Developing a Living Educational Theory Research Approach to Community-Based Educational Research

Abstract

What educational practitioners have in common is the intention of contributing to the learning of communities and those who comprise them, to live values of human flourishing, and to help other people and communities to do so too. Professional educational-practitioner researchers can contribute to communities creating positive futures locally and globally by making public valid values-laden explanations of educational influence in learning. Whitehead (1989) coined the term living-educational-theory for such explanations. The implications of educational practitioners accepting professional responsibility for realising their humane values as fully as possible in practice, and contributing to the growth of a global educational knowledgebase by developing a Living Educational Theory Research approach to community-based educational research, are explored in this article. These include individuals and communities identifying where they experience their educational-practitioner self as a living contradiction and their values negated, and creating constructive ways forward—testing the validity of claims of improving educational practice that enhances educational, values-laden influences in learning—and strengthening accounts of learning to make positive social change in this complex and interconnected world through a process of social validation. Illustrative examples are given and limitations, challenges, and next steps identified.