The changing role of research in curriculum development since the late 1950's is reviewed. Factors are discussed that have affected the prevailing attitudes toward research and its value, including its role in fields other than education and the mixed success with which various research and development models have met in education. Particular…

The English-speaking Caribbean are those states that were formerly British Colonies. The institutionalization of educational research in this area has evolved over the past thirty years. The settings for research institutions have been the university, government ministry of education, and private enterprise. The research findings have been used…

This is the history of an important educational institution in Australia. The work looks at the problems of establishing a new institution in the late 1920s and traces its varying fortunes through 50 years to 1980. It is more, however, than an institutional history. It analyses early contributions to educational research, its subsequent growth in…

This overview of federal dissemination efforts introduces six articles intended to stimulate thinking about certain basic issues of dissemination of education research knowledge and the roles that the federal government can play in that dissemination. Some of the history of federal dissemination efforts in education are traced, especially the main…

This chapter briefly describes the kinds of educational research centers active in France and the types of research they are conducting, then focuses on developments in the field of educational research from 1930 to the present and on the impact research has had on policy and innovations in recent years. In the section on history it is noted that…

Background information is presented on the history and operation of educational research and development (R&D) centers supported by the National Institute of Education (NIE). The objective is to provide information for the four study groups that are assisting NIE in identifying missions for center competition. In addition, some lessons that…

A former editor of this journal, 1989-91, selects an outstanding article from his tenure that illuminates the research merits of creativity, planning, and skepticism in the work of Milton Ezra LaZerte, a prominent Alberta educator in the first half of this century. The article selected describes LaZerte's learning theories and several…

The structure and functions of the National Laboratory on Early Childhood Education are discussed. The National Laboratory was designed to assume a leadership role by actually conducting a coordinated research and development (R&D) program and by continuously analyzing the field to identify problem areas and solutions. The National Laboratory…

Profiles Thomas F. Gilbert, a pioneer and influential leader in educational media and instructional technology, who is often cited as the founder of the field of performance technology. Discusses Gilbert's educational background and early interests, contributions to scholarship, awards, work as instructional-design consultant and performance…

Federally funded educational knowledge production is a recent phenomenon, having expanded exponentially during the 1960's and 1970's. Accordingly, in response to current public scrutiny of the use of federal funds and of education itself, a historical review and assessment of the role of the federal government in relation to educational knowledge…

Background information on the relationship between educational laboratories, research and development (R&D) centers, and the National Institute of Education (NIE) is presented. Attention is directed to: (1) the authorizing legislation for and the subsequent creation of the laboratories and centers; (2) a chronology of selected major events…