This meta-analysis summarizes teaching effectiveness studies of the past decade and investigates the role of theory and research design in disentangling results. Compared to past analyses based on the process-product model, a framework based on cognitive models of teaching and learning proved useful in analyzing studies and accounting for…

Research design sampling models regarding educational research of within-grade influences on overall educational experiences are discussed and limitations of each model noted. (DEP)

Reading disabilities are examined from an interactionist perspective. A brief historical perspective of events, a review of selected literature, and a discussion of implications lead to the thesis that research on reading disability must move away from the search for causative factors and toward the specification of conditions for learning.…

Research from social psychology on the effects of group discussion and of exposure to the opinions of other group members on the decisions groups make is reviewed. The pertinence of this research to standard-setting practices is considered, and the implications for the design of standard-setting procedures are explored. (SLD)

A meta-analysis including 96 experimental studies considers the effects of reinforcement/reward on intrinsic motivation. Results indicate that reward does not decrease intrinsic motivation, although interaction effects must be examined. An analysis with five studies also indicates that reinforcement does not harm intrinsic motivation. (SLD)

Beginning with an identification and brief description of the four major types of memory structures--networks of propositions, intellectual skills, images, and episodes--this extensive review of previous studies identifies many examples of improved retention and transfer resulting from combinations of structures, as opposed to single structures. A…

Differences between ethnographic, phenomenological, or qualitative research techniques are reviewed through an explanation of the rationale behind their use and discussion of some of the processes by which this type of research is conducted. While this article is focused on educational research, the discussion applies equally to social…

An examination of the weaknesses of the common statistical approaches suggests that change scores are unnecessary and often even inappropriate for statistical studies. Alternative statistical procedures are suggested. (Author/VW)

Research over the past 15 years concerning parametric and nonparametric statistics and 10 recently developed nonparametric techniques for testing interactions in experimental design are reviewed. The new nonparametric techniques are robust, powerful, versatile, and easy to compute. A fabricated dataset is used to illustrate the technique. (TJH)

The roles of summative and formative evaluation as scientific approaches to theory building in instructional television programing for children are examined through a review of research studies. The author contends that the bias toward summative evaluation has been premature in an area of inquiry, where most of the variables are yet to be…

Behavioral objectives should be regarded as one of several tools available to educators. Research should be directed toward determining their advantages and limitations, as well as the conditions under which they can be used more effectively. Conditions vary depending upon student awareness of and interest in stated objectives; clarity,…

Observer disagreement is important because it limits the reliabilities of observational measures. To avoid this limitation, observers should be trained, and criterion-related and intraobserver agreement measures should be used both before and during a study. Several agreement coefficients are examined for their applicability. (Author/BW)

This review addresses several key issues in research on the potential relationship between programing language instruction and problem solving. Issues associated with problem-solving theory, expertise, transfer of training, treatment-related issues, language-related issues, and sampling are considered. Treatment-related and language-related issues…

Quantitative self-assessment studies that compared self-evaluations and teacher marks/grades were subjected to meta-analysis. Results of a meta-analysis of 51 studies are summarized. It is suggested that researchers should attend to both good design and to adequate reporting of self-assessment studies. (TJH)

Meta analysis techniques were used to synthesize research on teaching students how to control variables when designing an experiment. The review included 65 controlled studies. Findings are reported in terms of the influence on effect sizes of characteristics of the study, instruments used, treatments applied, and results' utilities. (SLD)