Generating Educational Theories That Can Explain Educational Influences In Learning

Convenor: Jack Whitehead, University of Bath, UK.

Chair: Je Kan Adler-Collins, Fukuoka University, Japan.

Discussant: Jean McNiff, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa

Overall Coherence of the Symposium

The overall coherence is focused on the idea that two purposes of educational research are to:

1) generate valid forms of educational theory that can explain the educational influences of individuals in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations in which they research their own practice, and

2) to use this increase in knowledge to benefit the students for whom they are responsible.  In exploring the contributions to educational knowledge made by such educational theories and practices, questions are addressed concerning epistemology, methodology, representation and outcomes.

Logical coherence is provided by the logic of inclusionality as the mode of thought appropriate for comprehending the rationality of educational theories that can explain educational influences in learning. Our co-presentations include a range of format, facilitation patterns and outcomes. Yet, coherence is provided by mutual outcomes of increased educational understanding of both the practitioner and the stakeholders for their work with publically communicable standards of judgment.

Methodological and epistemological coherence is further enhanced by facilitation of various forms of action/ reflection cycles and relationally dynamic, epistemological standards of judgment. The coherence of the standards is strengthened through the use of principles of rigor and personal and social validity. 

Representational coherence is in the use of multi-media narratives to demonstrate how new living standards of judgment for evaluating the quality and validity of practice-based claims to educational knowledge have been legitimated in the Academy.  Visual narratives, drawing on video-data from the educational relationships of the practitioner-researchers, will be used ostensively to generate meanings of relationally dynamic standards of judgement from educational practitioner-research. 

The key issue in the overall coherence of the symposium is in the narrative forms of inclusionality that demonstrate how insights from theories produced by education researchers can be integrated into the generation of the living educational theories of educational practitioner-researchers. In particular the symposium will show the coherence of living educational theories that draw insights from critical social theories and policy orientated education research in researching the processes of improvements in educational practice. The insights include an understanding of the politics of educational knowledge in terms of the power of truth and the truth of power. The improvements will focus on the living educational theories of learners, including pupils and students, as they explain their educational influences in their own learning.