Peter Mortimore
Does Educational Research Matter?*
University of London|Universidad de Londres
abstract article endeavours set british educational research context national international economic developments take account national educational policy making educational practice addresses seven questions term educational research include major tasks educational research successes failures educational research attacked frequently would miss exist enhance value educational research argued scope educational research broad covering different techniques methodologies many aspects educative process formal informal four main tasks emerge observe record systematically analyse draw implications publish findings crucially attempt improve educational processes outcomes british educational researchers point substantial corpus successful work ranging largescale longitudinal cohort studies powerful individual case studies studies differential effectiveness school organisation curriculum assessment inequality discrimination many studies influenced policy practice success blind research community shortcomingsthe gaps knowledge inaccessibility writing mediocrity work ways researchers relate involved affected research hoped influenced public perceptions shortcomingssome well founded others driven prejudiceunderlie many attacks researchers work regularly subjected whilst educational research might missed even gladly dismissed practitioners policy makers paper argues work essential independent questioning impartial evaluations policy practice take place however make every effort enhance work end need take note various bera codes practice invest developing members repertoires research techniques constantly guard bias work must also continue efforts relate positively elected government day things must hold fast bera values must trained ask difficult questions demand evidence rather anecdote answers generate research new knowledge formulate new theories speak believe right democratic society expectsand deservesnothing less