The Practical in Educational Research
The Psychological Clinic Copyright, 1916, by Lightner Witmer, Editor. Vol. X, No. 3 May 15, 1916 :Author: David Spence Hill, Ph.D.,
Director Division of Educational Research, Public Schools, New Orleans.
What is Practical?
From the beginning, demands for the practical have harassed the researchers in chemistry, physics, astronomy, or biology. Abundantly practical have been the ultimate results of a score of pioneer studies which were of only academic interest to our learned ancestors, and unheard of by the contemporaneous multitudes. What seems purely academic, theoretical, or even visionary to one generation or individual may be of demonstrated utility to another. To prove this, one needs only to trace the manufacture and present economic significance of drugs, pure food stuffs, anesthetics, dyes, metals; or of dynamos, motors, telephones and wireless?all electrical devices,? the steam engine, specialized factory machines, and the aeroplane; or of modern navigation; or of medicine, surgery, as well as of scientific agriculture. Philosophers easily show the impossibility of limiting rigidly the concept, practical. The practical in education is as difficult to define as it is in chemistry or geology. We mean by it generally something that is of immediate use in our mutual betterment. The idea of the practical can easily be degraded to that of expediency, or to subserviency to stronger power for selfish ends. Facts about certain school problems can be of great practical use to boards, superintendents, and the people.
Men of Affairs Employ Research.
In the presence of proof that a method of efficiency is helpful to all concerned, practical men of affairs are prone to adopt the efficiency method. Initiative in educational research cannot be credited as a rule to those who bother chiefly about units of college A paper prepared for the Round Table of Directoia of Educational Researeh, Department of Superintendence, National Education Association, Detroit, Michigan, February 24, 1916. entrance requirements, or about protecting the B.A. degree from the contamination of “practical” studies. It is pleasing to contemplate the recent unconditioned employment of good researchers by cities and boards?and by some with a reputation hitherto for political evils in education. The movement betokens disgust with old methods and a hopeful turning toward the light. The researcher in the schools is burdened with a heavy responsibility, that he may not dispel confidence in his method by inaccuracy or bias, that he may be helpful and constructive, rather than a wrecker without plans of rebuilding.
Typical Difficulties of Practical Research.
Formal attempts to apply systematically the methods of research to problems of public education are recent, and many difficulties, as of old, arise. The university man or woman with a wealth of information and with mental training and a heart to serve through research the children in our public schools, who plunges into such public service, may encounter discouragements such as these: Incredulity about practical values, questions to be solved too quickly, competitive exploitation of mediocrity, academic scorn from a few pedants and conservers of the narrower collegiate conventions, hostility or jealousies from those who pose as ultra-conservative, and sometimes there appears trickery, or persecution from the political type of pedagogue whether in public or private education, as soon as a measure of personal or professional success is achieved by the worker. It is perhaps only average human nature for some employes of schools to be proud of educational research when any published results of a study reflect upon them credit or prestige?and for them to swell with indignation, caution against “radicalism” and to show pernicious activity, when the truth may reflect disadvantageous^ upon them. Such trivial difficulties, however, may culminate in financial stress?felt when publications should be made, supplies or instruments purchased, assistants engaged, or when the salary budget is made up. Fortunately, the writer knows of no city or state school system where all of these school evils operate simultaneously. The increasing demand now being answered, to remove the schools from partisan politics, brightens the prospect before the competent worker in educational research.
It would not be difficult to recite incidents to show that these gloomy difficulties are punctuated with humor in the experience of some researchers. Attractive aspects of the work also appear to the researcher who enjoys, for its own sake, the endeavor to discover the truth, and there is always as an allurement, the vision of multitudes of children who may be helped by the application of facts from a dry monograph.
Four Activities Needed in Public Schools.
Educational research is done by universities, or by cooperation of universities and public schools, or by independent foundations, or by public school systems. In small towns and cities it is desirable that the superintendent should be able to conduct routine researches. In the large cities the exacting demands of an executive nature upon the superintendent, and the complexity of the researches demanded, make it necessary for him and the board to relegate the work of research to a special department or bureau. This present paper refers especially to this type of organization. We believe that if educational research is to be made quickly practical there must be more than the mere getting of facts. There are at least four classes of related activities, or steps, needful to make educational research practical. They are: (1) The accurate getting of the desired facts by researchers. (2) The careful consideration of the facts by boards and by superintendents.
(3) The prompt publication of the facts upon mutual agreement of researcher, boards, and superintendents for the benefit of the people.
(4) Appropriate action where consideration of facts reveals the necessity for remedial action.
The factors in each of these related steps in turn suggest at once why some educational researches have not been productive or practical.
(1) Chiefly facts, not mere opinions, or amateurish attempts, are desired. Standards of scholarship, training, compensation, and contract are essential if men and women of calibre, capable of research, are to do the work of obtaining facts. High grade clerks, bookkeepers, librarians, Binet-testers?none of these people are competent to determine the essential facts to be sought in a complex school system, or to get the facts by approved methods, or to present them with force. The director of research should be one of the best trained men in a school system. We may look with suspicion and condemnation upon a school department of research which is at bottom a clerkship.
(2) Superintendents and boards have not time to read all the numerous reports placed upon their desks. Educational research fails where facts, however painstakingly ga+hered, are not weighed and considered. Brevity and clearness of presentation, and speed in completing a study are necessary, lest it lose all interest save that of local history. If the researcher be competent and the study needful, scarcely anything is of greater importance to superintendents than the research report. Research work is not an administrative or executive function; therefore the best efforts will become impractical if the report lies idle for weeks, and if the busy members of the board and the people do not realize its content and importance because the report has not been brought properly to their attention. (3) Mutual agreement between researcher and superior officer is a working basis for legitimate publicity. The spirit of cooperation, simple fairness, and courage to show the truth where good can be accomplished, are sufficient guides in this difficult question. As a rule the people of the United States are entitled to learn in a wise manner all of the facts about the public schools. General knowledge, rather than partisanship, or prejudice, or misinformation, is a powerful lever to effect practical results, after educational researches have been made.
(4) Cautious application or action in our schools upon the basis of research is peculiarly difficult to secure. Most of the work of research is barely begun; hosts of teachers in America are trained to observe a favorite method and rule from which it is difficult to depart. Tenure of office of persons who should, but will not, energize a school system, is often prolonged; financial deficits in city or state make impossible the needed action?or else supply an excuse for inaction, indifference, or political machination to hold fast to the present status.
Educational research will not meet the demand in the public mind for the practical unless all the above four steps of study and action are completed. If educational research should become a farce, or be manned by unequipped persons, either fledglings or veterans, who may or may not be self deceived; or if it is regarded as an advertising or publicity bureau to boost the school officials and divert attention from live issues; or if accuracy of fact-getting and fact-presentation is impossible?then the farce should end, for the same reason that graft should be extirpated wherever it shows itself in the public service. Where educational research is well done, but where the three steps to follow are not completed by the cooperation of researcher, superintendent, and board, and the public is not reached by reports and the press?in this case there is a situation needlessly impractical and itself deserving study. It would be interesting to diagnose the conditions regarding research in all of our cities, in order to ascertain which of the four steps or activities are weakest, and the causes involved.
Problems in Research Vary. The specific problems for educational research are manifold in degree of difficulty and of significance. Here is a brief list of kinds of problems which are of perennial interest, and research into which will be of practical value in typical American cities, if the four essential steps enumerated above are followed:
(A) Periodical accounting of the placement, or movements of classes and groups, of children according to the prevailing plan of organization and promotions. The accounting should reach the smallest divisions of every school in a system.
(B) Studies of all cases of elimination from the schools, through personal investigation. (C) Studies of all cases of repeating the work of a grade. (D) Intensive study of exceptional children by cooperating psychologist, physician, teacher, and social investigator. (E) Measuring the results of courses of study and programs and methods by means of special tests in arithmetic, spelling, reading, drawing, writing, physical education, etc. Here, with moderation, can be utilized the resources of experimental pedagogy. (F) Study of local industries and vocations with reference to education in the public schools, and with particular reference to trade and commercial courses, continuation and night schools. (G) Special experimental studies of groups of delinquent children with reference to the best ameliorative and educational treatment.
(H) Administrative problems regarding the hygenic construction of school houses, the grading of teachers, the examination of text books, and the questions of organization and finance,?these offer possible fields of helpful study to departments of research properly equipped.
Reasonable Autonomy Necessary.
A degree of reasonable autonomy in iniative and in the employment of assistants?an independence resting upon confidence in a researcher’s ability and motive, rather than upon rigid rule, is basal for effective research work in a school system. Autonomy of this kind, exercising skill and a constructive spirit, can be of practical benefit to educational research. Educational research of the right kind should protect the child and serve ultimately nearly every department of the community. The researcher, or his department, should be able to attack various types of problems for the school system, such practical issues, for example, as are indicated above in the eight groups of problems. Of course, the purpose may vary from time to time. The researcher may endeavor (1) to secure new facts, make new discoveries, or (2) to verify former researches, or (3) to find errors in existing doctrines or practices, or (4) merely to stimulate, by repeating well-known tests and measurements of materials and methods. He needs a rare combination of scientific training, patience, courage, capacity for drudgery, tact, and inherent interest in the children.
Logical Outcome of Research.
The practical outcome of educational research under fair conditions, whether the outcome be measured in terms of dollars, or in the economy of time and the increased welfare of pupils, will outweigh the cost of its maintenance. To preserve at once its scientific integrity and also to secure utilization of its potential value for the efficient administration of our increasingly complex school systems, while it survives the financial hardship of pioneer work, are three problems of educational research, from the director’s point of view. When researchers under stress are able to maintain without blemish the scientific integrity of their work, while faithfully helping our teachers, superintendents, and boards to solve the baffling problems that multiply in modern school systems?then their positions should be accorded adequate recompense. Public approval will be theirs, and researchers of highest training and experience will not have to rock along on inadequate salaries. Then also will a high type of public school and university trained graduates be attracted to the work in increasing numbers. The present disposition of school boards, progressive superintendents, and of the public, to favor educational research upon a broad, adquate basis, in behalf of our thronging millions of children, is an encouraging sign in these troubled years of the world.
Disclaimer
The historical material in this project falls into one of three categories for clearances and permissions:
Material currently under copyright, made available with a Creative Commons license chosen by the publisher.
Material that is in the public domain
Material identified by the Welcome Trust as an Orphan Work, made available with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
While we are in the process of adding metadata to the articles, please check the article at its original source for specific copyrights.