This case study investigated the manner in which junior kindergarten children learn to adapt to the role of student. Participant observation in a junior kindergarten class during the first 3 weeks of school was used to probe 22 children's perceptions of their first experiences as students. Particular attention was given to the way in which…

This research report discusses a study which examined the purposes of reading in six respondents. Chapter 1 introduces the six respondents of the study and the inquirer; reasons for the study are briefly explained. Chapter 2 presents glimpses of several observations of classroom settings. Chapter 3 covers the methodology which guided the inquirer…

Empiricists work with general concepts defined by their observed sets of objects. Their explanations involve their general concepts derived by trial and error from their untheoretical observations and experience. This paper distinguishes empirical educational research from scientific research to avoid confusion between the two. A reason for the…

This paper describes a series of collaborative research seminars designed to allow classroom teachers to observe and assess critical aspects of Logo learning in their own classrooms. Based on structured interviews with participating teachers, the workshops are designed to support classroom teachers in observing their own students, collecting data…

Previous studies have demonstrated the inability of naive observers (i.e., those who have no counseling training) to differentiate an empathic counselor from a content-only counselor on a variety of counselor rating scales. The present study extends these earlier studies by attempting to determine whether individuals who had been clients…

A development and field-testing effort explored ways of helping preservice teachers learn classroom management knowledge and skills during field-based preservice courses. An observation guide, "Learning the Classroom Environment, An Observer's Guide to Classroom Management" (Sanford & Emmer, 1985), has four general areas: the classroom setting;…

This paper sets forth implications for staff development of a social constructivist perspective on school teaching, learning, and subject matter. The perspective is illustrated by an overview of the research-centered staff development work done in the beginning months of the Teachers' Conceptual Change in Practice Project. In the first half of the…

A brief review of the events leading up to the enactment of the Career Incentive Program is provided. Competencies used to evaluate the teachers are listed, defined, and exemplified. Detailed procedures for implementation are given along with various forms used in the assessment process. The complete law is printed out. (Author)

This paper describes storyknifing activities practiced by a small group of young girls in a Yup'ik Eskimo village on the Kuskokwim River in Alaska. Storyknifing is a form of play in which girls tell stories to one another, while making drawings and designs in mud or snow. The girls will sit in a circle for hours at a time, taking turns telling…

This review of methods used to assess the clinical performance of medical students focuses on four common assessment approaches: (1) the examination developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME); (2) systematic, multifactor evaluation methods; (3) observation techniques; and (4) problem based methods. Analyzed in conjunction with…

The Teacher Quality Assurance Program, an integral part of the Houston, Texas, Plan for Excellence, addresses renewal and professional growth opportunities for current staff. The program is administered by a bi- or tri-dimensional assessment team that may consist of the principal, an instructional supervisor, and the associate and/or deputy…

The Counselor Quality Assurance Program, part of the Houston, Texas, Plan for Excellence, addresses the renewal and professional growth opportunities for school counselors. The program is administered by a bi- or tri-dimensional assessment team that may consist of the principal, a supervisor or appropriate central office administrator, and the…

In an attempt to determine the variables that best predict HOME (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment) scores, a measure for identifying young at-risk children, 52 mothers of infants completed questionnaires based on HOME. Clinical observation of mother-child interaction was also performed. The questionnaire was found to be…

A pair of 9-year-old boys with socioemotional and interpersonal difficulties was observed unobtrusively in 35 weekly hour-long therapy sessions over the course of 2 school years. A transcript/narrative analysis technique was used to identify all interpersonal negotiation strategies each child used within each session. Strategies were classified…

Stereotypic behavior was examined in a group of five multiply handicapped children (4-10 years old) over a 2-year span. Observational data were collected at 6-month intervals in the form of 2-minute running descriptions of the child's behavior and the general setting, or condition, of the behavior (e.g., unattended, or stressed). Results revealed…