Researchers' reliance on using mixed methods for in-depth understanding of a phenomenon is on a rise. This review provides a synthesis of studies using Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach in the field of instructional design, with a particular focus on research questions. The results show that of the 752 articles published on MMR in the…

This is a critical review of methodological issues in the evaluation of adult literacy education programs in the United States. It addresses the key research questions: What are the appropriate methods for evaluating these programs under given circumstances. It identifies 15 evaluation studies that are representative of a range of adult literacy…

An awareness that British educational institutions will not be effectively managed until their administrators more thoroughly study and understand the theory and concepts of educational management has produced a rapidly expanding professional literature base on such questions as: How does the management of tertiary, adult, and continuing education…

This paper presents a review of the research in adult education recruitment and an overview of current outreach activities in adult education in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The author identifies three general trends of research in adult education: (1) studies aimed at describing participants in adult education; (2) studies aimed at…

International scholarly effort in the comparative study of adult education has increased substantially over the past 20 years. The relationship between the state and adult education is one area, however, that has remained relatively neglected by researchers. In many countries, adult education has been largely the responsibility of voluntary…

Combining community participation in decision making with methods of social investigation, participatory research focuses on involvement of the subjects of the research in the research process. Adult educators are exploring this research method which, unlike quantitative research, serves the needs of individuals and not those of policy makers who…

These three issues of the "Research Exchange" focus on how better to conduct disability research and disseminate research results. The first issue examines the topic of human subject/human research participant protection, with a focus on research funded through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). It…

The second of four symposium papers brings together the results of four separate statistical analyses of findings on computer-based instruction (CBI) in 199 comparative studies, of which 32 were conducted in elementary schools, 42 in high schools, 101 in universities and colleges, and 24 in adult education settings. Each was a controlled,…

A study reviewed the measurement problems that would confront a study team performing a national cost-benefit analysis of vocational education and presented alternative strategies to overcome these measurement problems and to provide input into assessing the feasibility of conducting a national cost-benefit study. To meet these objectives,…

The content, scope, and methodology of dissertations on adult mathematics education in North American were examined. The study database consisted of the abstracts of 113 dissertations written between 1980 and 2000. The topics covered in the individual dissertations were as follows: assessment/frameworks/standards (14); contexts (3); instructional…

This report examines the state of the art of utilizing cost-benefit methodologies to evaluate the returns on investments in vocational education. The objectives and format of the report and the literature search methodology employed in it are outlined. Presented next is an overview of the diverse literature related to cost-benefit analysis,…

The literature on transformative learning theory and the literature on cross-cultural adaptation were analyzed to identify links between both bodies of literature. The notion of an unexpected phenomenon that influences individuals residing in an unfamiliar culture was shown to be a common thread linking the two bodies of literature. Transformative…

A review of current and completed research relating to youth aged 14-17 with special educational needs (with special emphasis on research relevant to the British educational context) reveals that, to date, most research has examined the needs of young people with special conditions rather than focusing on a broader cross-section of all young…

The issue of increasing productivity was examined from an interdisciplinary perspective focusing on the impact of workplace practices on various productivity-related outcomes. First, the following methodological issues were discussed: defining workplace practices that affect productivity; linking employer behavior and organizational performance;…

Outcome measures are one of three key dimensions of the performance of Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system. The government, employers, students, and the broader community all share an interest in ensuring that Australia's VET system produces skills needed in the labor market. However, each group's views of what constitutes a…