Social work has traversed a vast expanse since its roots in settlement houses and as friendly visitors to making a profound mark on the world of social science research. The authors begin by examining the role of research in the social work profession and then discuss current changes, directions, and challenges in the pursuit of research funds.…

A useful evaluation of an education program is one that adds to the body of timely, relevant evidence to increase the likelihood that policy decisions improve program performance. This definition focuses on performance rather than change and recognizes that studies can't guarantee the use of their findings but can only increase the likelihood of…

The quality of education is an issue of growing concern in many countries today, and there is increasing reliance on the employment of large-scale, scientific survey research techniques to study the quality issues, the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of education, and the formulation of policy interventions designed to improve quality.…

In this paper I argue against a dominant view that social planning, supported by strategically located and tightly controlled research and development, is delivered from above and enacted downwards by the education system. As such the paper argues against a view taken by many theorists/politicians and reinforced by the major components of the…

The use of numeric data has historical significance in the research of many academic disciplines, but today it is burgeoning. Responses from academic business librarians to a 33-item questionnaire are the basis for this study that investigates the interactions between academic business libraries and other local units supplying numeric data…

A recent article in Security-Focus described the fact that several U.S. government buildings in Washington DC could no longer be clearly seen by people using MapQuest's aerial photo database. In addition, the photos of these buildings were altered at the Web sites wherein they are posted at the request of the U.S. Secret Service. This is an…

This paper intends to: identify the problems of non-formal education within different socioeconomic contexts in relation to the changing landscape of basic education as a whole; review the range of current practices; and raise some pertinent issues as a basis for policy analysis and further systematic research and development work on non-formal…

This policy paper explores key trends in information and communication technology, highlights the potential opportunities and problems these trends present for people with disabilities, and suggests some strategies to maximize opportunities and avoid potential problems and barriers. Specifically, this paper discusses technology trends that present…

Technology-enhanced knowledge mobilization can be extremely useful for helping practicing professionals keep abreast of research and development efforts in their field. The initiative described in this paper encourages collaboration among university and community partners to effectively use online learning and communications technology for…

This article explores how the evidence base for aspects of early childhood has been explored using systematic research synthesis methods developed at the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre). Three early childhood systematic reviews have been carried out using EPPI-Centre procedures and tools. The…

The long-range research and development needs for integrating assessment into instruction are discussed, and how ready the educational community is to begin making blueprints for this integration is explored. This paper addresses the problems of learning progress, diagnostic assessment, the design and implementation of performance tasks, and…

This paper seeks to assess the current state of academic research in light of long-term trends in the development of science. It presents three perspectives on the growth of scientific research: (1) Derek de Solla Price's (1963) hypothesis that science has exhibited exponential growth, roughly doubling every 15 years since the 17th century; (2)…

Although most community college faculty are not engaged in research, community college settings can provide research opportunities for those faculty members determined to overcome the considerable obstacles. At Whatcom Community College, in Washington, for example, constraints facing faculty seeking to conduct research include limited access to…

Data in the tables of this publication were derived from the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development. They reflect research and development funding (R&D) levels as reported by 32 federal agencies from March through October 1994. The agencies reported their data as obligations and outlays incurred, or expected to be incurred,…

Community colleges generally conduct little research. Further, there is no generally accepted national research agenda for community colleges, no consistently funded national agency charged with studying the institutions as unique entities, and few educational researchers directing their attention toward them. The research that is undertaken on…