Fifty-eight studies relating to the "knowledge gap" hypothesis (a theory that correlates public knowledge to educational level and mass media exposure) are examined in this report. In the opening sections, the theory is defined, and the early information diffusion studies and public opinion polls that led to its formulation in 1970 are…

A detailed description is provided of the variable individualization of instructional decisions (IDM), which is part of the analysis in phase I of the Evaluation of Practices in Individualized Schooling. The variable is defined; the questionnaires on which the variable is based are listed; the procedures used to scale the variable are explained;…

A detailed description is provided of the variable, constructivism versus behaviorism (CVSB), which is part of the analysis in phase I of the Evaluation of Practices in Individualized Schooling. The variable is defined; the questionnaires on which the variable is based are listed; the procedures used to scale the variable are explained; the…

This report presents a comprehensive discussion of issues affecting the use of ethnographic research methods in bilingual education classroom research. Quantitative methods alone have not provided an adequate understanding of how the bilingual classroom operates, the meaningful features of the classroom, how children learn, and what…

Problems with the Information Exchange Procedures (IEP) developed by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems are discussed. IEP procedures analyze student records, faculty effort, and annual expenditures. The particular approach taken in the analysis of the student faculty relationship has important theoretical problems, is too…

The merger of the Tennessee State University's institutional research office and the planning, management, and evaluation offices is described. The roles of the institutional research office before the merger were the collection and dissemination of institutional data, storing of data collected from other sources, and conducting special studies.…

This report summarizes a study of citizenship and social studies attitudes and knowledge conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The survey of citizenship was conducted during the 1968-69 and 1969-70 school years; the survey of social studies was administered during the 1971-72 school year. During the school year 1975-76,…

Designed as a resource for professionals involved in the identification of children with emotional disabilities, the document is a compilation of 10 papers presented at a workshop on the topic. "Identification of Emotionally Disabled Pupils--An Overview" by C. Smith provides a definition of emotionally disturbed students. "Setting Analysis Data in…

This report presents an overview of the procedures used to produce the findings contained in three reports concerning vocational education coordination and planning. Following a summary of the findings of barriers and facilitators to coordination in vocational education planning, a description of the basic procedures for this research effort is…

An organized approach to the assessment of the present and anticipated training needs of local business and industry is presented for two-year colleges with an occupational education orientation. The manual first presents a rationale for and a definition of employer needs assessments. Next the requirements for raw and relative data are discussed,…

The report is an assessment of law-focused education projects located in selected cities in Texas during the 1975-76 academic year. The projects were undertaken to positively affect the attitudes and understanding of students toward the role of law in today's society and the influences of law on crime and corruption. Teacher training programs and…

Regional Interstate Planning Project (RIPP) participants meet periodically at conferences Sponsored by ten Rocky Mountain area state departments of education to discuss issues of general concern. A meeting was held July 21-23, 1976 in Denver, Colorado, to consider various means of effecting the educational future through evaluation. Excerpts from…

The document measures the spatial patterns of mental abilities of 94 seventh-grade students within a small town by correlating and mapping four variables--IQ test scores, achievement test scores, neighborhood quality as seen by town officials, and creativity test scores from the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Objectives were to ascertain the…

This resource guide is intended for local school district personnel involved in planning activities for establishing educational priorities, phase two of the Local Planning and Assessment Process (LPAP). Information is presented on the development of performance indicators and the validation of perceived needs. The guide is organized in two…

This manual introduces undergraduate students to empirical aspects of the political development process. It contains 12 exercises, some of which are based on outside readings or excerpts included in appendices. Exercises one through three examine theoretical, conceptual, and definitional issues. Exercise four focuses on social and economic…