Argues that Piaget did not consider social factors to be important in his developmental theory and considers some of the practical educational implications of Piaget's social theory. Piaget's notion of the role of social factors is reviewed, and the educational implications of the cooperative context favoring operational development with reference…

Expresses concerns about the way Hiebert et al. (1996) characterized Dewey's approach to thinking and problem solving. It argues that Hiebert et al.'s interpretation of Dewey downplays the crucial role of ideas in the problem-solving process while simultaneously elevating "action, over doing" as the key element in promoting greater understanding…

Replies to Hiebert et al. (1996), who proposed that curriculum and instruction be guided by the basic principle that students problematize their subjects, arguing against the notion of problematizing mathematics. Considers the nature and range of mathematical content pursued in classrooms and the related question of student participation and…

Replies to J. P. Smith III's (1997) and R. Prawat's (1997) criticism of problematizing mathematics. The basic notion of problematizing is clarified and differences in interpretation between the authors are identified. Hiebert et al. assert that, although the principle of problematizing mathematics has unresolved difficulties, it should still be…

Addresses the usefulness of the World Wide Web in education by answering the following questions: does it make learning more accessible; does it promote improved learning; and does it accomplish the first two while containing or reducing the per unit costs of education? Examples are provided of what individuals and institutions are doing on the…

Charges that virtually all existing educational research perspectives are laced with epistemological racism. Discusses five categories of racism and their linkages to research. Concluding comments offer suggestions about what initially needs to be done to address epistemological racism. (GR)

Presents a series of speeches by three past presidents of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) about the future of the association and educational research in general. Two of the three explain why they are highly critical of the field they helped lead; the third suggests a redirection towards more comprehensive theories from the…

Considers the question of the high turnover in educational innovations and argues that the high mortality rate of innovations is a function of their operation within an environment of institutionalized organization. Suggests that improving the performance of innovations will require understanding education as a dynamic system. (GR)

Responds to T. Hatch's article "If the 'Kids' Are Not 'Alright,' I'm 'Clueless'" (1996) which raised questions about the quasi-documentary film "Kids" and its relevance for addressing questions of representation of youth in the media. Considers what educators might use in connecting strategies of understanding and intervention to the challenges…

The articles of this theme issue explore the use of educational research and whether the American Educational Research Association should play more of an advocacy role in the educational policymaking process. The challenge is one of expanding debate and discussion on educational research beyond the research community to the policy process. (SLD)

The exchange among M. McKenna, R. Robinson, and J. Miller and C. Edelsky about language instruction is a starting point for an examination of what is behind the current fragmentation in educational research. It is argued that this fragmentation results from the use of different vocabularies to tell stories about research. (SLD)

Presents the views of six former presidents of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) on the future of the AERA and of educational research in general. Most, although not all, agree that the AERA should become more politically active than it has been and should adopt positions on specific educational policy questions. (SLD)

Proposes modifications to the recent suggestions by B. Thompson (1996) for an American Educational Research Association editorial policy on statistical significance testing. Points out that, although it is useful to include effect sizes, they can be misinterpreted, and argues, as does Thompson, for greater attention to replication in educational…

Argues that describing results as "significant" rather than "statistically significant" is confusing to the very people most apt to misinterpret this telegraphic wording. The importance of reporting the effect size and the value of both internal and external replicability analyses are stressed. (SLD)

This book is a significant contribution to the field of sociology of school knowledge. It looks at the historical development of the field and argues that, although this field has appealed only to a limited audience, it has the potential to reach a larger audience of scholars if an alternative research agenda could be created. (SLD)