If We're Rebuilding Education, Let's Start with a Firm Foundation.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper expresses points of view about what is needed to create a knowledge base for educational improvement. It argues that educators have failed to build a strong foundation for education's presumed cumulative effect. The paper assesses the claim that education constitutes a profession and discusses ways to improve the current educational system, with a focus on (1) improving educational structure by borrowing innovations from other professions; and on (2) improving the technical core of education by incorporating research results. The paper discuses the role of the education-administration professor in recognizing the importance of and using research outcomes to improve the technical core of education. Finally, the paper suggests that knowledge-base domains developed by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) disregard the realities of educational problems, such as race, gender, social class, and the public perception of education. Appendices contain information on the practitioner as "professional other," Getzels' (1979) problem categories, a comparison of key elements for two primary social institutions, an example of using empirical results to improve education, and the American Association of School Administrators' statement of ethics. (Contains 27 references.) (LMI)