Evolution of Educational Knowledge and Living Educational Theories
I am interested in making a contribution to the extension
of networks of researchers who are contributing to the evolution of knowledge.
My own research programme has focused on the growth of educational knowledge
and you can see some of the living theory theses from researchers who
share ideas in the living theory section of this homepage.
I would like to work with you on a research programme concerned
with the development of knowledge about the dynamics of knowledge (creation,
dissemination, acquisition, accessibility and application to practice)
with full recognition of the interaction between these different features
of the "knowledge chain".
I have in mind a participatory research programme which will
develop the interface between theory and practice in the evolution of
knowledge. I am thinking of a sustained and systematic study involving
practice from different domains and different countries. I would like
to work on such a programme with you in contributing to the more effective
integration of "knowledge chains" to the benefit of qualities of life
related to the improvement of social formations and the lives of individuals,
including economic well-being and public policy.
One important aspect of this integration of 'knowledge chains', could
be the relationships between the processes of review we use as researchers
in judging the quality of each others' work. I am thinking of the process of evaluation within which we integrate
of each others' ideas within practices which influence the education
of social formations and other individuals as well as our own.
Action Researchers at Bath are developing these ideas and have contributed
to a review of educational action research, coordinated by Peter Mellett.
You can access the review here:
I have been particularly impressed with Colin Smith's ideas on the development of shared living theories and I do hope we can
respond to his paper Supporting Teacher and School Development: learning and teaching policies, shared living theories and teacher-research partnerships.
This has been published in Teacher Development, Volume 6, Number 2, pp. 157- 179, 2002. You can download the final draft of this paper by clicking here
You can download the final draft of this paper in Word format by clicking here
