TY - BOOK ID - 47750155 TI - Educational research : why "what works" doesn't work AU - Smeyers, P. AU - Depaepe, Marc. PY - 2006 SN - 140205307X 9781402053078 9781402053085 1402053088 9786610745098 1280745096 PB - Dordrecht ; [New York] : Springer, DB - UniCat KW - Sociology of education KW - Research on teaching KW - School management KW - HO (hoger onderwijs) KW - onderwijspolitiek KW - onderwijsfilosofie KW - onderwijs KW - onderwijssociologie KW - Education KW - Pedagogiek en onderwijskunde --. KW - Research. KW - Education. KW - Children KW - Education, Primitive KW - Education of children KW - Human resource development KW - Instruction KW - Pedagogy KW - Schooling KW - Students KW - Youth KW - Civilization KW - Learning and scholarship KW - Mental discipline KW - Schools KW - Teaching KW - Training KW - Educational research KW - Academic collection KW - 37.001 KW - 37.012 KW - 37 <09> KW - 37 <09> Geschiedenis van opvoeding en onderwijs KW - Geschiedenis van opvoeding en onderwijs KW - 37.001 Filosofie van opvoeding en onderwijs KW - Filosofie van opvoeding en onderwijs KW - 37.012 Onderzoeksmethoden bij opvoeding en onderwijs KW - Onderzoeksmethoden bij opvoeding en onderwijs KW - Research UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:47750155 AB - Education and educational research, according to the current fashion, are supposed to be concerned with ‘what works’, to the exclusion of all other considerations. All over the world, and particularly in the English-speaking countries, governments look for means of improving ‘student achievement’ as measured by standardized test scores. Although such improvements are often to be welcomed, they do not answer all significant questions about what constitutes good education. Also the research on which they are based is not the only legitimate way to do educational research. Social research, and therefore educational research, cannot ignore the distinctive nature of what it studies: a social activity where questions of meaning and value cannot be eliminated, and where interpretation and judgment play a crucial role. In this book distinguished philosophers and historians of education from 6 countries focus on the problematical nature of the search for ‘what works’ in educational contexts, in practice as well as in theory. Beginning with specific problems, they move on to more general and theoretical considerations, seeking to go beyond over-simple ideas about cause and effect and the rhetoric of performativity that currently has educational thinking in its grip. ‘Freedom of inquiry in educational research can no longer be taken for granted. Narrow definitions of what constitutes ‘scientific’ research, funding criteria that enforce particular research methods, and policy decision processes that ignore any research that is not narrowly utilitarian, create a context in many countries that discourages scholarship of a more speculative, exploratory, or critical sort. This book brings together an exceptional combination of international and cross-disciplinary scholars who bring the perspectives of history and philosophy of science to ask, ‘How did we arrive at this place? and ‘Where is educational research heading? The book illuminates the anti-intellectual consequences of a ‘what works’ mentality in education, and shows that the ostensibly ‘scientific’ revolution in educational research in fact reflects an ahistorical and conceptually muddled understanding of what actually constitutes ‘science.’ This book could not be more timely and important.’ Nicholas C. Burbules, Grayce Wicall Gauthier Professor, University of Illinois ‘With research increasingly tied to State policies with the instrumental purpose of guiding school reforms, the volume provides an important historical and philosophical questioning of the possibilities, limitations and challenges of education research. Internationally leading scholars engage in a significant conversation that is sophisticated and nuanced for understanding contemporary debates.’ Thomas S. Popkewitz, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA This publication is realized by the Research Community (FWO-Vlaanderen / Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium) Philosophy and History of the Discipline of Education. Evaluation and Evolution of the Criteria for Educational Research. . ER -