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Making a Difference -- in Theory -- in Sweden and the UK

Authors :
Allan, Julie
Source :
Education Inquiry. 2014 5(3):319-335.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

This article considers the place of theory within education in two contexts -- Sweden and the UK -- and advances the argument that both governments and academics themselves have contributed to a 'theoryless' education. Examples are offered from the fate of education science in Sweden and, in the UK, from responses to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and from the actions of a group of independent academics charged with producing guidelines for assessing qualitative research. Work with the Council of Europe in which theory was used to guide discussions with Government Ministers is described and the paper ends with some proposals for enabling academics to engage more fruitfully with theory. These involve a framework of ethics, informed by Levinas, and a 'creative ontology', developed by Simons and Masschelein.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2000-4508
Volume :
5
Issue :
3
Database :
ERIC
Journal :
Education Inquiry
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
EJ1210622
Document Type :
Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3402/edui.v5.24609