Educational Research: Why 'What Works' Doesn't Work

- Introduction: P. Smeyers and M. DePaepe.

1. The Good Practices of Jozef Emiel Verheyden-Schoolman and Professor of Education at the Ghent University: M. Depaepe, F. Simon & A. van Gorp

2. Ovide Decroly, a Hero of Education: A. van Gorp.

3. Why Generalizability is not Generalicable: L. Fendler.

4. New Languages and Old Institutions: the Problems of Implementing New School Governance: Daniel Tröhler.

5. Problematisation or Methodology: J.D. Marshall.

6. The Relevance of Irrelevant Research; the Irrelevance of Relevant Research: P. Smeyers.

7. Expectations of What Scientific Research Could (Not) Do: Kathleen Coessens and Jean Paul van Bendegem.

8. Kuhnian Science and Education Research: Analytics of Practice and Training: Lynda Stone.

9. The International and the Excellend in Educational Research: David Bridges

10. Technical Difficulties: the Workings of Practical Judgement: R. Smith

11. The Science of Education - Disciplinary Knowledge on Non-Knowledge/Ignorance?: Edwin Keiner

- Index Notes on Contributors

"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