Using Educational Research to Make Sound Educational Decisions

So why should educators be concerned about educational research? What relevance does it have to our everyday practice?

Educational research is used to create the theories upon which we design educational policies and practices. Theories help to organize relevant empirical facts (empirical means they can be observed or measured) in order to create a context for understanding phenomena. Sometimes people try to dismiss an idea or practice with which they do not agree by saying it is just a bunch of theory, meaning I guess that the theoretical realm is somehow far removed from the practical realm, perhaps even having a different set of laws that govern it. But this would be a misunderstanding of what a theory is.

A theory is a way to explain a set of facts. Put another way, if reality were a dot-to-dot picture, a theory would be a way to connect a set of data dots (see Figure 1.2.) However, varying theories connect different data dots in different ways resulting in a wide variety of pictures and practices. Thus, varying theoretical perspectives, while based on a set of empirical data, can often advocate different practices or practical notions. An example would be behavioral learning theory and cognitive learning theory, both of which are based on solid empirical evidence.

• Educational research is used to create the theories that are used to design educational policies and practices.

• A theory is a way of explaining a set of facts.

• A hypothesis is an untested conjecture.

• Research-based theory can be used to justify practices or policies.

• Educational research helps teachers and school administrators to make good decisions.