A research study about research studies comes up with a cautionary finding.
For more than a decade, school reformers have said that education policy should be driven by “research” and “data,” but there’s a big question about how much faith anyone should have in a great deal of education research. This is so not only because the samples are too small or because some research projects are funded by specific companies looking for specific results, but because in nearly all cases, it appears that nobody can be certain their results are completely accurate.
“I would love to believe that every single person doing education research around the world has ethics that are as pure as the driven snow,” Plucker said. “[But] the law of averages tells us there’s something out there.”
Via Gust MEES, Rosemary Tyrrell, Ed.D.
Data is significant yet can be deceptive. We are developing human potential and there are aspects where data is not as reliable to success as we portray.
This article is about the low value placed on replication studies. It does not call into question all education research! I'd like to see how this replication issue compares to other social sciences before dismissing all ed research!
What information should be taught in schools and universities? This topic is suggesting marketing companies have influence over learning and teaching.