Can use of technology make a difference in student learning? Although a considerable literature describes its advantages in conceptual terms, research documenting its effective use in this context is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a graduate-level Web design activity on student attitudes toward learning. Students…

This article reports on a qualitative approach used to identify developmental and contextual factors associated with academic success and career aspirations of 13 Black Zulu South African students transitioning into college or in their first year of college. Students were queried on their aspirations and values, definitions of success, and…

In response to the need for more qualified primary school teachers in Lesotho, the Lesotho College of Education (LCE) introduced the Distance Teacher Education Programme (DT EP), an in-service training programme for unqualified and underqualified teachers. As part of the curriculum in this programme, the more than 1 200 student teachers who were…

This study was conducted by seven graduate students to investigate their experiences in the Center for Excellence in Education doctoral program in Educational Leadership at Northern Arizona University. The purpose of the study was to provide the graduate students with experience in conducting qualitative research. Aspects of the doctoral program…

This article describes a qualitative research approach (in-depth phenomenological interviewing) and illustrates, through the example of an actual study, its potential for helping institutions of higher education understand their students. It argues that progress in understanding college student outcomes, such as persistence, has been retarded by…

Student differences in attributions and motivation toward the study of high school Regents Earth Science were investigated through a naturalistic classroom study. Subjects were 72 ninth-graders in a rural New York high school. A shift in student attributions regarding success or failure in the class was facilitated by introducing an instructional…

A qualitative study was conducted of the contributions that institutional leaders make to fostering conditions that encourage high-quality out-of-class experiences for college students. A nine-member research team conducted the study. A process of nominations, recommendations and review yielded the selection of 14 institutions for the study. Site…

The transition from elementary to middle school can be an exciting as well as scary time for young adolescents. The stress of this transition can be decreased by incorporating transition programs that address student needs and concerns. This qualitative research study was designed to gain an overall sense of fourth grade in order to better…

At the beginning of the spring 2000 semester, 19 sophomores enrolled in the Principles of Teaching class at Heidelberg College (Ohio) were asked to complete weekly e-mail journal entries about the course. At the end of the semester, they were asked to give their perceptions regarding journal use. Sixteen students completed this particular entry,…

This study examined whether new streamed Internet audio and video technology could be used for primary instruction in off-campus research classes. Several different off-campus student cohorts at Illinois State university enrolled in both a fall semester qualitative research methods class and a spring semester quantitative research methods class.…

This study examined how African American women defined who they were in their respective college contexts, focusing on the roles of gender, race, and institutional type. A total of 20 women from a white coeducational institution, a predominantly white women's college, and a coeducational, historically black college participated in in-depth…

This paper reports the perceptions of inservice teachers participating in a World Wide Web-based university course. The pedagogical soundness of distance education courses that model constructivist learning theory and that are available to learners at times and places convenient to them are also examined. Qualitative methods were used to collect…

Recounts a series of teaching exercises designed to develop a critical awareness of attitudes toward gays and lesbians. The first set consists of short, active-listening exercises between students. The second involves observation and comparison of public displays of affection between heterosexual couples and gay couples. (MJP)

Explored students' perceptions of learning experiences in an online and a face-to-face section of the same university course. Qualitative data from students and the instructor showed the importance of peer interaction and cooperative learning environments; difficulties and benefits of Web-based instruction; and the importance of the affective…

Presented is a case study of a Science/Technology/Society course. Described are the specific goals and objectives of the course and the design of the study. The results of the study and the validity and transferability of this type of assessment are discussed. (CW)