Educational Research: An Unorthodox Introduction

by Gert J.J. Biesta

With so much technical information about research methods it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture of why we carry out educational research and where and how research might contribute to the improvement of education. Educational An Unorthodox Introduction steps you through the wider social and political contexts of educational research, focusing on fundamental questions such as what education actually 'is' and what it is for. In doing so, the book raises questions that more 'orthodox' introductions to the theory and practice of educational research often leave aside.

Gert Biesta covers a range of key issues which permeate any educational research project, including the roles of theory in research, what it means and takes to improve education, the nature of educational practice, the history of educational research and scholarship, the connection between research, professionality and democracy and what the social and political dimensions of academic publishing are. Each chapter includes a set of questions to stimulate further discussion.

Genres: Education

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Gert Biesta is Professor of Educational Theory at the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of Exeter and Visiting Professor for Education and Democratic Citizenship at Örebro University and Mälardalen University, Sweden.

Reviews

[Andries Nieuwenhuize · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biesta stelt goede kritische vragen over het doen van onderzoek, reflecteert het werk van Dewey (de belangrijkste bijdrage van dit boek) en neemt stelling tegenover de overgewaardeerde vorm van de zogenaamde academische kennis en plaatst dat in het kader van onderwijsonderzoek. Met hier en daar een onbegrijpelijke paragraaf, te veel herhaling in de inleidingen en conclusies bij elk hoofdstuk en een m.i. overdreven vorm van verantwoording t.o.v. de Engelse termen (het boek heeft hij zelf vertaald) betwijfel ik of de beginnende onderzoeker hier nu veel mee kan. Het geeft een goed inzicht in wat wr mankeert aan het 'systeem' maar ook het miss. ondedoelde besef dat een junior hier niet veel in gaat veranderen.

[Catbytolkien · Rating 1 out of 5]

Più che "riscoprire l'insegnamento" si sarebbe dovuto chiamare "la mia critica a qualsiasi altro tipo di educazione che non sia la mia (eccetto che non so neanch'io quale sia la mia)"