Educational Philosophy, Theory and Research: A Psychiatric Autobiography

Interpretations of educational theory as essentially empirical conceive education and teaching as skill-based technologies which can be scientifically researched. Those in the educational research community who resist this picture nevertheless often regard good educational practice as empirically researchable by more 'particularistic' means (for example, action research). However, this chapter argues that such empiricist approaches neglect or distort what are essentially moral rather than scientific or technical questions. On this view, education is essentially a moral practice, ethical deliberation lies at the heart of principled educational enquiry and the expertise of teachers is better conceived in terms of virtues rather than skills.     

Philosophy and Method in Educational Research

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the idea of method now shapes the self‐understanding in terms of which many educational researchers make sense of their work. It does so by comparing the modem ‘methodical’ approach to educational research with the premodern style of philosophical theorising it has largely replaced. On the basis of this comparison it shows how some important questions about the future of educational research begin to emerge.     

“Score-for-Credit”: An Analysis of AP Chemistry Policies at Medium-Sized,Full-time, 2-Year Undergraduate (MFT2) Institutions

This study aimed to identify a consensus Advanced Placement (AP) chemistry exam score among MFT2 institutions, and determine how this value compared against target schools within the State of Alabama. AP Credit Policies for MFT2 institutions and popular destination schools were researched using The College Board website (https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies). The resulting data was analyzed using simple statistical approaches to gain generalized information. Most MFT2 schools were found to offer college credit when the student obtained a 3/5 or higher on the AP chemistry exam. This outcome is one point lower than popular destination universities for our students at Central Alabama Community College. Community colleges can use lower AP chemistry exam scores to attract students who are likely to be college ready, but may not have the ability (academic, financial, social, or otherwise) to thrive at popular destination schools. A word of caution is included.     

Can playscapes promote early childhood inquiry towards environmentally responsible behaviors? An exploratory study

This paper investigates young children’s exploratory play and inquiry on playscapes: playgrounds specifically designed to connect children with natural environments. Our theoretical framework posits that playscapes combine the benefits of nature and play to promote informal science exploration of natural materials. This, in turn, is expected to lead to environmental science literacy, which in turn is likely to strengthen a child’s ecological identity and lead to environmentally responsible behaviors (ERBs). The following questions are of specific interest: to what extent do children go beyond observations and explorations and use science-specific representations and language during their play on playscapes? What locations on the playscape afford science-specific activities? And how do these activities relate to their play on the playscape? In an attempt to answer these questions, we describe data obtained from a video analysis of preschoolers visiting a playscape. As a means of initial comparison, we also analyzed data obtained from a traditional playground. We examine the intersection of children’s play and inquiry within specific areas of interest at the two sites. The two sites vary in many dimensions, including size, familiarity, and access to natural materials. Nevertheless, our data provide initial support for our hypothesis that natural environments promote explorations and inquiry, fostering ERBs.     

Can Infant Temperament Be Used to Predict Which Toddlers Are Likely to Have Increased Emotional and Behavioral Problems?

The 'terrible twos' are often associated with increased temper tantrums, noncompliance and aggression. Although some expression of these behaviors is normal, whether early individual factors can predict which children are most at risk of frequent or prolonged emotional and behavioral problems is of increasing interest. The current study of 6,067 toddlers found that their 9 month scores on a new brief measure of temperament—the Infant Behavior Questionnaire – Revised - Very Short Form (IBQ-R-VSF)—were associated with both difficult behaviors and prosocial behaviors at age 2, measured using a preschool version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Controlling for a range of demographic, maternal characteristics and contextual factors, we found that infants higher on the trait Negative Emotionality and/ or lower on Orienting Capacity and Fear were more likely to develop hyperactivity, emotion, peer and conduct problems and less likely to demonstrate pro-social behaviors at two years of age. Temperament aged 9 months explained an additional 1 - 6 % of the variance in toddler behavior. These findings suggest that infant temperament is associated with the behavior strengths and difficulties of 2-year-olds and provide the first longitudinal validation of the new 5-factor structure of the new IBQ-R-VSF.     

Education, Profession and Culture: Some Conceptual Questions

What is it to regard the occupation of teaching as a profession – as distinct from a trade or vocation? The conventional modern conception of a profession is that of a normative enterprise in which standards of good practice are not just technically or contractually but also morally grounded: indeed, arguably the key difference between trades like plumbing or building and professions like medicine or law is that although the former are doubtless often subject to ethical regulation, ethical principles are actually constitutive of professions. It is also plausible to regard universal professional obligations as grounded in rights indexed to considerations of human need: insofar as humans cannot in general flourish without health, medical practitioners are bound to respond to any medical need without favour or prejudice. This paper argues, however, that powerful and persuasive contemporary critiques of notions of objective or value-neutral development and flourishing raise quite serious theoretical problems (expressed here as antinomies) for any analogous view of teaching as a profession.