The Value of Educational Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Value of Educational Research - Essay Example Educational research could be related to scientific analysis or could also be on teacher's role in setting and changing curricula, and on the extent to which individuals have access to high quality education. Educational research thus encompasses general issues on education as well as specific issues on scientific discovery and use of new and advanced technology in education. The value of educational research would be directly related to what lessons are drawn from analysis of general and specific issues on education, both in terms of scientific advancement and administrative policies related to education. A recent debate on educational systems and the evaluation of the national curriculum in the UK has moved from general discussions to specific standards of education along with highlighting the role and status of the teacher in promoting education. The teacher is considered a professional and an innovator and reducing them to followers or implementers of certain educational curricula is seen as a mistake. Osborne et al (1988) pointed out to the centralisation of the educational system and the rigidity of the curriculum, funding and assessment against the projected freedom of choice and parental involvement in education planning. Osborne et al suggest that curricula do not develop according to a set of objectives and procedures and behavioural sequences, but that educational objectives are set in accordance with what has already been done and the decisions made on the curricula. Schooling has been criticised as being too focused on offering teacher proof knowledge and packaged rather than what it should be. Of course what education should project is debatable and some have considered it as a moral and ethical activity that would prepare moral agents of society and developing value systems would be one of the important aspects of education. The role of education is to prepare a morally responsible society although it is also true that its effects cannot be predicted. Educational change could be described as an objective planning procedure although issues of morality and ethics would make it less objective and that is how educational systems become loaded with values and is not exactly value free. Osborne et al (1988) suggest that it is important for curricula of schools to be different as all kinds of educational standardisation would make the system too rigid although the value systems and ethical standards followed will have to be similar between schools. However this essay is not particularly focused on value systems within education but the inherent value of research on education. Value systems in education are related to issues of planning and objectives although any research in education would go beyond value systems and ethics or morality to include training, technology, innovation, teacher's role, educational st andards, socioeconomic activity, cultural factors and theoretical models of educational change and development. This essay being focused on the values of educational research, the mission or objectives of any educational research institute could be understood in terms of the following conditions laid down by the National Centre for Educational Research in the US MISSION.-The mission of the Research Center is- (1) to sponsor sustained research that will lead to the accumulation of knowledge and understanding of education, to- (A)