Surveys of and interviews with year-12 students in Northern Ireland over 10 years examined the impact of government science education policy by noting student participation in advanced science courses. Overall, the number of boys taking advanced courses decreased and the number of girls increased. Students retained certain stereotyped views of…

A British university-initiated action research project emphasized development and evaluation of strategies for enhancing eighth graders' self-regulated learning. Case studies indicated the project had limited success in impacting teaching strategies and curriculum development, and the National Curriculum did nothing to increase the likelihood of…

Discusses three scientific traditions (positivist, interpretivist, and critical) as they inform methodological and strategic choices within a USAID-funded "Improving Educational Quality" project in Ghana, Guatemala, and Mali, examining various challenges researchers face when they engage in classroom anchored research in connection with…

Responds to the first paper in this journal issue that discusses using dialog about how to conduct studies and organize projects to help enhance educational quality in various settings. This article agrees with issues the paper raises that are crucial to reform efforts but highlights areas that need more detailed discussion between researchers and…

Presents a response to the article that responded to the author's original paper on dialog regarding the politics of educational research, policy, and practice, explaining that new analyses will soon be available on the research-dialog/dissemination-policy-practice cycles occurring within an educational improvement project in several developing…

This longitudinal study in London (England) examined changes in student attitudes toward school and schoolwork, ethnic and sex differences, and associations between attitudes and achievement. Black, and white urban students completed interviews, self-concept measures, and achievement tests from ages 7-16 years. Results found few direct…

The effect of coeducational and single-sex secondary schooling on female students' academic achievement was examined. Reexamination of earlier survey data from Northern Ireland studied six outcomes related to student performance on public examinations. Results indicated a small achievement advantage for single-sex schooling (not significant…

This study of British primary and secondary teachers and higher education faculty examined teachers' and administrators' responses to government reforms in preservice teacher education. Results indicated that predictions of collapse and major disruption have not materialized, but that systemic instability and fragility raise questions about…

Reports a national survey of Scottish primary school teachers that examined their confidence about teaching science, technology, and other curriculum areas. Results indicated that the teachers were less confident about their knowledge and teaching of science and technology than nearly all other curriculum areas. (SM)

Interviews with parents of British students moving to secondary schools in one district investigated relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and families' activities within school quasi-markets. Relationships were complex and multifaceted. There were strong relationships between both SES and educational level and the degree of family…

This study examined the impact of Scotland's national curriculum for students ages 5-14 on: teachers' constructs of their teaching, assumptions about students' learning, and interpretations of and accommodations for student differences. Observations and interviews indicated that teachers had not internalized distinctive curriculum features in…

Describes a study by British researchers that attempted to describe progression in learning in terms of a common framework for all students. Elementary school students completed periodic interviews while being taught measurement skills. Results found a wide spread of attainment in measurement in each age range but less clear progression between…

Reports a study of teachers' and students' perceptions of effective teaching and learning in British secondary schools. Interviews indicated that students and teachers felt learning opportunities were heightened when using transactional teaching, and opportunities for transactional teaching were limited by the presence of certain conditions. (SM)

A longitudinal study examined developments in preschoolers' understanding of literacy and numeracy, comparing learning models based on adult-child interactions or on children's learning processes at preschools with varied reflectivity levels. Children's understanding of symbols related to literacy and numeracy. Developments in their understanding…

Explores how students understand and develop strategies for handling the pressures of 10th grade, examining students' attitudes toward different learning contexts. Data from a longitudinal study of students' educational experiences suggested that 10th grade brought a considerable shift in learning pace and style, with students more pressured to…