ERIC ED481545: New Challenges for Educational Research. Knowledge Management.

146 Pages·2003·1.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
EA 032 852
ED 481 545
New Challenges for Educational Research. Knowledge
TITLE
Management.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris
INSTITUTION
(France).
ISBN-92-64-10030-X
ISBN
2003-00-00
PUB DATE
145p.
NOTE
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Educational Development; Educational Improvement; Educational
DESCRIPTORS
Policy; *Educational Research; Elementary Secondary
Education; Foreign Countries; National Programs; *Research
Utilization; *Research and Development; Technology Transfer;
Theory Practice Relationship
*England; *New Zealand
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This report explores, in particular, the educational R&D
systems in two countries, England and New Zealand, both members of the
OECD review
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) .
teams have been assessing the effectiveness of the educational R&D systems in
these two countries in developing and applying usable knowledge to improve
the quality of educational practice and policy. The approach of the review
teams is to analyze the national educational R&D system as a knowledge
management system in which the basic purpose of educational R&D is to
develop, organize, and disseminate information and knowledge that illuminates
our long-range understanding of the fundamental processes of education. These
two reviews are presented in chapters 2 and 4. The accompanying background
reports prepared by national educational ministries to support the work of
the review team are presented in chapters 3 and 5. Chapter 1 highlights some
of the key challenges and issues in educational R&D that OECD countries are
facing. Each chapter is preceded by an abstract. The report contains numerous
figures, tables, and references. (Author/WFA)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
ER
Ede la"
Knowledge Management
New Challenges for
Educational Research
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D
New Challenges
for Educational Research
O.
OECD
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION
AND DEVELOPMENT
Pursuant to Article 1 of the Convention signed in Paris on 14th December 1960,
and which came into force on 30th September 1961, the Organisation for Economic
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to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a
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Denmark, France, Germany, Greece,
Luxembourg, the
Iceland,
Ireland,
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Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thrkey, the United
Kingdom and the United States. The following countries became members
subsequently through
at
the
accession
dates
indicated
hereafter:
Japan
(28th April 1964), Finland (28th January 1969), Australia (7th June 1971), New Zealand
(29th May 1973), Mexico (18th May 1994), the Czech Republic (21st December 1995),
Hungary (7th May 1996), Poland (22nd November 1996), Korea (12th December 1996)
and the Slovak Republic (14th December 2000). The Commission of the European
Communities takes part in the work of the OECD (Article 13 of the OECD Convention).
Publié en francais sous le titre :
De nouveaux défis pour la recherche en education
© OECD 2003
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4
Foreword
knowledge base for
Complex societies and education systems require a sound
insights and
practitioners and policy-makers. Educational R&D is contributing to new
important issue is to which extent the
a common knowledge base in education. An
function as an
national educational Research and Development (R&D) systems
knowledge on which
effective means for creating, collating and distributing the
Research and
practitioners and policy-makers can draw on. The Centrefor Educational
educational R&D to
Innovation (CERI) at the OECD has launched national reviews of
address this issue.
countries
This report explores, in particular, the educational R&D systems in two
assessing the
England and New Zealand. OECD Review Teams have been
developing and
effectiveness of the educational R&D systems in these two countries in
practice and policy.
applying usable knowledge to improve the quality of educational
The approach of the Review Teams is to analyse the national educational R&D system
in which the basic purpose of educational R&D is
as a knowledge management system
knowledge that illuminates our
to develop, organise, and disseminate information and
the short
long-range understanding of the fundamental processes of education. In
These two reviews
term, it supports continuous improvement of the education system.
accompanying background reports prepared by
are presented in Chapters 2 and 4. The
Education, New
the Department of Education and Skills, England and the Ministry of
and 5.
Zealand to support the work of the Review Teams are presented in Chapters 3
R&D that
Chapter 1 highlights some of the key challenges and issues in educational
OECD countries are facing.
number of
The report shows that increasingly OECD countries are taking a
for teachers
innovative initiatives in order to improve the knowledge base in education
major knowledge and
and policy-makers through research. There are, however, still
policy-makers in
cultural changes needed in the practice of teachers, researchers and
base for the
order to create a system-wide continuous improvement of the knowledge
evidence and think
education system. Teachers need to look beyond their schools for
apply research
rigorously about their practice. Policy-makers need to "value" and
work
evidence in the development of policy and implementation. Researchers must
knowledge base on education practices.
more closely with teachers to improve the
educational R&D
The composition of the OECD Review Team for England's
Stanford University and the Hewlett
systems was Professor Marshall Smith,
3
NEW CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH - ISBN 92-64-10030-X - (I) OECD 2003
Foundation and former Under Secretary of the US Department of Education; Deputy
Director General Karen Nossum Bie, Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research;
and Director Stefan Wolter, Swiss Co-ordination Centre for Research in Education. The
New Zealand review has been prepared by the Swedish Ambassador to Germany and
former Swedish Minister of Education and Science, Carl Tham Professor Toni Schuller,
Dean of Continuing Education, Birkbeck College, UK; and Professor Martin Carnoy,
Stanford University, US. The two Background Reports for the reviews have been
prepared by the Department of Education and Skills, England and the Ministry of
Education, New Zealand respectively. Principal Administrator, Kurt Larsen from the
OECD Secretariat, has been responsible for conceptualising and managing the project.
This book is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD.
6
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NEW CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH - ISBN 92-64-10030-X - © OECD 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
Key Issues in Educational Research
Chapter 1.
9
and Development Systems in OECD Countries
11
Balancing the research portfolio
1.1.
13
Accumulation and dissemination of knowledge
1.2.
14
Capacity building
1.3.
Improving the reform of education through a research-based
1.4.
16
continuous improvement strategy
18
Bibliography
Part I
England's Educational R&D System
21
OECD Review of England's Educational R&D System
Chapter 2.
22
Overview
2.1.
24
Context of the OECD review
2.2.
31
Conceptualisations of an educational R&D system
2.3.
34
2.4. A balanced research portfolio
36
Accumulating and disseminating knowledge
2.5.
42
Capacity building
2.6.
Supporting and improving the reform of education through
2.7.
47
improvement strategy
a research-based continuous
49
Conclusions and summary of recommendations
2.8.
52
Bibliography
54
Appendix 2.1. Interviewed Persons
59
Education Research and Development in England
Chapter 3.
60
Purpose of the review
3.1.
60
England
The context: education and the learning society in
3.2.
62
Funding of educational research: sources and recipients
3.3.
63
Reviews of educational research and development
3.4.
65
The DIES research strategy
3.5.
The National Educational Research Forum: developing
3.6.
69
a framework for research
5
2003
NEW CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ISBN 92-64-10030-X - @ OECD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Funders' Forum
3.7.
69
Establishing priorities in education
3.8.
70
Investing in the future evidence base
3.9.
71
3.10. Evaluating and improving the quality of educational research
and development
74
3.11. Capacity building
76
3.12. Capacity for practitioners to engage in research
77
3.13. Disseminating research to practitioners and other users
81
3.14. The impact of research on policy and practice
82
3.15. Concluding comments
84
Bibliography
85
Part II
New Zealand's Educational R&D System
OECD Review of New Zealand's R&D System
Chapter 4.
89
Background to the review
4.1.
90
The New Zealand context
4.2.
91
Scope and definition
4.3.
94
Volume
4.4.
95
Distribution
4.5.
98
Contract culture
4.6.
100
Coverage
4.7.
101
Research capacity
4.8.
103
Interface with practice and policy
4.9.
106
4.10. Conclusions and recommendations
107
Bibliography
109
Appendix 4.1. Interviewed persons
110
Appendix 4.2. "State-of-the-art" Literature reviews commissioned
by the Ministry of Education in New Zealand
112
Education Research and Development in New Zealand
Chapter 5.
113
Introduction
5.1.
114
5.2. A national policy and agenda for educational research
and development
117
Organisation and funding of educational research
5.3.
and development systems
123
The impact of educational research and development on practice
5.4.
and its input to policy-making: evidence that educational research
and development is improving the quality of teaching and learning,
of educational institutions, or of the management of education
128
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NEW CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ISBN 92-64-10030-X © OECD 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interaction between producers of research, practitioners
5.5.
131
and policy-makers
135
Knowledge management in the learning society
5.6.
educational research
What could be done better in the existing
5.7.
139
and development system
140
Bibliography
141
Appendix 5.1. Interviewed Persons
143
Reviews
Appendix 5.2. "State-of-the-Art" Literature
145
Glossary of Acronyms
List of Boxes
93
level one
4.1. Future educational research priorities
List of Tables
July 1997-30 June 2001
4.1. Expenditure on educational R&D 1
96
(New Zealand Ministry of Education)
educational R&D
5.1. Ministry of Education expenditure on
127
Division)
1 July 1997-30 June 2001 (through Research
List of Figures
28
2.1. Pasteur's Quadrant
30
2.2. Education policy
32
2.3. BaSic and applied research
33
educational system
2.4. Traditional R&D model in a national
49
2.5. Implementing policy
delivered through Vote Education
5.1. Funding for Educational R&D
126
(New Zealand Ministry of Education)
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92-64-10030-X © OECD 2003
NEW CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ISBN
ISBN 92-64-10030-X
New Challenges for Educational Research
© OECD 2003
Chapter 1
Research
Key Issues in Educational
and Development Systems
in OECD Countries
Abstract. A large part of the criticism of the educational R&D systems
has been that much of the research has been of little relevance to practice
the
and policy. OECD countries haue taken policy initiatives to support
effectiveness of their educational R&D system to meet the increased
demand for research and information about education. Some of the major
initiatives are :
1. Increased focus on use-inspired basic research.
2. Systematic accumulation and dissemination of knowledge.
3. Strengthening research capacity system-wide.
research-based
4. Improving the reform of education through a
continuous improvement strategy.
1 0
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NEW CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ISBN 92-64-10030-X - 7