Editorial

Abstract

Roger Deacon, Ruksana Osman and Michelle Buchler open this edition with a comprehensive overview of  educational  research  texts  in  South Africa  from  1995  to  2006.  Their  paper,  somewhat  disquieting  in its implications, reviews 600 texts produced in this period. It identifies the rapid growth in research over this period, but also a strong tendency to small-scale research with little international reach. The strong emphasis on qualitative approaches is consistent with international trends. They identify the key themes within  the  publications  as  these: the  re-conceptualisation  of  teachers  as  facilitators,  the  problems  and possibilities of cooperative learning or group work, the use of educational support materials and resources, the  idea  of  ‘teaching  for  learning,  the  importance  of  context,  the  nature  of  continuous  assessment,  and debates on teacher evaluation. Given the poor state of education nationally, there is a need for some re-evaluation  of  how  research  can  contribute  more  effectively  to  national  policy  and  implementation. This paper gives a critical edge to the reading of the other papers in this issue.