Effective and ineffective teachers were identified by administrative personnel. These teachers were given paper and pencil tests which were compared on 19 variables. Their classrooms were systematically observed using the Pupil Involvement Inventory. Several significant differences between the two groups are reported. (SD)

This article discusses a project about birds and their nests undertaken by 3- to 5-year-olds in a preschool class in Florida. After a description of the center and the goal of the project, the three phases of the project are presented. Reflections of the teachers and photographs taken for documenting the project are also included.

Presents two studies of preschool children, which test the hypothesis that a child's scores on two factor-analytically derived dimensions of social-emotional functioning are directly related to the frequency and type of his peer interactions. (Author/SDH)

What teachers do in the classroom affects pupil learning. To shape patterns of interactions proactively, teachers must get useful feedback they can understand. Seeing objective data may encourage teachers to think more seriously about the ways their classroom behavior influences students and about how students' behavior reciprocally influences…

This study describes the development of a Learning Event Checklist and a running record of children's behavior to help in assessing and mainstreaming children with disabilities. The sample consisted of 138 children between the ages of 2 and 6 years, mostly males, in special education preschool programs. The running record was designed to assess…

This study explores reverse discrimination as a cultural phenomenon that should be studied by anthropologists, and to which anthropology has inadvertently contributed. Discrimination by minority group members is taught and encouraged under the guise of ethnic pride and promotion of traditional beliefs. Ethnocentrism may be a cultural defense…

Qualitative research methods were used to investigate the sources and methods of dealing with stress in eight families with adopted children who have severe developmental or multiple disabilities. The families, who had each adopted from two to 30 children, included "birth children" and, in some cases, foster children as well. The research methods…

This paper examined a problem-solving partnership where both partners actively participated and where there were conflicting points of view. After several weeks of observation of an entire fifth grade class working in small groups, a dyad of two boys was selected for closer examination. Nonroutine mathematics problems were used as tasks. A…

The text of three papers are presented. The first, by Alma Ada Flor, focuses on the question "What is participatory research?" It is suggested that participatory research enriches the knowledge of participants and opens up new topics to them. The nature and theory fundmental to participatory research and the relation of participatory research to…

A protocol for analyzing the activity structure of a classroom lesson was developed and field tested. The protocol can be completed on site by a person serving as both observer and analyst. Validity of the protocol was established by reference to the large body of qualitative research on activity structure and the analysis of teaching. The…

This paper discusses the nature of research and identifies some of the questions which it is important to address at the planning stage and to return to throughout the life of any research study. In a discussion of the nature of research, it is noted that research findings must be potentially generalizable. The criteria for identifying research…

The first phase of a monitoring project to evaluate the implementation of the Chicago Reform Act, with a focus on the process of securing school participation in the study, is described in this report. Twelve schools out of a random stratified sample of 16 schools agreed to participate in the study, which was to consist of interviews and classroom…

The study compared maternal and trained observer evaluations of infant temperamental characteristics, to determine how closely the ratings correspond, and to analyze the impact of maternal drug abuse habits on maternal ratings of infant temperament. In relating observer to maternal ratings of infant temperament, seven dimensions were compared:…