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THEORY AND PRACTICE OF EDUCATION
Also availablefrom Continuum Theory of Education, David Turner Philosophy of Education, Richard Pring Education and Community, Dianne Gereluk Private Education, Geoffrey Walford Key Ideas in Educational Research, David Scott and Marlene Morrison
THEORY AND PRACTICE OF EDUCATION
DAVID A. TURNER
Continuum International Publishing Group The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX 80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038 www.continuumbooks.com © David A. Turner 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. David Turner has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: 0-8264-9107-3 (hardback) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
Typeset by Aarontype Limited, Easton, Bristol Printed and bound in Great Britain by The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Contents
List of Figures 1
Introduction
Parti 2
Theory
As Simple as Possible
vi 1 15 17
3 An Arrow into the Air
30
4
44
Modelling
Part 2 Practice
55
5
Classroom Management
57
6
The Parting of the Ways
75
7
Equality of Opportunity
97
8
Learning and Teaching
114
9
Quality Assurance
133
Part 3 Theory into Practice
151
10 Conclusions: Evidence-based Policy and Policy-based Research
153
References
166
Index
168
List of figures
2.1
Simple pay-off matrix for 'Scissors, Paper, Stone'
25
2.2
Modified pay-off matrix for 'Scissors, Paper, Stone'
25
2.3
Reduced pay-off matrix for 'Scissors, Paper, Stone'
26
2.4
Further reduced pay-off matrix for 'Scissors, Paper, Stone'
26
3.1
Sierpinski Triangle
33
3.2
A complex system
38
4.1
Sailing dinghy on (a) starboard reach or (b) port reach
46
5.1
Unruly classroom
60
5.2
Revolution in the classroom
62
5.3
'Perfect' classroom
63
5.4
My classroom
65
6.1
Simple pay-off matrix
79
6.2
Modified pay-off matrix
79
9.1
A scatter-plot of the relative performance of universities
147
Chapter 1
Introduction
I have remarked elsewhere that the failure of policy-makers to engage with theory and the failure of researchers to provide a sound basis for policymaking is a relationship (or lack of relationship) that has fault on both sides (Turner 2004a). However, the greater fault undoubtedly lies with the researchers who have failed to provide models of sufficient complexity that they can be used effectively in the policy-making process. It should be noted that in this context complexity is not a matter of how many variables are involved in the explanatory models, nor of how many factors are involved in a particular situation. Still less does it rest in the view that the human sciences cannot benefit from the experience of the physical sciences because human situations are inh