The Use and Abuse of Research in the Public Domain

Autor/in	Reid, Alan
Titel	The Use and Abuse of Research in the Public Domain
Quelle	In: Australian Educational Researcher, 43 (2016) 1, S.75-91 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0311-6999
DOI	10.1007/s13384-015-0184-1
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Educational Research; Case Studies; Organizations (Groups); Policy Formation; Ideology; Social Systems; Research Problems; School District Autonomy; Deception; Evidence; Australia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Bildungsforschung; Pädagogische Forschung; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Politische Betätigung; Ideologie; Social system; Soziales System; Forschungskritik; School district; School districts; Autonomy; School autonomy; Schulautonomie; Täuschung; Evidenz; Australien
Abstract	In Australia, education think tanks have become increasingly influential in policy circles through "reports" to government, and in public debate through the mainstream media. Invariably think-tanks draw on educational research to lend authority and legitimacy to their work. This is desirable if the research deepens understandings about important educational issues. However, it can be dangerous if it is enlisted to serve a specific ideology. This paper takes a case study of an avowedly conservative think-tank in Australia--the Education Standards Institute (ESI)--to explore the ways in which research is (mis)used in the service of a particular ideology in the public sphere. To sharpen the case study, the paper focuses on a contemporary policy issue in Australia--Independent Public Schools. It is argued that over a prolonged period of time the ESI Director has argued for an extreme version of school autonomy which goes far beyond anything which has yet been proposed by policy-makers in Australia. In so doing he uses the imprimatur of research evidence to substantiate his claims. The paper explores the many flaws in the ways in which educational research is employed to bolster the case. Education research should play a central role in informing public discussions and debates about education policy. It should not be used as a front for sloganeering for particular ideologies, and educational researchers have an important role to play in pointing this out. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01