Citizenship Education Research and Educational Transformation

Abstract

We discuss papers that investigate whether and, if so, in what ways, civic education research relates to educational change. This requires consideration of philosophical and ontological perspectives as well as explorations of agency and power-dynamics in the academic field and in knowledge-political contexts, in which research results are communicated and used for governing social science education and its actors. The above fundamental considerations about the purpose of research in relation to impact may be explored in particular contexts. What sort of impact (if any) emerges from explorations in particular fields and using particular methods? Social sciences education encompasses a broad range of characterisations including diverse academic disciplines and integrated fields of study. We wish to explore debates about the nature and type of impact that may apply to theoretical and/or professional, large and/or small scale, qualitative and/or quantitative approaches, and ask throughout whether these labels constitute binary or other divides. This focus on particular contexts allows for consideration of impact in relation to specific forms of research activity in our field. The issues and ideas outlined above are essential to our consideration of our principal focus: the nature, acts, actors and forms of impact of research in social sciences education. Large amounts of public and private money and significant political capital are invested across the world in research. What is the result of all this effort? Are there connections between research and the development of policy? Are the rationales that are given for research essentially framed as being scientific or do advocates refer to diverse contexts of justification?