Research in Geographical Education: The Search for Impact

Abstract

Establishing causal relationships between findings from educational research and subsequent behaviour, whether it be policy making, pedagogical changes or further research, is extremely difficult. It would be very satisfying to be able to identify seminal research studies that led directly to clearly demonstrated changes, especially to substantial changes in policies or practices. This is true of educational research in general and it is echoed in research in geographical education. In geographical education it is difficult to detect ongoing, large scale studies that have been sustained over a long period of time by internationally respected research groups. Commonly, researchers in geographical education determine their own personal research agendas, developing projects of limited duration with very small or non-existent research funding, and publishing their findings in conference proceedings, edited books or highly specialised academic journals (Williams, 1997, 1998 and 1999). Many geographical educators would agree with the comments of an American author who described research in geographical education as ‘lacking direction, a research agenda, and focus’ (Bednarz, 2000, p.129 quoting from Brown, 1997).