This report summarizes research literature on multiage classrooms, explaining how they operate, and describes a study of a low-performing, predominantly Native American school district which adopted multiage classrooms as its primary reform strategy. District teachers completed surveys about: planning; collaboration; student groupings and…

This book seeks to locate the essence of adult experiential learning, a central phenomenon in adult education. Chapter 1, The Theme of Adult Experiential Learning in Research, addresses theory building in adult education and developing a deeper understanding of adult experiential learning. Chapter 2, Theoretical Underpinnings and Methodology,…

This paper provides an overview of Direct Instruction, an intensive instructional method for grades K-6 based on the theory that learning can be greatly accelerated if instructional presentations are clear, rule out likely misinterpretations and facilitate generalizations. Over 50 instructional programs have been developed based on this…

From the vantage point of indigenous peoples, the term "research" is inextricably linked to European imperialism and colonialism. In this book, an indigenous researcher calls for the decolonization of research methods. The first part of the book critically examines the historical and philosophical bases of Western research; Western…

The Iowa Department of Education collects fundamental information on Iowa public schools with respect to various aspects of technology, its implementation and usage. The Technology Survey for the 1997-98 school year was administered to all school districts (377 of 384 districts responded) to collect current baseline information on a central core…

This publication summarizes the lessons learned during 2002 in a collaborative project that had two central goals: (1) to assess the current thinking on sustainability and outlays for educational technology (edtech) investments by using as national case studies the cities of Chicago, Cleveland and Milwaukee; and (2) to highlight critical issues…

This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the dual-language ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and…

To help researchers and planners, college governing bodies, and state-wide entities gain perspective on myriad events and initiatives impacting California Community Colleges (CCC) and higher education in general, the Research and Planning (RP) Group for California Community Colleges developed this prospectus. The final draft prospectus identifies…

This study examines the role of community college presidents as the two-year institution faces changing and expanding issues and challenges. The author argues that the community college president must be adept at assembling a leadership team if he/she is going to be an effective administrator. The study utilized a cross-sectional design and…

This paper reports principally on two studies, prompted by research on school effectiveness in the United States and England, which indicate globalization is beginning to affect school improvement. The first study cites case studies of two schools--from working-class, multi-ethnic, poorly educated areas of Singapore and London--to determine if…

This report focuses on the research aspects of the Equipped for the Future (EFF) project that works toward system reform for adult literacy and lifelong learning. Section 1 describes the EFF process 1993-97, the impetus for EFF, and approaches to system reform. Section 2 explores the research processes EFF uses to build a framework that could…

An evaluation of the extent to which research influences decision making in vocational education and training (VET) at the policy level necessitates consideration of these three areas: (1) decision making; (2) research; and (3) linkages. First, the impact of research on decision making incorporates these two elements: (1) use; and (2) influence.…

This paper describes how the researcher revised an action research class for preservice Masters students within the larger context of school improvement. Analysis of students' action research projects revealed some ironic and unintended consequences of linking action research to school improvement. Analysis of the researcher's own pedagogical…

Phase II of a two-part study identified the inservice needs of 63 entry-level agriculture teachers in Texas by comparing rankings of inservice needs as determined by direct assessment in phase I and as determined by a mean weighted discrepancy score. In phase II, teachers rated the level of importance of 163 competencies. A discrepancy score was…

This document contains four symposium papers on linking human resource development (HRD) theory and practice. "Reorienting the Theoretical Foundations of Human Resource Development: Building a Sustainable Profession and Society" (Tim Hatcher) examines the theoretical disciplines of economics, general systems, sociology, psychology, and ethics in…