Suzanne Aberasturi

Karl Popper and Jean Piaget: A rationale for constructivism

Abstract The current faddish use of the term constructivism has taken on as many different definitions as the number of people attempting to define it. This essay clarifies the meaning of constructivism through an examination of Karl Poppers and Jean Piagets theories. The authors provide a rationale for the use of Poppers paradigm of “Three Worlds” and how his criterion for open and closed theories serves as a framework for Piagets constructivist theory.

An Examination of Publication Bias in an International Journal of Information Technology in Education

Abstract Publication bias refers to a tendency to publish articles with significant results over publications with nonsignificant results. In this article we first review the literature of publication bias focusing on the three major determinants (file drawer significance, file drawer effect size, and file drawer sample size) and two interrelated sources (the editors and researchers) of publication bias. We then present a study that examined the publication bias of an international peer-reviewed journal in the field of information technology in education. All original submissions from that journal over a six-year period were examined. Comparisons were performed and no significant difference was found between accepted and rejected manuscripts on their significance, effect size, and sample size. Findings did not provide any evidence of editorial publication bias. Suggestions for further studies are discussed.