This qualitative study explored the perceptions of dental students, faculty, and graduate students on the development of a sense of touch in dental practice. Eight focus groups were held: four were comprised of third-year dental students (n=22), two of advanced, general dentistry postgraduate students (n=11), and two of dental faculty (n=8). Each…

A substantial body of research elaborates and documents how practicing teachers support the writing development of young children (Atwell, 1987; Avery, 1993; Calkins, 1986, 1994; Graves, 1981; Lensmire, 1994; Routman, 2000). Yet, there is limited research about how preservice teachers learn about children's writing (Dahl and Farnan, 1998) or about…

Qualitative research methodology was used to explore the perceptions of students and teachers participating in an interactive collaborative satellite-based mathematics course in 21 high schools. Results showed that the distance learning format gives teachers access to more resources, is useful for underachieving students, and is an effective way…

Fourth and fifth graders who had completed the mile-run physical fitness test were interviewed to determine what they thought, felt, and knew about the test. Students reported little understanding of why they had to complete the test. They viewed it as a painful, negative experience that was little fun. (SM)

Illuminative evaluation is concerned primarily with description and interpretation. At an English residential outdoor education center, illuminative evaluation of the program involves establishing operational questions for study and collecting data through questionnaires, interviews, observation, document analysis, and field notes. Data are…

Describes a qualitative study of affective variables in the second-language experience. The study used as its data, graduate students' self-report papers about their Community Language Learning experience, which revealed three affective variables--anxiety, motivation, and attitude. (41 references) (JL)

Reports on study of teacher decision making regarding instruction about Gulf War. Finds teachers were influenced by student grade level, number of students in class from another culture, and their own knowledge of Middle Eastern history and geography. Concludes that local and state curriculum officials should provide more flexibility so teachers…

Assesses the impact of women's studies courses on students' feminist activism and related behaviors in a qualitative and quantitative study of 161 female and 18 male college students compared with 154 controls. At posttesting, the impact of womens' studies was found in students' reports of increased activism and influence on personal lives. (SLD)

Examines the problems that four international graduate students of various linguistic and cultural backgrounds encountered in the process of adapting to the requirements of discipline-specific written discourses during their first year of studies in the United States. Suggests that international students need assistance to adjust more easily to…

Describes a community-initiated study of student motivational influences in Fountain Hills Unified School District (Arizona), which receives Yavapai students from nearby Fort McDowell Indian Community. Discusses collaboration between the school district and Indian community, quantitative results on student motivation and long-term effects of high…

Explores the evolution of a photomontage assignment in a college-level course for academically unprepared students by summarizing the original assignment and then describing the latest version after a three-year period. Believes that the current assignment promotes aesthetically rich and meaningful artwork from students and a positive shift in…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the MORE HEALTH "Respect Not Risk" Firearm Safety Lesson for 3rd-graders in Pinellas County, Florida. Six schools representative of various socioeconomic levels were selected as the test sites. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected. A total of 433 matched pretests/posttests were used…

The study reported uses a qualitative design to investigate the benefits of service-learning through the eyes of the preservice teachers who participated in it. The study focuses on how preservice teachers compare and contrast teaching and learning in the formal classroom during student teaching and teaching and learning in service-learning. Based…

In the spring of 2002, the author conducted a qualitative study that used student engagement as a lens through which to analyze the effects of technology on campus. The setting was a four-year private institution that had, three years prior, instituted a laptop computer requirement for undergraduate students. The study used focus groups of…

"Setting" A single primary school which serves a mixed socioeconomic area in the north of Scotland. "Method" Parents gave demographic details about their family and information about whether their children had been breastfed. Twenty- three children, aged 6, took part in three focus groups which were conducted by two…