Questions the validity of much current educational research in Great Britain, suggesting that researchers lose sight of the "educational" in search of the "fundable." Offers examples of how education is missing from the purposes and language of research into "effective schools" and into the "learning…

Throughout history, attempts have been made to use "science" to justify white European and American domination of other racial/ethnic groups and inequities of gender and class. Points out the lack of science and objectivity in the research of Linnaeus, Agassiz, Morton, Broca, Jensen, and Lynn. Suggests implications for antiracist…

Discusses difficulties of examining Jean Piaget's work, caused in part by his own revisions and earlier, inadequate interpretation in English translation. Examines common misunderstandings of Piagetian developmental stages and similar misinterpretations of his ideas on education. Focuses on importance of other disciplines, including psychology and…

Critically reviews a study commissioned by the Scottish Education Department (SED) on the transition to adulthood of young people with special educational needs. Although the research serves the political purposes of the SED, it contains sampling problems and unrepresentative case studies and fails to address cost effectiveness. (KS)

To understand trends in Scottish special education statistics, the data must be set against known demographic factors and must take into account changing patterns of age of pupils served in special education, types of learning difficulty, categories of establishment included, and distribution between schools and departments. Concludes that a move…

There is little research-based analysis of education's past or prospective contribution to the constitutional reconstruction of Scottish participatory democracy. Describes the constitutional changes occurring in Scotland and the relationship between educational research and policy. Analyzes positive and negative elements of educational research…