Research seminar series 2011-2012: Social justice and educational research

Social justice and educational research: old dilemmas and new directions?

Professor Sally Power, School of Social Sciences Cardiff University

The relationship between educational evidence, policy and practice has been an issue of central concern over the last 15 to 20 years. It is often widely assumed that there is a serious misunderstanding between the research and policy-practice communities and that if only we can communicate with each other better, things will improve.

This paper argues that the problem lies much deeper. Borrowing from analyses in the social studies of science, the paper shows how the education research-policy-practice interface has changed in recent decades. In particular, it outlines how the ‘cultural turn’ in education research has created a crisis in the nature of educational expertise. It examines the nature of this crisis and argues that we need a ‘third wave’ of educational research if we are to rebuild expertise and address the current challenges within society and the education system.

Cost: Free of Charge