The state of qualitative research in education is addressed in this paper in terms of three categories of scientific inquiry (following Heap, 1992) and the varying place and function of qualitative work in each of these categories. The argument is put that one of these categories of inquiry, specifically cultural human sciences, offers the…

The recent federal interest in advancing "scientifically based research," along with the National Research Council's 2002 report "Scientific Research in Education" (SRE), have provided space and impetus for a more general dialogue across discourse boundaries within the field of educational research. The goal of this article is to develop and…

In the last years of the nineteenth century, educational psychologists created what they called a "science of education." Their aim was to make education a professional field, thereby freeing teachers and school administrators from political interference, and they believed they could do this by concentrating on studies that might…

This article describes the experiences of a former astronomer who is making the transition to astronomy education research as an international graduate student in the United States. The article describes the author's encounters with education research, its methodologies, and his changing research interests as he progresses through the graduate…

There are some important ambiguities in discussions about the implications of "evidence-based practice", both for educational research and for the work of teachers. In this paper we explore several of these through examining the Evidence-based Practice in Science Education (EPSE) study--part of the Teaching and Learning Research…

In this article, the author begins to trace the concept "scientifically based research" in federal legislation, in the Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, and in the reports of several National Research Council committees. She also discusses how this concept has produced a certain "scientism" that has been deployed to…

This 2008 foundation report provides an opportunity to look back and ahead as the organization reviews what has been accomplished and identifies challenges to be tackled in the future in the areas of education, scientific and medical research, and the arts. Grant making from the perspective of grantees is presented in each area. [This document was…

In the midst of keen controversies on the impact of high-stakes testing and test-driven external accountability policy, the more balanced and careful selection, interpretation, and use of scientific research evidence are crucial. This article offers a critical synthesis of cross-state causal-comparative and correlational studies that explored the…

No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, was passed in 2002. This legislation broadly states federal policy regarding education and is situated within the historical context of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs. Like any federal legislation, NCLB consists of the legislation itself but…

In this age of high-stakes testing and calls for more stringent measures of accountability, urban schools face a great deal of scrutiny. In fact, the direct benefactors of school reform remain the students most at risk for not reaping the benefits of reform rhetoric. Current legislation that propels the notion of "scientifically based research" to…

The issue of children's school readiness concerns parents and teachers worldwide. Kindergarten teachers have reported that approximately one-third of U.S. children entering school are ill-prepared to achieve success. Experts also warn that many children are entering school lacking the fundamental skills to achieve academic success. It is…

Compares the holistic humanist view of education with the analytic scientific viewpoint, considers their implications for guiding research and instruction, and concludes that the humanist makes some assumptions that are patently invalid." (AL)

Points out difficulty of being objective about effects of research on teaching, and the necessity for research into the relationship. Suggests model and hypotheses for testing. (EB)

This article considers the six principles that the National Research Council's report Scientific Research in Education claims define an enterprise as scientific. I argue that these principles are relatively vacuous generalities because one cannot determine anything about any of them from outside specific theories of specific domains (and domains…

This commentary commends the authors of Scientific Research in Education for addressing important questions for the field of education research and identifies six areas that might profit from further attention: 1) explicit factors that compromise the building of scholarly community, 2) introspective conversation on the role of the researcher in…