IOE academic’s BERA presidential address is published

Dominic Wyse, who is Professor of Early Childhood and Primary Education at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) in addition to his role as BERA President, delivered his address at the annual conference in September 2019.

In the article, Professor Wyse explores the academic discipline of education. He argues for a new model that shows the relationships between practical knowledge and academic knowledge. The article also argues for a more confident portrayal of education as an academic discipline.

Professor Wyse responds to critiques of education as an academic discipline, and addresses commonly perceived weaknesses of the discipline including its multidisciplinary origins and characteristics.

Education as a discipline is often compared with other academic disciplines that have been established in universities much longer than education such as mathematics and sciences.

Another alleged weakness of education but one Professor Wyse argues is its defining feature is the place of practice in relation to theory and research. These lead Professor Wyse to propose the new model that acknowledges the relationships between practical knowledge and academic knowledge.

In making this argument, the article covers the history of education and the development of education in universities through academic knowledge, practical knowledge and integrated knowledge. It also compares education with other disciplines and covers the place of educational practice in relation to education research. 

Professor Wyse ends by exploring the contribution of education and looking at education research going forward.

‘Presidential Address: The academic discipline of education. Reciprocal relationships between practical knowledge and academic knowledge’ was published in the British Educational Research Journal in February 2020.

Links

• Read the paper: ‘Presidential Address: The academic discipline of education. Reciprocal relationships between practical knowledge and academic knowledge’
• View Professor Dominic Wyse’s research profile
• Department for Learning and Leadership
• Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy
• British Educational Research Association (BERA)

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• Image credit: British Educational Research Association (BERA)