The Community of Inquiry framework has been widely supported by research to provide a model of online learning that informs the design and implementation of distance learning courses. However, the relationship between elements of the CoI framework and perceived learning warrants further examination as a predictive model for online graduate student…

This study examined the intentions of educational leadership students in Florida university graduate programs in regards to demographics and self-assessed leadership characteristics. The study employed a non-experimental design wherein Regression, ANOVA, and Multiple Regression statistical techniques were employed to explore intent. It examined…

The integration of ideas, methods, and data from diverse disciplines has been a transformative force in science and higher education, attracting policy interventions, program innovations, financial resources, and talented people. Much energy has been invested in producing a new generation of scientists trained to work fluidly across disciplines,…

It can reasonably be said that the discussion board is the "heart" of an online course. The discussion board can and should help the learner to make meaning of the content or topic and to find relevance to their lives. When this "engagement" does not occur, the individual does not benefit from the discussion, and it becomes…

Argues that multiple theoretical perspectives and applied careers versus basic interests need not divide the discipline of sociology. Contends that the idea of a disciplinary core will be more easily operationalized if sociologists orient themselves toward the skills which comprise the essence of their work. (Author/DH)

Guidelines for research proposal preparation are presented to assist graduate students. The following components of educational research proposals are described: title page, introduction, methodology, schedule and budget, and bibliography or references. The introductory section enables the researcher to: define the study's purpose, review relevant…

This model for teaching quantitative research depicts five processes: build knowledge, formulate hypotheses, develop measures, pick analytical technique, and plan data collection. Exercises designed to integrate these elements are described: diagraming hypotheses, mapping measures onto constructs, matching analysis to hypotheses, matching analysis…

Provides advice for graduate researchers on how to get a research project started, research committee relations, design of the research project, keeping motivated, managing time, maintaining momentum, and safeguarding mental health during the research process. It is noted that the advice would be particularly useful for the completion of doctoral…

This study explored the utility of developing an alumni survey specifically designed for graduate alumni to increase response rates and provide specific information for planning. The previous year's survey of graduate alumni had seen a very low participation rate and those that had responded offered several negative comments on the survey design.…

Written for students on the threshold or in the early stages of a postgraduate degree, this book introduces the key tools and terminology of research, explains what to do before beginning a postgraduate research project, and suggests ways to arrive at a research question or hypothesis. The discussion also covers the student-supervisor relationship…

Reviewed 319 doctoral theses in educational administration completed at the University of Alberta between 1958 and 1990. The proportion of descriptive studies increased whereas the proportion of relational studies declined. The proportion of studies using case study strategies, interviews, and multiple methods of data collection also increased.…

In response to the difficulties of many masters degree students, this on-going project aimed, first, to identify cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for masters level study; second, to develop an instrument to determine students' readiness for masters level work; and, third, to design bridge courses to prepare prospective students. An…

Although individuals preparing for careers in educational administration have recognized the importance of the community for schools and school districts, they have often lacked a complex understanding of "community." This paper describes a community-study research project that was developed and implemented in a graduate educational administration…

Of 50 students taking a graduate course in multiple regression analysis at a particular university, they tended to use multiple regression in their dissertations. (Author/JKS)

The purpose of this study was to compare the scores of students who were allowed unlimited retakes of a multiple-choice test with the scores of students who were limited to only four retakes (five trials) of the same test. The tests were each made up of 20 randomly drawn questions from a large pool of questions about research methods. Three…