Reports on a study that uses psychometric modeling to rank the appeal of a variety of children's astronomical ideas on a single uniform scale. Findings support the view that alternative conceptions may be markers of progress toward understanding. Contains 82 references. (DDR)

Database Tomography (DT) is a textual database-analysis system consisting of algorithms for extracting multiword phrase frequencies and proximities from a large textual database, to augment interpretative capabilities of the expert human analyst. Describes use of the DT process, supplemented by literature bibliometric analyses, to derive technical…

Gathers descriptive information about orchestra programs for use in considering the needs of school string programs. Finds increased enrollment in school orchestras with stable numbers of instructors; most orchestra students and teachers are white; and 20% of orchestra students are in the upper 10% of their graduating class. (DSK)

Argues that the prevailing computer science orientation to data visualizations is severely limited for addressing usability concerns associated with supporting users in three critical problem areas: sophisticated visual literacy, complex data analysis, and new paradigms of visual inquiry. Argues that current object-oriented usability…

Despite numerous counselor training programs that espouse a scientist-practitioner orientation, rivalry, rather than collegiality, is often present between researchers and counselors. This article presents a teaching template intended to decrease this tension by highlighting similarities between the two professional specializations. Implications…

A cumulative review and analysis of 27 empirical investigations that assessed the preferences and choices of individuals with severe or profound mental retardation found that, since 1978, a technology has been evolving that can assess preference and choice via six types of participant responses across a variety of stimulus presentations. Research…

A reanalysis of data from three previously published studies on whether creativity is content general or content specific suggest that, contrary to the results of recent research, a content-general factor may explain 40-50% of the variance in creativity checklist scores. Results are analyzed in light of other studies. (Author/CR)

Illustrates how graphing calculators can be used to address the knowledge and skills promoted by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and other educational organizations. Focuses on plotting capability and facilitating various types of data and information analysis. (CMK)

An ethnographic study of the experiences of graduate students (N=8) learning to consult revealed three primary themes. Content analysis and subsequent structural corroboration of three datasets indicated participants' application of procedures, awareness of professional perspectives, and emphasis on attending relationships. Discusses implications…

Focuses on knowledge and the use of research in relation to local actors in social situations by analyzing data from ongoing research in Swedish schools. Proposes a theoretical framework for knowledge utilization. Concludes that a teacher's knowledge is mainly personal, specific, and action-oriented concerning its origin, content, and function.…

This article describes activities to improve the access to cross-agency information systems, including identifying outcome goals and objectives, the populations of concern, needed sources of information, data collection methods, and data utilization. Benefits of establishing cross-agency agreements, common cross-agency definitions, and procedures…

Discussion of learning environments for distance education based on the World Wide Web (WWW) focuses on how academic institutions can collect and analyze data in order to determine the effectiveness of computer mediated distance learning. Describes three models that use analyses of computerized log files, and presents a case study. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the impact of online technologies on secondary analysis of survey research performance. Reviews current online public opinion sources and presents a model for interactive online analysis of survey data. Argues that survey data should be more easily available to all potential users. (Author/AEF)

Reports the feasibility and reliability of calculating impact factors for Web sites, called Web Impact Factors. Analyzes seven small/medium scale national Web sites, four large Web domains, and six institutional Web sites over a series of snapshots taken of the Web during a month. Describes data isolation and calculation methods and discusses…

Analyzes a data set of music education in the maintained schools of England to (1) establish an authoritative national picture and (2) determine effective school-specific strategies that could be replicated. Focuses on music participation from age 14, when music is no longer part of the National Curriculum. (CMK)