The research on identifying and educating gifted youth supports the use of multiple identification measures, accelerated instruction, and ability grouping. (Author/TE)

Suggestions for enhancing use of evaluation studies (i.e., state-level mental health programs) are presented. Steps for maximizing evaluation utilization include marketing, planning, and conducting the evaluation; developing/focusing policy questions; translating findings; and making people pay attention to the results. These are processes for…

A research-based positive evaluation methodology for professional development of teachers is presented, and its use in an Australian school is described. The principal is the evaluator and chair of an assessment committee that includes a peer nominated by the teacher, the teacher being evaluated, and the principal. (SLD)

This article proposes that a feasibility study should precede a major college fund-raising campaign. Issues to consider include what such a study can accomplish, what makes it credible, who should do it and when, how to determine who should be interviewed, time requirements, costs, consultant role, and expectations. (MSE)

Beginning in 1991-92, a local school district undertook a concerted effort to reduce class size in grades 1 through 3 to 1:15, the Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project. Achievement gains and research indicated that class size caused increased achievement and facilitated improved instruction. (SLD)

Argues that the theory and practice of educational measurement would benefit from expanding the dialog among measurement professionals to include voices from different research traditions and from the communities researchers study and serve. The critical dialectic between naturalist and interpretive conceptions of social science is explored. (SLD)

The last decade has seen enormous expansion in the use of psychotropic medications to treat behavioral and emotional disorders in children and adolescents. Because much prescription of these agents is off-label, serious attempts are being made to encourage pharmacological research in children. Without examining the data upon which government…

This paper discusses the higher education sector's role in a knowledge-based economy though research training, that is, doctoral education. It also examines how a Faculty of Education supports its doctoral candidates in their endeavours to become "knowledge producers". Two themes are explored: one is Australia's limited investment in…

A study investigated how the beliefs of literacy scholars affect the development of basal reading programs, the roles literacy scholars play in the development of new reading programs, and some of the critical factors that affect the disposition of innovative ideas. Two literacy scholars who had actively collaborated on the development of separate…

Traces the growth and movement of Japanese research and technology efforts and achievements. Explains policies related to science and technology and examines resultant actions. Provides perspectives on the future direction and role of creativity in Japanese research. (ML)

This report describes the results from an exploratory project conducted for the National Center for Education Statistics. The purpose of the project was to develop and field test questionnaire items and related methods designed to capture information about the instructional processes used nationally in 8th- to 12th-grade mathematics classrooms.…

Examines the relevance of curriculum research to the needs of British educational policymakers. Five curriculum research reports were evaluated regarding their authoritativeness, novelty, research background, persuasiveness, and physical format. The author concludes that packaging of research results to increase their desirability makes them…

Identifies trends in educational achievement in the 1970s. Presents hypotheses concerning the relationship between research and gains/declines in educational achievement during that period. Discusses a project for individualized learning programs and its theoretical rationale, and describes a research project based on that educational improvement…

Three major national surveys of higher education institutions and six projects using educational media for continuing education have identified specific ways for broadcasters to cooperate in serving adult learners. (Author/SK)

Considers the use of syntactic complexity data as norms of syntactic development and notes misinterpretations that have resulted from the use of the term "syntactic maturity" for "syntactic complexity." (DD)