Program impact methodology--usually referred to as evaluation research--is described as it is developing in the United States. Several problems face the field of evaluation research. First, those issues grouped as "meta-scientific" include: (1) the distinction between qualitative and quantitative studies; (2) the separation of implementation and…

This book explains the most effective ways to teach children to read. Chapters in part 1 are written in traditional textbook fashion and include seven different activities which apply the material in the book to classroom practice. Chapters deal with: (1) five key ideas about reading; (2) emergent literacy; (3) teaching word identification; (4)…

In the eleven years since its inception, over four thousand teachers from all grade levels and content areas have studied in the Iowa Writing Project's summer institutes. This paper reports on a study on the ways in which the project influences teachers' beliefs and practices. The study was conducted by means of surveys, interviews, case studies,…

Research showing psychodynamic child therapy to be less effective than other forms of child treatment have used outcome measures focusing on symptomatic and behavioral change rather than on psychodynamic processes. A child therapy assessment procedure than measures the psychological functioning of the child in a psychodynamically meaningful way is…

Writers of all ages and abilities come to the act of writing with three critical needs: (1) they need a commitment of time; (2) they need ownership over their topics; and, most important, (3) they need a response to their personal revelations. Sharing and responding to student writing can take place in writers' circles and writers' conferences. In…

The status of action-research is measured in this paper. First, the political character of action-research is identified. Then, the degree to which differing versions of its character may be said to be political is examined. Argument is for the creation of a balance between the institution and the individual in collaborative activity. Examined…

The Personal Integration Inventory is a "survey" that can be used to look at the life of a single developmentally disabled individual and the extent to which s/he is becoming integrated into his/her community. It focuses on the day-to-day experiences and interactions of people who live in community settings and should be completed by…

The study examined the value of teaching reading skills to learning disabled (LD) fourth to sixth graders through the content areas. Four LD resource teachers implemented the year-long program with 12 experimental and 10 control subjects. Experimental subjects were taught specific reading skills through their Social Studies and/or Science…

This evaluation of the LearnerNet Project at Utah State University focuses on teacher reactions to instruction using an expanded syllabus over an electronic system and the effects of such instructional methods on faculty members and their teaching. It is noted that interviewing and qualitative analysis were chosen as the research methods both…

During the summer of 1987, 29 students from the Cooperstown High School in New York received scholarships and participated in an Outward Bound course. This report presents the results of a study assessing the impact of the Outward Bound experience on these students. Data gathering instruments included: the Self Report Survey (SRS), developed by…

The focus of the 1988 three-day Teacher Education Workshop was on the theme of preparation for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation. Attention was limited to preparation for NCATE evaluation, a choice that grew from a recognition that the basic foundation of the profession lies in serious efforts at…

This research assessed whether, within the context of a classroom session, the pattern of questioning and discussion used by teachers is related to the pattern of student responses. Clear and comprehensible linkages between questioning and answering behaviors were found in this study. These results indicate that researchers can help resolve the…

This portfolio is designed to help volunteers receive credit for the skills they have developed through their volunteer work and to transfer their experience to the paid workplace. The portfolio assists volunteers in keeping records about their experience and in thinking about obtaining a job. The first of the three chapters of the portfolio…

To evaluate the Adult Literacy Organization of Zimbabwe (ALOZ), an organization whose aim is to achieve universal literacy in Zimbabwe, a study interviewed officials at ALOZ, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other institutions involved in literacy development; reviewed relevant literature and documents;…

Although research efforts into improving reading fluency and general reading performance through fluency training have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, basal reading approaches still dominate reading instruction, and fluency is rarely viewed as an important component of the instructional package. Several models of reading fluency instruction…