Builds on C. Christie's innovative work to chart a future course for research on evaluation. Describes a variety of forms that a more evidence-based approach to evaluation theory could take and offers suggestions to help increase the amount and impact of evidence in evaluation theory. (SLD)

Introduces the special section that focuses on four major studies under the treatment improvement protocols (TIPs) evaluation project. Provides an overview of each article, and addresses the value of using a theory-driven approach to dissemination research. (SLD)

Three books are discussed: Andresen's "Linguistics in America 1769-1924: A Critical History," Crowley's "Politics of Discourse: The Standard Language Question in British Cultural Debates," and Crowley's "Standard English and the Politics of Language." (36 references) (LB)

Reviews the contributions of G. Spindler and L. Spindler to anthropology in "The American Cultural Dialogue and Its Transmission" (Falmer Press, 1990), "Interpretive Ethnography and Education: At Home and Abroad" (Lawrence Erlbaum, 1987), and "Education and Cultural Process: Anthropological Approaches" (Waveland…

Responds to Eisner's discussion of the nature of research and the place of qualitative research. Advocates increased emphasis on the true experiment in educational research to provide evidence of the usefulness of educational practices. (SLD)

Explores the nature of educational research, replying to Knapp's comments on the role of qualitative research. Suggests that the "true" experiment is very hard to conduct in educational research and discusses what validity means in the educational research context. (SLD)

This book provides a historical overview of item-response theory (IRT) and contains a compendium of item-response-theory research. Each of its six sections deals with a unique application of a model or a family of models. Requires a strong psychometric background to understand some of the discussions. (SLD)

Introduces the articles of this theme issue focusing on performance assessment methodology. Papers address: (1) merging item formats; (2) scoring models; (3) equating and linking; (4) generalizability theory; (5) standard setting methods; and (6) validity issues and methods. (SLD)

Reviews a number of books for language arts methods course instructors that address a tension between their professional obligation to represent a broad range of theoretical issues current in the field and their students' urgent desire for practical skills and information that will help them get an English class up and running. (TB)

Reviews "Rethinking Innateness: A Connectionist Perspective on Development" by Elman and others (1996). Maintains that the authors argue forcefully that the nature-nurture conflict is a false dichotomy and that they present convincing existence on the possibility of qualitative change. Argues that the authors do not succeed in proposing…

Critiques Smith and Tsimpli's (1995) book, "The Mind of the Savant," in which a single case study is used as evidence for the modularity of language. Smith and Tsimpli respond to comments by Bates. (Author/VWL)

Four contiguous chapters in the new "Handbook of Research on Educational Administration" examine evolving views of school organizations. Schools are conceived as facing certain enduring dilemmas or viewed as cultures, polities, or communities. Authors describe rumblings (debates, rhetoric, and prescriptions) in the cracks of conventional…

The second edition of "Computerized Adaptive Testing" contains new materials related to: (1) chapter 2, system design; (2) chapter 4, item response theory, item calibration, and proficiency estimation; and (3) chapter 10, caveats, pitfalls, and unexpected consequences. The book raises critical computerized adaptive testing research and application…

A set of concerns related to home education that is infrequently studied, namely, the content and direction of research in education, is examined. Issues surrounding home education have not been given adequate attention. A sample of home education researchers was gathered by compiling a list of authors who had published in the "Home School…

Some reflections are made on the historical context of instructional theory, and comments are presented on some papers from a session of the American Educational Research Association's 1998 annual meeting. A number of current innovations in instructional theory can actually be found among topics that have been discussed at various times in the…