Clarifies the author's position on constructivism and whether nature determines what is produced as knowledge in human development. The author states his form of constructivism as a theory of rational knowing, not a metaphysics of being, for whatever things we know, we know only insofar as having constructed them as viable entities in our…

Argues against Glasersfeld's (1996) position that individual experience, not metaphysics, dictates that knowing is itself a metaphysical position. It further disputes Glasersfeld's assertion that people are necessarily constructed differently in our minds than objects, but agrees with Glasersfeld that proceeding with the business of education does…

Explores the relationship between educational theory and practice by describing the following three categories in an expanded view of scholarly activity in education: (1) studying school improvement programs; (2) creating new ways of taking action on new knowledge; and (3) building new collaborative structures between schools and universities.…

Proposals for the reform of professional education are nearly the same as they were 50 years ago. The quality of reform language is the result of inevitable tension between professional practice and institutions that support it. The language of reform mediates these tensions. (VM)

Argues that the reputation of education research is simultaneously worse--and better--than most have assumed and that some efforts recently initiated suggest a strategy for improving the situation. Efforts to stimulate research syntheses on significant education problems are highlighted. (GR)

Presents a unified concept of test validity that integrates both the scientific and ethical considerations of test interpretation and use. Argues that the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of score-based inferences are inseparable, and that this integration is based on construct validity. (FMW)

Discusses Paul Cobb's distinction in learning research between psychological constructivism, the emergent perspective, and sociocultural theory, and examines his argument that it is reasonable to talk about knowing from each of these viewpoints. The author offers a refinement of Cobb's pragmatic approach in accounting for learning. (GR)

Studies beliefs that psychometricians have about learning through interviews with 50 school district testing directors. Disputes about legitimate test preparation and teaching to the test are explained by differing beliefs about learning and implicit learning theories. Discusses implications for testing practices. (SLD)

Suggests that instructional theory is possible, but it should concern itself only with narrowly circumscribed local instructional situations, relatively small chunks of curriculum for relatively small segments of the educational population. (Author/AM)

Presents a series of speeches by three past presidents of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) about the future of the association and educational research in general. Two of the three explain why they are highly critical of the field they helped lead; the third suggests a redirection towards more comprehensive theories from the…

The perception that educational research does not significantly contribute to policy and practice is inaccurate. However, the impact of research is not as frequent or effective as it might be. To remedy this, researchers should study the action mind frames of policymakers and practitioners. (BJV)

Focuses on developments in the field of adult literacy in the 1990s and outlines seven areas related to key topics in the field. Provides a brief analysis of major research findings in each of these areas and offers a prognosis of the next generation of adult literacy work in the United States. (SLD)

Discusses the opinions of Daniel A. Wagner and Richard L. Venezky about the field of adult literacy, and challenges their position that the field needs to continue to develop along existing lines. Suggests that alternatives to traditional classroom-based literacy be studied to provide research-based alternatives to traditional practices. (SLD)

Continues the exploration of the future direction for the field of adult literacy and calls for improved empirical underpinnings for practice in the area of adult literacy and the improvement of the research base. (SLD)

Reviews the work of Paulo Freire, one of the first internationally recognized educational thinkers who appreciated the relationships among education, politics, imperialism, and liberation. Discusses critical pedagogy and the place of liberation as the central project of education. (SLD)