This paper reports on a study of part-time faculty at Queensland University of Technology (Australia) which examined concerns and issues facing part-time academic staff, and led to a collaborative and dialectic process for implementing faculty-led changes. The first phase of the project involved: (1)data collection on about 800 individuals,…

This study examines the importance of structured reflection in service-learning courses. The study consisted of interviews with 15 faculty and 72 students from three different higher education institutions; interviews were conducted between October 1998 and March 1999. Focus group interviews with faculty gathered information about course design,…

The current state of the knowledge base on the effectiveness of specific instructional practices for English-language learners was examined by conducting an exploratory meta-analysis on eight studies of instructional interventions and using qualitative synthesis to supplement this analysis. The first data source was the eight intervention studies…

Close analysis of both the explicit and implicit curriculum is necessary to truly understand the kind of work relationships educators develop with their students and what values, epistemologies, and belief systems they are going to appreciate as a result of the collective educational experience. The analysis began with student voices and…

A study used interactive focus groups to examine the perspective of 71 secondary students with disabilities about their experiences with career development and employment preparation. Results found school vocational experiences did not play a large role in the students' career aspirations. Family members had significant influence over career…

Examined leadership roles that classroom teachers filled within the University of South Carolina's Professional Development School (PDS) network. Focus-group discussions with participating teachers indicated that mentor teachers worked with preservice teachers in nontraditional ways, engaging in meaningful teaching experiences and instructing…

College counselors can play a leadership role in decreasing the sense of alienation students of color feel and improve retention rates through the sponsorship of relationship and awareness-building activities. Discusses institutional and community barriers, describes interpersonal outcomes, and reports the suggestions of students, staff, and…

Focus groups comprised of Alaska Native students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks identified factors contributing to or serving as barriers to student academic success. Contributors included student persistence, financial support from native corporations, family support, employment, and availability of developmental classes. Barriers included…

Identified barriers that delay seeking professional care following school vision screening. Focus groups of parents, students, teachers, school and community health professionals, and community leaders highlighted several barriers, including lack of community awareness about certain visual problems, high costs of glasses, inconvenient appointment…

Discusses the use of focus groups and surveys to examine the characteristics and needs of nontraditional teacher education students, explaining the importance of open lines of communication among students, faculty, and college administrators to ensure successful programmatic implementation. Data from Bradley University nontraditional students…

Recommends using focus group interviews and other discussion techniques, generally used in business, to examine social studies issues. Outlines and discusses how these techniques (systems thinking, mental models, shared vision, team learning) can greatly enhance social studies instruction of current events and controversial issues. (MJP)

Focus groups of family members of children with disabilities discussed augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices within a Mexican American community. Among seven perspectives identified are: (1) children understand nonverbal communication in the home; (2) aided techniques are useful outside of the home; (3) families have great…

Describes a longitudinal study of college students in the United Kingdom that examined factors affecting computer use. Results show situational factors, including access, training, and time, affect student computer use, but academic staff tend to focus on the needs of their department and should focus more on the student perspective. (Author/LRW)

Explains how the Monroe County Library System (NY) adapted their library to help the greatest number of disabled people use their library with the greatest ease and at a reasonable cost. Highlights include focus groups with disabled patrons; appropriate adaptive devices; policy recommendations for computer use; and staff training. (LRW)

Focused on an interdisciplinary graduate program in water resources management, this case study illustrates how theory-into-practice integration occurred in a field course and clarified students' expectations that faculty model interdisciplinary ways of knowing.