Needed Research in Secondary Education. Bulletin, 1937, No. 28
Author: Jessen, Carl A.
Date: 1937-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: School Effectiveness,Physical Education,Articulation (Education),Secondary Education,Educational Research,National Surveys,Research Methodology,Administrative Organization,Student Characteristics,Secondary School Students,School Size,Curriculum Development,Individual Differences,Teacher Selection,Laws,School Districts,Educational Change,High Schools,Higher Education,Libraries,African American Education,School Supervision,Grading,Secondary School Curriculum

The publication and wide circulation of the monographs of the National Survey of Secondary Education offer an appropriate background for a statement on research needed in secondary education. The survey itself, comprising in the aggregate more than 4,400 printed pages, is a collection of important research studies relating to organization of schools, the pupil, administrative and supervisory problems and personnel, the curriculum, and the extracurriculum. It is to be noted that a number of important fields were omitted from consideration in the survey. These omissions were made by intention. Among them are history of secondary education, objectives, finance, training of teachers, and buildings and equipment. This limitation on subjects is carried through also in the present publication. This bulletin, in fact, follows rather closely the plan and content of the survey monographs. For instance, quotations and summaries of statements regarding needed research taken  from the monographs appear from time to time in these pages. Where, as happens with most of the monographs, no listing of research studies is included, attempt has been made to draw out the implications and suggestions for research studies from the findings reported and the procedures employed. The author, while feeling free to draw his material from numerous sources, nevertheless has throughout maintained the viewpoint that this discussion is principally in the nature of a follow-up of the National Survey of Secondary Education. No effort is made to outline the research undertakings in detail. Such an attempt would carry the project far beyond its purpose and would be unnecessary, since students of education who desire to undertake any of the studies here suggested can secure assistance in planning their investigations from numerous specialists in the various fields covered. It is hoped that the problems recommended may be judged to be both important and susceptible of study by techniques already available or possible of development on the basis of the present information. It is further hoped that the information in this bulletin may have some influence in directing concerted attention to some of the important problems in the uncharted, changing, and growing field of secondary education. This bulletin is divided into three sections. Part I addresses the purpose of this publication. Part II describes some characteristics of research in secondary education: (1) Study of practices; (2) Experimentation; and (3) Coordinated and cooperative research. Part III covers the various fields and suggested studies, including: (1) Horizontal organization of secondary education; (2) Secondary-school population; (3) Reorganization; (4) Smaller secondary schools; (5) Secondary education for Negroes; (6) District organization; (7) Laws and regulations; (8) Articulation of high school and college; (9) Administration and supervision; (10) Selection and appointment of teachers; (11) Individual differences, marking, and promotion; (12) Guidance; (13) Interpreting the secondary school to the public; (14) The library; (15) Procedures in curriculum making; (16) Program of Studies; (17) Subject fields (Investigations applicable to more than one field, English, Social studies, Science, Mathematics, Foreign languages, Music and art, and Health and physical education); (18) The extracurriculum; and (19) Conclusion. (Contains 9 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]