken or destroy otherwise sound experimental designs are reviewed and illustrated via actual field experiments. Issue areas include ethics and legality, liability risks, manipulation of randomized outcomes, hidden bias, design intrusiveness, case flow, and…

Describes a project in which undergraduate students learn ecological principles and methods by contributing to research involved in restoring an old agricultural field to mesic property. Finds that the project enhances student motivation and interest. (Author/WRM)

Environmental educators have long engaged students in collecting data and monitoring environmental quality. Now scientists are recognizing the potential for student-collected data to contribute to the understanding of phenomena such as global climate change. Suggests some ways of thinking about the potential of environmental monitoring as a means…

Describes a natural science course designed to teach students that nature is nearby rather than somewhere else. Students learn about local flora and fauna, track the weather, and closely monitor the progression of the seasons. The course uses no textbook, regularly uses the outdoors as a classroom, and follows the seasons' phenology as the…

Many teachers have found that, no matter how enjoyable ecological studies are, students tend to dislike the computation of the large amounts of data gathered. Included is a description of an experiment that utilized time-saving features as well as the instructional and motivational benefits of using a computer spreadsheet program to analyze and…

Illustrates a model for integrating urban fieldwork into a human geography class project. Reports on a project in which students explored the interaction between Atlanta (Georgia) and its five target suburbs, and their interactions among each other. (CMK)

Discusses research on the negative impact of television and movies, scientific research on television violence and aggression, laboratory research, criticisms of laboratory research, field research, correlation studies. Concludes there is no evidence that viewing television violence increases aggression in children or adults but viewing it can…

Explores what the "knowledge base for school learning" described by M. Wang, G. Haertel, and H. Walberg might mean for education by describing some cases of school learning from fieldwork in elementary schools. The focus is on psychological dimensions of school learning. (SLD)

Spatial analysis technologies are increasingly important tools for all aspects of forest resource management. Field work previously accomplished with map, compass, and engineers' scale is now being augmented, or superseded, by the use of GPS and GIS. Professional-grade GPS receivers and commercial GIS software are preferred for their accuracy and…

It is important to be able to describe instructional practices accurately in order to support research on "what works" in education and professional development as a basis for efforts to improve practice. This report describes a project to develop procedures for characterizing classroom practices in mathematics and science on the …

In this article, we illustrate and grapple with the challenges of doing social justice work in a neoliberal academic environment. Specifically, we consider our experiences of creating a social justice concentration in a graduate program where higher education serves as the focus of study. In so doing, we draw on information from a number of…