Although the American public still upholds its educational system, support has declined during the past decade. Public opinion surveys furnish valuable information about voter attitudes; they are also a vehicle to communicate information to the public. Districts should poll the public regularly to ensure that all client groups remain reasonably…

Faculty from three academic institutions sharing one media center were asked to rank the importance of 14 media center services to higher education. Analyzes the results of the questionnaire, focusing on perceived value and planned use, and discusses causes for the deficiencies: absence of skills and knowledge, incentive, environmental support,…

Discusses which kinds of data educators should respect and which they should reject. Asserts that most state accountability tests fail to produce the kinds of data that will improve teaching and learning. Teachers can get the data they need from their own instructionally useful classroom assessments. (WFA)

Explains human interactive analysis as an architecture for using computer interactive technologies in the analysis of complex work environments. A project at the Naval Training Systems Center that used video-audio data to develop a multimedia database is described; the analysis and management of data are discussed; and decision processes are…

Proposes three types of supplementary problems to develop students' skill in interpretation of graphically represented data. Eleven examples are presented and solved for the following types of problems: comparison of one quantity to another, comparison of two quantities that each depend on a common parameter, and reasonable data prediction. (MDH)

Presents activities for the K-2, 2-5, 5-6, and 5-8 levels that require students to analyze information graphically. Asks the students to discuss, describe, read, and write about the graphs and the information they contain. Supplies accompanying worksheets. (MDH)

Discusses the use and advantages of integrated learning systems (ILSs) in elementary and middle grades, and reanalyzes 30 evaluations of ILSs by using effect size statistics. Research problems are described, including poor evaluation designs and inadequate data collection and analysis; and a table summarizes the ILS research reports and…

Describes procedures needed to analyze large-scale databases. Presents two examples of how French educational researchers have utilized data from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) studies of mathematics and reading literacy. Includes one table and three figures illustrating these techniques. (CFR)

The effect of indebtedness (undergraduate loan burden) after college graduation on the decision to pursue a graduate degree was studied for 899 individuals from the High School and Beyond study. Level of undergraduate debt was not a significant choice determinant. Some limitations of the methodology are discussed. (SLD)

Follows up previous study of social and psychological effects of orthodontic treatment upon children. Reports that teachers' ratings of student attractiveness correlated significantly with judgments of children's sociability, popularity, academic achievement, and leadership. Concludes that teachers' estimations of academic capability was a good…

This article summarizes 43 empirical studies of school-to-community transition of hearing-impaired persons with developmental disabilities; discusses data collection and interpretation issues; and recommends future research, development, and evaluation. The studies deal with such areas as career/vocational preparation, independent living skills,…

Describes a procedure that sensitizes counselors to cultural data in assessment and case conceptualization. The Multicultural Assessment Procedure (MAP) entails identifying cultural data through multiple methods of data collection, interpreting cultural data to formulate a working hypothesis, incorporating cultural data with other relevant…

Discusses technology-planning processes in schools and presents two case studies of districts who used data findings to support steps for technology implementation. Highlights include planning teams; system assessment; goals focused on student learning; teachers' use of technology; staff-development programs; student/computer ratios; changes in…

Describes the development of a science-based computer simulation for sixth graders on global warming that integrated research, writing, speaking, science lab, and computer skills. Highlights include teacher/librarian collaboration; problem-based learning; building knowledge; design and planning; creating Web pages; gathering, organizing, and…

Lists and defines more than 20 variables that institutional researchers may choose when researching retention at community colleges, based on Tinto's and Bean's models of retention. States that independent variables can be used to develop and implement retention studies at researchers' own institutions. (Contains 23 references.) (AUTH/NB)