Tom suggested that a bit of soul-searching and perhaps some new directions would be of considerable benefit if we want truly to make some contributions to the quality of the educational process. Judging by the lack of argument that made its way onto the board, one could assume that there was a high degree of agreement among readers with the points that were raised. The difficulty is knowing where to go from here. The purpose of this forum is to invoke some discussion that might suggest some possible strategies. When one considers the reasons for the large amount of educational research that goes on these days, it is helpful to consider both the motivation and the purpose of the research as distinct and separate entities.
Educational research is done for many reasons apart from a desire to improve the system.
In fact I would posit that the majority of educational research that is undertaken is initiated and motivated for reasons other than a genuine desire to advance knowledge. Some of the reasons are esoteric, others are opportunistic, and some entirely pragmatic. In the world of academia, educational research is primarily a means to an end rather than an end in itself. In the main, it is done to gain qualifications, to demonstrate scholarship, and to advance career prospects. Under these circumstances it seems quite natural that some or much of the work will lack social relevance.