This policy brief reviews research on the effectiveness of summer-school programs. It begins with a short history of the current school calendar, including how 19th century agrarian life required children to stay home during the summer to attend to crops or livestock. Next, a meta-analysis of 13 studies brings to light the effects long summer…

Maintains that it is important to distinguish theory testing from effect-size evaluation when considering the impact of mothering on attachment security. Contends that it is possible that the De Wolff and van IJzendoorn meta-analysis both over- and underestimates mothering effects, as would be the case if infants varied in their susceptibility to…

In studies of the usefulness of psychotherapy with children and adolescents, clinical therapy has markedly poorer outcomes than laboratory studies. Proposals to bridge the gap include enriching the data base on treatment effects by clinical practitioners, identifying the features of research therapy that account for positive outcomes, and…

When the editors of The Voice of Evidence in Reading Research, Ms. McCardle and Ms. Chhabra, decided to edit a book and to invite authors to contribute to it, they wanted it to be a book for teachers. As stated in the first chapter, their motivation was to empower teachers to judge research worthiness for themselves. They feel that it is important…

Speculates about the outcomes of person-environment research and suggests how more successful research might be planned. Focuses on congruence effects and the value of meta-analysis. Suggests careful use of theory; attention to both environmental and personal assessment; identification of potent personal, environmental, and theoretical variables;…

Focuses on alternative paradigms to experimental inquiry useful to instructional systems researchers, including quasi-experimentation, meta-analysis, case study and ethnography, systems-based evaluation, and technique and model development. Each is discussed in terms of how it generally applies in the field and how it has been employed by…

Examines the problems affecting evaluation of distance education in developing countries in terms of economic, political, and social issues. Discusses one solution, a meta-analysis for synthesizing the results of research studies. (JOW)

Reexamines and organizes empirical literature to help counselors develop credible and effective interventions. Tries to place stress counseling within a responsible clinical methodology. A flowchart schema incorporating stress coping modalities--environment, cognitions, emotions, and personal life philosophy--is presented to systematize…

This response to an article by Karen Tateyama-Sniezek (EC 230 117), which examined the effectiveness of cooperative learning with mildly disabled students, reconsiders a table by adding more comparison statistics, effect sizes, and standard individual measures of achievement. Noted are the scarcity of studies including individual accountability…

This article finds the empirical review of the intellectual effects of family factors by Lala Carr Steelman wanting because (1) it is selective and incomplete; (2) it ignores systematic aggregate effects; (3) it imposes linear analysis on nonmonotone relationships; and (4) it disregards most of the confounds identified by Steelman as crucial.…

The author responds to criticism by R. B. Zajonc on a review of the extant literature on the intellectual consequences of sibship size and birth order. (Author/LMO)

nter arguments are presented to defend the author's data selection practices and to point out pitfalls in Baker's critique. (SLD)

This article is a response to Ruth Wade's meta-analysis of inservice teacher education research in the same issue of "Educational Leadership" (EA 518 308). Factors making a difference in inservice education are identified, but more work needs to be done in understanding the specific, practical details, allowing application. (DCS)

Reviews current literature in the fields of computer science and education that is related to the structure and use of hypermedia; discusses discovery and incidental learning; examines the nature of the environment and of the learner; describes implications for the design of hypermedia-assisted instruction (HAI); and suggests further research…

Replies to E. A. Hanushek's questioning of the validity of meta-analysis as used by the authors in analyzing resource allocation and its effects on improving student academic performance. Statistical analysis procedures are examined. (GLR)