In his paper, the author contends that ethnic minority groups must use the "weapon of research" to answer some of the unanswered questions in vocational education and to give guidance toward future corrections of these problems. But the topic is emotionally charged, as intensive research in the past has generated resentment among minorities. The…

The National Institute of Education (NIE) funded 18 school districts to implement programs that were to result in 'holistic' change. Two kinds of data were expected --those generated to measure the impact of the Experimental Schools Program and those generated by field studies, which were discussed in other symposia. In measuring impact by the…

This study attempted to determine whether the findings of psycholinguists to syntax and reading comprehension could be generalized to children of other English-speaking cultures. Specifically, the influence of material written at different levels of syntactic maturity (according to the T-unit analysis) upon the reading comprehension of selected…

This paper attempts to provide some insight into the reality of data analysis and interpretation. Community college institutional researchers should obtain the skills and techniques required in order to analyze and interpret data; however, there are a number of practical considerations usually not found in textbooks. These include: (1)…

Conference addresses by John Mason and Vern Treilibs are summarized. Mason considered teachers' challenge to change, suggesting that teachers must become researchers. Treilibs discussed the role of applications in the curriculum. (MNS)

This study examined how community organizations can use research to identify community education interests and to influence school systems to serve those interests. A case study of the Southeast Education Task Force in Baltimore, Maryland, analyzed the organization's efforts to develop a school facility plan and to persuade the school system to…

The purpose of this study was to identify the beliefs of Tennessee principals and teachers about the knowledge and skills required of leaders when using data to improve educational decision-making. Personal interviews were conducted with 10 principals and 10 teacher leaders certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.…

This paper presents a researcher's view of the foundations on which to research rural schooling. Three sections each discuss a different parameter of rural education research into science and mathematics education. These sections advise a conservative approach to research methodology, a liberal approach to content, and a radical approach to…

This study investigated institutional resource factors that may explain differential performance with university technology transfer--the process by which university research is transformed into marketable products. Using multi-source data on 108 research universities, a set of internal resources (financial, physical, human capital, and…

The traditional "black box" approach to evaluation of assignments in educational research courses has at least two effects: (1) products that fail to meet the expectations of the instructor; and (2) frustration on the part of students who do not know exactly what is expected, and who are consequently confused about or disappointed in the grades…

In this published speech, the status of mathematics today is reviewed. Four areas are highlighted as examples of the unity and applicability of mathematical research. Problems with teaching mathematics are then noted, followed by "causes for celebration." (MNS)

The history of evaluation utilization in policy making and political features of program evaluation are discussed. A five-part continuum describes the evaluation process. Evaluation practice modifications contribute to real growth in evaluation use in congressional policy making as evaluation research improves the quality of information available…

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…

This multidisciplinary analysis identifies how an understanding of information processing and decision making as social processes can determine the effectiveness of educational reform strategies, with a focus on viewing the roles of educational leaders as information processors and policy negotiators. This paper: (1) presents an overview of…

An experience in attempting to transform research into practice is described, with questions raised about the relationship between research and practice. The author begins by describing the two research traditions which exerted the most force on the design of the program. How the philosophy and findings of those traditions were interpreted and…