NASU Masahiro
The Annual Report of Educational Psychology in Japan, 41 170-178, 2002
Education is a practical activity, whereas the focus of research is on the advancement of knowledge. Practitioners broaden their knowledge about learning and the child development through their daily work as educators. In contrast, in the context of methodological limitations caused by the scientific orientation of psychology, educational psychologists carry out research with no involvement in active teaching; they may have no contact with educational practitioners. But researchers could adopt a methodological style that combines research with active practice. In the present article, I discuss such a possibility, and present some advantages of a practical style of research. I propose a taxonomy that includes 4 types of approaches: experimental classrooms, cognitive counseling, classroom experiments, and consultation. Based on some anecdotal examples, I suggest that consultation enriches both practical knowledge and theoretical insights.