Pedagogy has something to teach us

There is a sizeable literature on effective educational practice grounded in evidence ranging from randomised control trials to qualitative analysis. Quantitative studies are summarised in meta analyses, such as Schneider and Preckel (2017) for higher education and Hattie (2009) for school education. Hattie, John (2009) Visible learning: a synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement, Routledge, London and New York. Schneider, Michael and Preckel, Franzis (2017) Variables associated with achievement in higher education: a systematic review of meta-analyses, Psychological Bulletin, volume 143, number 6, pages 565-600.

If ALL the research leads to an unequivocal acceptance of those approaches being proposed by educational developers, then you, (as an educational developer??) might have a stronger case. It doesn't though does it?? At the moment educational developers seem only to profess what has emerged from the faculty of opinion, not the faculty of science. My opinion has little in common with most educational development ideas that have been forced on my profession. The debate that educational developers seem to want to have is similar to that of a debate about good parenting. Exchanging views on parenting is both important and captivating, BUT never make the mistake of telling a parent what to do; in your language "applying the results of research to practice". At that point a line has been crossed.

I think you have to accept that, despite the evidence you insist exists, educational developers are still struggling to win their arguments. What you get excited by does not excite me. Or indeed many of my colleagues who, at best, humour those who promote prescribed approaches to teaching and learning. Quite frankly many of those within your fraternity have not acquitted themselves well with teaching. This is not to say that my colleagues, or I, dismiss new ideas in teaching and learning, we often have engaging and relevant discussions about both. I think we object to evangelical impositions from our fellow academics from across campus because they infiltrate the soft underbelly of our VC's weakness, and they try infect us with views we don't share. Hence my comment about crossing lines. I would never advocate dismissing your scholarly activities. If you get excited about either the Psychology, Philosophy or Sociology of Education then good for you. If you wish to espouse the evidence you think exists then fine. If you wish to think that the eclectic use of established disciplines has formed another respectable discipline then be happy in your scholarly activities. By all means get excited by the work of others in your fraternity. Please remember, however, there are many others who do not share your views, and we all need to be respected.