A study examined the extent to which Virginia Professional Development System (VPDS) components met practitioner needs and the degree to which they constituted an inquiry-based professional development system. Interviews with over 50 Virginia Institute for Lifelong Learning (VAILL) participants focused on their use of the Centers for Professional…

This book is a proposal for the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP), a large-scale coherent program of research and development carried out through a partnership between researchers and practitioners. The program would put the problems of educational practice at its center and focus on carrying research and development through all the…

Based on the policy premise that good quality preschool education is an important contribution to children's emotional, social, and intellectual progress, this book reports the findings of the Scottish Officer Educational Research Unit's research program, which looked at various aspects of preschool education in Scotland. The areas investigated…

This Digest summarizes what is known about the successful transition of children with disabilities from infant/toddler services to preschool education. The ideal transition process is defined and characteristics of an ideal process such as meeting individual needs and providing uninterrupted services are listed. Also noted are issues in the…

This report summarizes the presentations and discussion at a 1999 workshop entitled "Opportunities to Promote Child and Adolescent Development during the After-School Hours." This workshop brought together policy makers, researchers, and practitioners to examine research on the developmental needs of 5- to 14-year-olds and the types of…

This guide chronicles the ongoing work and writings of the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, a policy research center dedicated to bringing sound information, rigorous analyses, innovative ideas, and an independent, multidisciplinary perspective to bear on policies and programs affecting children. This guide, organized…

Noting ongoing difficulties in identifying the fundamental role of social studies in educating young children, this chapter focuses on how children begin to develop historical and geographic understanding. The chapter considers age-appropriate and developmental concerns and the role of national standards in history and geography. The chapter…

The reorganization of the administrative structure and functions of the Cincinnati Public School System is described in relation to the system's research and development functions. Organizational changes and their results are discussed. (MH)

Describes the contributions of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the development of college faculty in 1958, 1968, and 1978. The described activities are NSF institutes, faculty research participation, and fellowship programs. (HM)

Identifies socioeducational research problems in Latin America, relating them to colonialism's legacy. Contends confusion over development goals impairs setting research priorities; reliance on Western research paradigms impedes developing indigenous models; and, for research to have impact on education, decision makers must have more access to…

This discussion of educational technology and the role of computers is based on the author's experiences with the United Kingdom's National Development Programme in Computer Assisted Learning (NDPCAL). Highlights include curriculum development; teachers' roles; research and development; evaluation; control group experiments; instructional…

Describes activities of the Educational Technology Center at Harvard University, which focus on the use of computers and other technology to improve K-12 instruction in science, mathematics, and computing. Topics discussed include curriculum development; students' prior conceptions; the construction of scientific knowledge; the use of software;…

This paper describes a support services program for students with learning disabilities at California State University (Northridge) that utilized clinical and controlled research for prescription of services and compensatory strategies, including assistive technology, and preparation of a written composition curriculum emphasizing use of assistive…

One university's approach to institutional research to improve student retention is described. The urban, public institution has a large population of nontraditional students. A task force identified barriers to student success, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Techniques for involvement of all constituencies and turning research…

Discusses the role of electronic networks in engineering work; reviews selected literature on engineering work, knowledge, and communication; describes current uses of electronic networks; and presents results from a study of the use of networks by engineers in the aerospace industry, including their perceptions of networks. (67 references) (LRW)