Survey research is prevalent among many professional fields. Both cost effective and time efficient, this method of research is commonly used for the purposes of gaining insight into the attitudes, thoughts, and opinions of populations. Additionally, because there are several types of survey research designs and data collection instruments, the…

This qualitative study elicited key themes in an attempt to understand the nature and essence of the career advancement experiences of a select group of African American male community college presidents. Research was conducted through a "culturally sensitive" research design (Tillman, 2002) that contained four elements: "culturally congruent…

This paper argues that if new communications technologies and online spaces are to yield "new relationship[s] with learners" then research that is tuned to recognize, capture and explain the pedagogical processes at the center of such interactions is vital. This has implications for the design of pedagogical activities within Initial…

Traditional histories of American college composition instruction in the 19th and 20th centuries examine primarily the textbooks used in those courses, then draw conclusions based on the content of those textbooks about the activities and attitudes expressed in the classroom. The canon of composition historiography is lacking in several ways: the…

Instructional Research Online (InTRO) was established in 1994 as a repository of research papers, media, and other artifacts related to research in instructional technology. The World Wide Web site (http://intro.base.org) includes sections on reviews of books and media, original research, links to resources in instructional technology, and…

Attitude and opinion research requires considerable planning, careful design of survey procedures and sampling techniques, and practical ways of collecting, analyzing, and reporting results. The following suggestions are based on the extensive public opinion research conducted by the University of Alabama. (1) Decide what specific problem is to be…

Explores what focus groups are, how they have been utilized by researchers, and some of the practical and theoretical implications for incorporating focus groups in the design of educational research. Includes verbatim transcripts from interviews and specific examples of various focus groups. (MJP)

This study addressed research collaboration on a range of instructional and administrative issues concerning how best to serve the educational needs of students with disabilities or at risk in general education classrooms. A group of expert researchers (N=31), funded to conduct research on the General Education Initiative (GEI), was interviewed to…

A complex research and development process is required to study instructional processes and student outcomes effectively. In order to study the instructional process it is essential to select or develop instruments that can describe a total event. Understanding the classroom process necessitates having a record of the environment, the materials,…

People who care about young people are aware of the serious problems caused by underage alcohol use. They should also be aware that there are many effective strategies for reducing underage drinking, and every state and community should be using these strategies. The "Guide to Conducting Youth Surveys" provides information about one important tool…