Describes a study conducted at the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) that examined reasons for defecting from Internet access. Topics include availability through institutional access; subject differences; e-mail and critical mass; information rich versus information poor; and suggestions for further research. (LRW)

Suggests that the growing demand for educational research to be more relevant and increasing concerns about the generalizability and utility of research findings are related to the concept of "socially responsible research." Identifies problems with educational technology research. Outlines major types of educational technology research…

Compares retrieval performance of the "MLA International Bibliography" and the "Annual Bibliography for English Language and Literature" when searching British, American, and postcolonial writers. Considers earlier studies, implications of results that show MLA retrieves more citations, and future research needs. (LRW)

Most experiential educators acknowledge the centrality of the learner in experiences they facilitate, indicating a constructivist epistemological vision. Yet participant experiences are lost in research using an outcome-focused, objectivist epistemology. Employing a constructivist epistemology in research embraces a broader range of approaches,…

Originally published in November 1994, illustrates the evolution of the concept of student development in the higher education and student affairs literature. Current status of this concept is presented in a framework of 14 propositions as an agenda for scholars and practitioners in the field. (Contains 90 references.) (Author/GCP)

Argues that Tomasello's (2000) interpretation of young children's conservatism in language production depends on questionable premises. Reviews evidence against the assumptions, showing that children learn item-specific facts about verbs and other lexical items. Asserts that researchers must explore the interactions of lexical and more abstract…

Describes a process directed at developing a simple paper-and-pencil checklist to assess Intranet effectiveness. Discusses the checklist purification procedure, and attempts to establish reliability and validity for the list. Concludes by identifying managerial applications of the checklist, recognizing the limitations of the approach, and…

Reviews the current status of problem-based learning (PBL) research in pharmacy education, identifies trends and student outcomes from the pharmacy courses that have used PBL, presents a brief review of PBL research in medical education, and recommends future directions for PBL research in pharmacy education. (EV)

Examines the research literature in distance education over a 10-year period from 1990 to 1999 using four journals and dissertation abstracts that reported a research methodology. Discusses the preponderance of a descriptive methodology and considers gaps in what is being researched. (Author/LRW)

Using the Delphi survey method, identified the extent to which a panel of 11 experts in teaching and learning in higher education agree on the features and unresolved issues associated with the scholarship of teaching, and how these compare to perspectives discussed in relevant higher education literature. (EV)

The Latino population continues to have extremely high dropout rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Article provides an overview of the literature on Latino dropouts and contains a brief discussion of key policy issues that can be addressed with the development of research and data sources focusing on Latino dropouts. (Contains 97…

Provides a brief overview of the current status of class-size reduction programs; summarizes research that has moved districts and states to seek class-size reduction; calls attention to the misapplication of the research in some contexts; discusses questions about smaller classes that remain unanswered; describes current research into the…

This study identified characteristics of girls likely to have positive medical findings for child sexual-abuse. Females who were suspected to be child sexual abuse victims (n=1,456) were medically evaluated. Associations were found between positive findings of trauma and age and a history of sexual contact. A prediction model for suspected victims…

This response to a previous article on behavioral manifestations of child sexual abuse (EC 619 258) stresses the importance of empirical research and the avoidance of assumptions that incidents of sexual abuse are the sentinel events in the life of a child, when the child's dysfunctional milieu may provide far more traumatic events. (DB)

Summarizes highlights of a discussion by 12 leaders in the field of child sexual abuse concerning the technical conduct of the child-sexual-abuse medical examination. (DB)