Clarifies misperceptions of the author's analysis of the theory-practice dualism manifest in reconceptualist curriculum theorizing, replying to Henderson's inquiry about the author's perspective on curriculum practice by discussing the ideas of Tyler and Schwab and curriculum enactment. Proposes further deliberation on testing the new theories in…

Extends a previous analysis of the debate between those advocating highly professionalized teacher preparation and those seeking deregulation, inquiring into the democratic and anti-democratic features of the debate. Discusses the importance of thoughtful opposition, how and where on the political landscape that opposition is resolved, and who is…

Presents an international perspective on Cochran-Smith and Fries' recent analysis of the ways that two competing ideologies (deregulation and professionalization) are being employed in the United States to support teacher education reform, noting important differences between the United States and England in how these ideologies have been advanced…

In response to commentaries on an earlier essay, this paper suggests three points to extend the dialogue about teacher education reform, discussing the potential value of debates that marshal evidence for a particular policy position, the importance of open discussion about the ideologies underlying different positions, and cautions about the…

Highlights some of the technological tools used by educational researchers today, focusing on data collection related tools such as Web surveys, digital photography, voice recognition and transcription, file sharing and virtual office, videoconferencing on the Internet, instantaneous chat and chat rooms, reporting and dissemination, and digital…

Recommends attending to students' perspectives in education, critiquing various recent attempts to listen to students, including constructivist and critical pedagogies, postmodern and poststructural feminisms, educational researchers' and social critics' work, and recent developments in medicine and law. Contextualizes two challenges of…

Recommends moving from debates between spectators and actors about knowledge and practice to discussions about how all educators can foster good judgment, outlining Aristotle's and Kant's accounts of judgment, which ultimately privilege spectators, and introducing Arendt's work. Arendt linked thinking and acting without privileging either in her…

Describes one educator's work as a senior fellow at the National Science Foundation, where she learned about the workings of the agency in relation to education and educational research. Presents eight observations to help those in the educational community who interact with colleagues at major federal agencies. (SM)

Describes tools for measuring content of instruction, content of instructional materials, and alignment between them, reporting findings about use of these tools and possible additional uses for research and practice. Asserts that the validity of data produced using these tools is good. Sketches an agenda for future work to improve the quality and…

Discusses the promise and pitfalls of randomized and rigorously matched experiments as a basis for educational policy and practice, concluding that a focus on rigorous experiments evaluating replicable programs and practices is essential to build confidence in educational research among policymakers and educators. Suggests that new funding is…

Responds to a theme issue, "Research for Doctoral Students in Education (vol.30, 5), " asserting that the continua presented in the articles fail to legitimize research done by school practitioners on site. Discusses issues related to differences in rigor, status, and purpose between practitioner and other research. Recommends that education…

Critiques Anderson's response to the theme issue, "Research for Doctoral Students in Education," asserting that questions he raises have few straightforward answers. Agrees that because efforts to study and improve educational practice too often impose abstract findings on school and teachers, it is important to develop a literature based in…

Notes the need for researcher accountability in qualitative analysis, examining strategies used in working with doctoral students and offering suggestions for assessing and publicly disclosing the methodological rigor and analytical defensibility of qualitative research. Introduces tabular strategies for use in documenting the relationship between…

Examines Black-White and Hispanic-White achievement gap trends over 30 years, identifying key factors contributing to bifurcated patterns in achievement gaps. While conventional measures of socioeconomic status, family conditions, youth culture, student behavior, and schooling might account for some of the trends for a limited time period or a…

Discusses the potential for providing high quality mathematics instruction for all students, addressing four conditions that are necessary for achieving this goal: high quality curriculum; a stable, knowledgeable, and professional teaching community; high quality assessment aligned with curricular goals; and stability and mechanisms for the…