Sum
mar
y S
lide
Scie
ntifi
c In
quiry
in E
duca
tion
Sci
enti
fic
Inqu
iry
in
Edu
cati
on
Rep
ort
of t
he N
RC
Com
mit
tee
on
Sci
enti
fic
Pri
ncip
les
in E
duca
tion
R
esea
rch
Ric
hard
J. S
have
lson
and
Li
sa T
owne
, edi
tors
An
Ove
rvie
w
NE
RP
PB
Mee
ting
11/
30/0
1
Bac
kgro
und
NER
PPB
spon
sore
d; b
egan
fal
l 200
0Pr
ompt
ed b
y Ca
stle
bill
, ong
oing
sk
eptic
ism
and
deb
ate
abou
t qu
ality
of
educ
atio
n re
sear
chCo
mm
ittee
of
expe
rts
auth
ored
‘c
onse
nsus
’ rep
ort
rele
ased
yes
terd
ayTi
mel
ine
quic
k by
NRC
stan
dard
s
Goa
ls
Info
rm O
ERI
reau
thor
izat
ion
Info
rm o
ngoi
ng p
ush
for
‘evi
denc
e-ba
sed
polic
y &
pra
ctic
e’ a
nd ‘s
cien
tific
ally
-bas
ed
educ
atio
n re
sear
ch’
Spar
k se
lf-re
flect
ion
in f
ield
Com
mit
tee
Mem
bers
hip
Ric
har
d J.
Sh
avel
son
(C
hai
r), S
tan
ford
Un
iver
sity
Don
ald
I. B
arfi
eld,
Wes
tEd
Rob
ert
F. B
oru
ch, U
niv
ersi
ty o
f P
enn
sylv
ania
Jere
Con
frey
, Un
iver
sity
of
Texa
s at
Au
stin
Ru
dolp
h C
rew
, Stu
pski
Fam
ily F
oun
dati
on
Rob
ert
L. D
eHaa
n, E
mor
y U
niv
ersi
ty
Mar
gare
t Ei
sen
har
t, U
niv
ersi
ty o
f C
olor
ado
at B
ould
er
Jack
McF
arlin
Fle
tch
er, U
niv
ersi
ty o
f Te
xas,
Hou
ston
Euge
ne
E. G
arci
a, U
niv
ersi
ty o
f C
alif
orn
ia, B
erke
ley
Nor
man
Hac
kerm
an, R
ober
t A
. Wel
ch F
oun
dati
on
Eric
Han
ush
ek, H
oove
r In
stit
uti
on
Rob
ert
Hau
ser,
Un
iver
sity
of
Wis
con
sin
-Mad
ison
Pau
l W. H
olla
nd,
Edu
cati
onal
Tes
tin
g Se
rvic
e
Elle
n C
ondl
iffe
Lag
eman
n, T
he
Spen
cer
Fou
nda
tion
an
d N
ew Y
ork
Un
iver
sity
Den
is C
. Ph
illip
s, S
tan
ford
Un
iver
sity
Car
ol H
. Wei
ss, H
arva
rd U
niv
ersi
ty
Cha
rge
and
App
roac
h
To c
onsi
der
scie
ntifi
c na
ture
of
educ
atio
n re
sear
ch a
nd h
ow a
fed
eral
age
ncy
coul
d su
ppor
t hi
gh q
ualit
y sc
ienc
eD
id n
ot c
ompr
ehen
sive
ly e
valu
ate
exis
ting
rese
arch
, res
earc
hers
, or
agen
cyAp
proa
ch is
for
war
d-lo
okin
g, in
form
ed b
y hi
stor
y an
d cl
ear
abou
t ro
les
of
stak
ehol
ders
Fram
ing
Que
stio
ns &
K
ey T
hem
es
Wha
t ar
e th
e pr
inci
ples
of
scie
ntifi
c qu
ality
in
edu
catio
n re
sear
ch?
Scie
nce
is f
unda
men
tally
the
sam
e ac
ross
all
disc
iplin
es a
nd f
ield
sAl
l fie
lds
are
char
acte
rized
by
a ra
nge
of le
gitim
ate
met
hods
and
spe
cial
izat
ion
depe
ndin
g on
obj
ects
of
inqu
iry a
nd c
onte
xtSo
me
diff
eren
ces
betw
een
soci
al a
nd n
atur
al s
cien
ces
As in
oth
er f
ield
s, f
eatu
res
of e
duca
tion
shap
e in
quiry
Fram
ing
Que
stio
ns &
K
ey T
hem
es (
cont
.)
How
can
a f
eder
al r
esea
rch
agen
cy
prom
ote
and
prot
ect
scie
ntifi
c qu
ality
in
the
educ
atio
n re
sear
ch it
sup
port
s?
Org
aniz
ed a
roun
d co
ncep
tion
of s
cien
tific
cul
ture
Fo
cuse
d on
art
icul
atin
g co
re in
fras
truc
ture
(pe
ople
, st
ruct
ures
, fun
ding
, fle
xibi
lity)
Em
phas
izes
rol
es o
f po
licy,
pra
ctic
e, a
nd r
esea
rch
com
mun
ities
Fram
ing
Que
stio
ns &
K
ey T
hem
es (
cont
.)
How
can
res
earc
h-ba
sed
know
ledg
e in
ed
ucat
ion
accu
mul
ate?
Scie
nce
is n
ever
fin
ishe
d, b
ut im
prov
es c
erta
inty
of
know
ledg
e ov
er t
ime
Nat
ure
of p
rogr
ess
com
mon
in a
ll fie
lds:
Scie
nce
adva
nces
in ‘f
its a
nd s
tart
s’ a
s re
sear
cher
s de
bate
fin
ding
s th
roug
h no
rms
enfo
rced
by
field
of
rese
arch
ers
Prog
ress
ena
bled
by
time,
mon
ey, a
nd p
ublic
sup
port
Res
earc
h-ba
sed
know
ledg
e in
edu
catio
n ha
s ac
cum
ulat
ed in
thi
s w
ay, b
ut n
ot t
o th
e sa
me
degr
ee
as o
ther
sci
entif
ic e
ndea
vors
Sci
enti
fic
Inqu
iry
in
Edu
cati
on
Rep
ort
of t
he N
RC
Com
mit
tee
on
Sci
enti
fic
Pri
ncip
les
in E
duca
tion
R
esea
rch
Ric
hard
J. S
have
lson
and
Li
sa T
owne
, edi
tors
Cha
pter
Sum
mar
ies
NE
RP
PB
Mee
tin g
11/
30/0
1
Cha
pter
1H
isto
rica
l and
Phi
loso
phic
al
Con
text
Scho
lars
hav
e de
bate
d na
ture
of
scie
nce
for
cent
urie
s, n
atur
e of
sci
ence
in e
duca
tion
for
mor
e th
an 1
00 y
ears
Skep
ticis
m a
bout
edu
catio
n re
sear
ch e
vide
nt
sinc
e its
ince
ptio
nRep
ort
take
s its
cue
fro
m e
volv
ed id
eas
rega
rdin
g m
odel
s of
hum
an n
atur
e, p
rogr
ess
in
scie
nce,
con
test
ed n
atur
e of
edu
catio
n,
unde
rsta
ndin
g ab
out
met
hod,
and
con
cept
ions
of
sci
entif
ic r
igor
Cha
pter
1H
isto
rica
l and
Phi
loso
phic
al
Con
text
(co
nt.)
Core
Ass
umpt
ions
N
o on
e de
finiti
on o
f sc
ienc
eSo
me
lines
of
inqu
iry m
ay n
ever
pan
out
Poss
ible
to
desc
ribe
phys
ical
and
soc
ial w
orld
Scie
ntifi
c qu
ality
one
asp
ect
of o
vera
ll va
lue
of e
duca
tion
rese
arch
Scie
nce
can
uniq
uely
con
trib
ute
to
unde
rsta
ndin
g, a
nd is
pow
erfu
l whe
n co
mbi
ned
with
insi
ghts
fro
m o
ther
for
ms
of
inqu
iry
Cha
pter
2A
ccum
ulat
ion
of S
cien
tifi
c K
now
ledg
eH
as s
cien
tific
kno
wle
dge
in e
duca
tion
accu
mul
ated
? Y
es, a
nd in
m
uch
the
sam
e w
ay a
s ot
her
field
s. Tr
ace
exam
ples
in:
Asse
ssm
ent
Early
rea
ding
Reso
urce
sEn
ablin
g Co
nditi
ons
Tim
e, m
oney
, pub
lic s
uppo
rtCo
mm
on C
hara
cter
istic
sAd
vanc
es in
‘fits
and
sta
rts’
Cont
este
dIn
terd
epen
denc
e an
d cy
clic
nat
ure
of e
mpi
rical
fin
ding
s,
met
hods
, and
the
ory
Stud
ying
hum
ans
inhe
rent
ly c
ompl
ex
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y
Gui
ding
Prin
cipl
esEm
body
not
ion
of ‘w
arra
nt’
Not
alg
orith
mic
Code
of
cond
uct
enfo
rced
by
norm
s of
co
mm
unity
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y (c
ont.
)
Scie
ntifi
c Pr
inci
ple
1: P
ose
Sign
ifica
nt
Que
stio
ns T
hat
Can
Be I
nves
tigat
ed
Empi
rical
lySi
gnifi
canc
eEm
piric
al N
atur
e
Scie
ntifi
c Pr
inci
ple
2: L
ink
Res
earc
h to
Rel
evan
t Th
eory
Conc
eptu
al f
ram
ewor
kTh
eory
-lade
n ob
serv
atio
ns
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y (c
ont.
)
Scie
ntifi
c Pr
inci
ple
3: U
se M
etho
ds T
hat
Perm
it D
irect
Inv
estig
atio
n of
Que
stio
nW
ide
rang
e of
legi
timat
e m
etho
ds a
vaila
ble
Mul
tiple
met
hods
oft
en s
tren
gthe
n in
fere
nces
Mea
sure
men
t of
ten
key
aspe
ct
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y (c
ont.
)
Scie
ntifi
c Pr
inci
ple
4: P
rovi
de C
oher
ent
Chai
n of
Rig
orou
s Rea
soni
ngBa
sic
logi
c of
infe
renc
e th
e sa
me
for
quan
titat
ive
and
qual
itativ
e re
sear
chAs
sum
ptio
ns c
lear
ly s
tate
dEs
timat
es o
f er
ror
prov
ided
Cons
ider
com
petin
g ex
plan
atio
nsSe
lect
ion
His
tory
Mea
sure
men
t er
ror
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y (c
ont.
)
Scie
ntifi
c Pr
inci
ple
5: R
eplic
ate
and
Gen
eral
ize
Acro
ss S
tudi
esRep
licat
ion
and
gene
raliz
atio
n st
reng
then
sc
ient
ific
theo
ries
and
conj
ectu
res
Gen
eral
izat
ion
achi
eved
thr
ough
use
of
stat
istic
al t
ools
, tria
ngul
atio
n, e
tc.
Gen
eral
izat
ion
in s
ocia
l wor
ld a
ffec
ted
by it
s
rapi
dly
chan
ging
nat
ure
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y (c
ont.
)
Scie
ntifi
c Pr
inci
ple
6: D
iscl
ose
Res
earc
h to
En
cour
age
Prof
essi
onal
Scr
utin
y an
d Cr
itiqu
e“O
pen
soci
ety
[of
rese
arch
ers]
” ke
y to
:D
ebat
ing
and
(som
etim
es)
inco
rpor
atin
g in
divi
dual
fin
ding
s in
to c
orpu
s of
kno
wle
dge
Enab
ling
repl
icat
ion
Cha
pter
3G
uidi
ng P
rinc
iple
s fo
r S
cien
tifi
c In
quir
y (c
ont.
)
Appl
icat
ion
of P
rinci
ples
No
one
set
of c
riter
ia c
an c
lear
ly d
istin
guis
h sc
ienc
e fr
om n
onsc
ienc
e an
d hi
gh-q
ualit
y sc
ienc
e fr
om lo
w-q
ualit
y sc
ienc
ePr
inci
ples
can
hel
p di
stin
guis
hEx
ampl
es
Cha
pter
4Fe
atur
es o
f E
duca
tion
and
E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h
Diff
eren
ces
in s
ocia
l and
phy
sica
l/nat
ural
ph
enom
ena
dist
ingu
ish
inqu
iry in
the
se
dom
ains
Res
earc
her
cont
rol m
ore
limite
d in
soc
ial
scie
nces
Res
earc
her
obje
ctiv
ity v
is-à
-vis
bia
sU
ses
of t
heor
yLe
vel o
f ce
rtai
nty
Cha
pter
4Fe
atur
es o
f E
duca
tion
and
E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Feat
ures
of
educ
atio
n th
at s
hape
res
earc
hVa
lues
and
Pol
itics
Hum
an V
oliti
onVa
riabi
lity
of E
duca
tiona
l Pro
gram
sO
rgan
izat
ion
of E
duca
tion
Div
ersi
ty
Cha
pter
4Fe
atur
es o
f E
duca
tion
and
E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Feat
ures
of
Educ
atio
n Res
earc
hM
ultip
le D
isci
plin
ary
Pers
pect
ives
Ethi
cal C
onsi
dera
tions
Rel
atio
nshi
ps
Cha
pter
5D
esig
ns f
or t
he C
ondu
ct o
f S
cien
tifi
c E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h
Des
igns
/met
hods
judg
ed o
nly
in t
erm
s of
re
leva
nce
to q
uest
ion
pose
dSt
udie
s ar
e ‘s
cien
tific
’ whe
n m
eet
prin
cipl
es o
f sc
ienc
e &
att
end
to f
eatu
res
of o
bjec
t of
inqu
iryTy
pes
of Q
uest
ions
Des
crip
tive
(Wha
t is
hap
peni
ng?)
Caus
al (
Is t
here
a s
yste
mat
ic e
ffec
t?)
Mec
hani
sm (
How
or
why
is it
hap
peni
ng?)
Cha
pter
5D
esig
ns f
or t
he C
ondu
ct o
f S
cien
tifi
c E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Des
crip
tive
Que
stio
nsEs
timat
es o
f Po
pula
tion
Char
acte
ristic
sSi
mpl
e Re
latio
nshi
psD
escr
iptio
ns o
f Lo
caliz
ed S
ettin
gs
Cha
pter
5D
esig
ns f
or t
he C
ondu
ct o
f S
cien
tifi
c E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Caus
al Q
uest
ions
Caus
al R
elat
ions
hips
Whe
n Ran
dom
izat
ion
is
Feas
ible
Ran
dom
ass
ignm
ent
best
way
to
ensu
re
equi
vale
nce
in g
roup
s fo
r co
mpa
rison
Freq
uent
ly u
sed
in m
any
disc
iplin
es &
app
lied
field
sN
ot f
requ
ently
use
d in
edu
catio
n bu
t m
any
exam
ples
dem
onst
rate
fea
sibi
lity
Cha
pter
5D
esig
ns f
or t
he C
ondu
ct o
f S
cien
tifi
c E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Caus
al Q
uest
ions
(co
nt.)
Caus
al R
elat
ions
hips
Whe
n Ran
dom
izat
ion
is
Not
Fea
sibl
e In
soc
ial s
ettin
gs r
ando
miz
atio
n is
som
etim
es
infe
asib
le‘Q
uasi
-exp
erim
ents
’ rel
y on
unt
esta
ble
assu
mpt
ions
and
sub
ject
to
sele
ctio
n bi
asQ
uasi
-exp
erim
ents
can
som
etim
es b
e pr
efer
able
to
exp
erim
ents
(e.
g., e
xter
nal v
alid
ity)
Cha
pter
5D
esig
ns f
or t
he C
ondu
ct o
f S
cien
tifi
c E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Mec
hani
sm Q
uest
ions
Whe
n Th
eory
is W
ell-E
stab
lishe
dW
hen
Theo
ry is
Wea
kEt
hnog
raph
ies
Des
ign
Stud
ies/
Teac
hing
Exp
erim
ents
Cha
pter
5D
esig
ns f
or t
he C
ondu
ct o
f S
cien
tifi
c E
duca
tion
Res
earc
h (c
ont.
)
Conc
lusi
ons
abou
t st
ate
of e
duca
tion
rese
arch
and
are
as t
o ta
rget
Theo
retic
al u
nder
stan
ding
wea
kKn
owle
dge
of c
ausa
l rel
atio
nshi
ps w
eak;
in
part
icul
ar, u
rge
expa
nded
use
of
rand
om
assi
gnm
ent
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
Appr
oach
Did
not
eva
luat
e O
ERI
Forw
ard-
look
ing,
foc
used
on
‘firs
t pr
inci
ples
’ w
ith s
ugge
sted
sup
port
ing
mec
hani
sms
Info
rmed
by
hist
ory
of e
duca
tion
rese
arch
ag
ency
(N
IE &
OER
I) &
com
paris
ons
to o
ther
ag
enci
es (
NIC
HD
, NIA
, NSF
EH
R &
NSF
SBE
)
Dile
mm
asEd
ucat
ion
rese
arch
gro
unde
d in
pra
ctic
al
prob
lem
s bu
t cl
ose
rela
tions
hip
has
dow
nsid
eD
iver
sity
of
educ
atio
n re
sear
ch c
omm
unity
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
(con
t.)
Des
ign
Prin
cipl
e 1:
Sta
ff t
he A
genc
y w
ith
Peop
le S
kille
d in
Sci
ence
, Man
agem
ent
and
Lead
ersh
ipFl
exib
ility
to
hire
per
man
ent
& t
empo
rary
st
aff
Enga
ge in
inte
rage
ncy
colla
bora
tions
Dep
ends
hea
vily
on
rela
ted
issu
es (
fund
ing,
re
puta
tion)
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
(con
t.)
Des
ign
Prin
cipl
e 2:
Cre
ate
Stru
ctur
es t
o G
uide
Age
nda,
Inf
orm
Fun
ding
Dec
isio
ns,
& M
onito
r W
ork
Gov
erni
ng b
oard
with
age
nda-
sett
ing
com
mitt
eeSt
andi
ng p
eer
revi
ew p
anel
sM
any
stru
ctur
es c
an w
ork
Key
is g
ood
peer
sN
ot p
erfe
ct, h
ighl
y de
pend
ent
on s
tron
g fie
ld, a
nd
tric
ky in
edu
catio
n be
caus
e fie
ld is
ecl
ectic
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
(con
t.)
Des
ign
Prin
cipl
e 3:
Ins
ulat
e th
e ag
ency
fr
om p
oliti
cal i
nter
fere
nce
Avoi
d m
icro
man
agem
ent
of d
ecis
ion-
mak
ing,
di
stor
tion
of a
gend
a to
be
sole
ly s
hort
-run
, us
e of
age
ncy
to p
rom
ote
polit
ical
pos
ition
sPo
litic
s pl
ay p
rope
r ro
le a
nd a
gend
a sh
ould
re
flect
pol
icy
conc
erns
Budg
etar
y di
scre
tion
part
icul
arly
key
Res
earc
h be
org
aniz
atio
nally
sep
arat
e bu
t in
telle
ctua
lly li
nked
to
impr
ovem
ent
mis
sion
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
(con
t.)
Des
ign
Prin
cipl
e 4:
Dev
elop
Foc
used
and
Ba
lanc
ed P
ortf
olio
of
Res
earc
h th
at
Addr
esse
s Sh
ort-
, Med
ium
-, a
nd L
ong-
term
Iss
ues
of I
mpo
rtan
ce t
o Po
licy
and
Prac
tice
Crea
te b
ased
on
stat
e of
dev
elop
men
t of
fie
ldO
rgan
ized
in p
rogr
ams
of s
tudi
esIn
corp
orat
e sy
nthe
ses
of b
odie
s of
wor
k
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
(con
t.)
Des
ign
Prin
cipl
e 5:
Ade
quat
ely
fund
the
ag
ency
Reso
urce
s m
ust
alig
n w
ith s
cope
of
agen
daG
iven
ass
umpt
ion
that
age
nda
will
be
roug
hly
com
para
ble
to O
ERI’s
tod
ay a
nd k
now
ledg
e of
cur
rent
app
ropr
iatio
n le
vels
, fun
ding
mus
t in
crea
se
Cha
pter
6D
esig
n P
rinc
iple
s fo
r Fo
ster
ing
Sci
ence
in a
Fe
dera
l Edu
cati
on R
esea
rch
Age
ncy
(con
t.)
Des
ign
Prin
cipl
e 6:
Inv
est
in r
esea
rch
infr
astr
uctu
reCo
mm
unity
of
rese
arch
ers
(hum
an r
esou
rces
)D
ata
deve
lopm
ent,
sha
ring
& a
cces
sH
ousi
ng o
f co
mm
on c
onst
ruct
sFa
cilit
atin
g et
hica
l acc
ess
to r
esea
rch
subj
ects
Link
to
Prac
tice
and
Polic
y Co
mm
uniti
es