Responds to an article in the same issue of this journal. Explains the apparent "conflicts" between findings of two research studies (with different purposes and methods) of the same classroom. Emphasizes the different natures of qualitative and quantitative research. (SR)

Research on the determinants of intelligence and factors that relate to variability in intellect are discussed. It is argued that studies in this area usually focus on individual determinants and rarely reflect the true nature of the processes through which variability in determinants relates to variability in intellectual development. (SLD)

Criticizes phenomenographic research in education for its failure to meet methodological requirements for the consistent study of life worlds and because the product of phenomenographic research, a structure of categories of description, may inhibit entry into the actual world of student experience. (SLD)

Addresses issues in conducting research on families in different cultures: becoming familiar with the sociocultural context, gaining access to subjects, establishing collaborative relationships with local scholars, and securing translators who can convey meanings accurately. (SK)

Review of service-learning research shows that, although sustained involvement improves civic development, few schools require substantial service hours. Sensitivity to type of placement makes a difference. Problems of definition and measurement of diverse activities hinder research interpretation. (SK)

Discusses the lack of a link between quality assurance and research in distance teaching institutions in India and in other developing countries. Focuses on two sets of quality requirements for distance open learning and recommends that institutions focus on research and not only dissemination of existing knowledge. (Author/LRW)

Review of studies using the Aging Semantic Differential to measure attitudes toward the elderly identified problems: familiarity and variety of objects, men-only design, and age of the instrument. Ways to refine it include updating adjectives and their positions, identifying attitudinal objects, and accounting for gender differences. (SK)

Looks at criticisms of public administration research: (1) knowledge in the field is not being accumulated, and (2) the research has low quality. Proposes meta-analysis as a solution to the first problem. Suggests that quality judgments should be based on knowledge cumulation, which acknowledges the value of all research methods. (Contains 48…

Presents two reasons for abandoning the false belief task as a methodology for theory of mind: (1) passing the false belief task requires ability other than theory of mind; and (2) theory of mind need not entail the ability to reason about false beliefs. Concludes with an alternative conception of the role of the false belief task. (Author)

Examined use and interpretation of logistic regression in leading higher education journals. Found increasingly sophisticated use for a wide range of topics; however, there continued to be confusion over terminology. Sample sizes did not always achieve a desired level of stability in parameters estimated, and discussion of results in terms of…

In the May 2001 "Educational Leadership," Stanley Pogrow wrote another article attacking the Success for All program and comprehensive reform. SFA has been highly evaluated in numerous studies and by 52 individual researchers. Pogrow is a competitor who believes his own program (Higher Order Thinking Skills) has been slighted. (Contains…

This paper considers possible problems researchers might face when interpreting the results of studies that employ variants of the preference procedure. Infants show a tendency to shift their preference from familiar to novel stimuli with increasing exposure to the familiar stimulus, a behaviour that is exploited by the habituation paradigm. This…

This paper takes up the question of the way in which "the problem with educational research" is represented. It takes as its point of departure two recent views on "the problem"--one expressed by an educational journalist and one presented by the Australian Council of Deans of Education. It locates these within a larger frame…

A report from the School Choice Demonstration Project examines issues concerning the funding formula used for the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). It finds that the program generates a net saving to taxpayers in Wisconsin but imposes a significant fiscal burden on taxpayers in Milwaukee. However, these findings depend significantly on how…

Treatment integrity (also referred to as "treatment fidelity," "intervention integrity," and "procedural reliability") is an important methodological concerning both research and practice because treatment integrity data are essential to making valid conclusions regarding treatment outcomes. Despite its relationship to validity, treatment…