Glossary 2nd edition

Account (as in hold to account)

To convince someone that they are responsible for something and should explain their actions or decisions.

Further explanation ... Professional practitioners engage in Living Educational Theory Research as a form of continual professional development. They hold themselves to account for understanding and improving their practice, whatever the field of practice and social formation that forms the context of their practice. They contribute to the growth of a global knowledgebase of values-led practice.

Educational influence

The intentional learning that a professional practitioner has on the social formation in which they work, as a contribution to the flourishing of Humanity.

Further explanation ... The intentional learning is not the same as a causal effect such as, ‘If I do this, then that will be learnt’. An educational influence includes a conscious response of the learner to what is being done.

Professional practitioners hold themselves personally and socially accountable for the consequences of their practice by researching their practice to understand and improve it. This research also tests the validity of their claim to be having an educational influence in the learning of the social formation that is the context of their practice; their educational influence also extends to the learning of others and their own learning. The knowledge generated (as the educational influence of the researcher) contributes to a global knowledgebase that helps Humanity to learn and to flourish.

Educational practice

The practical effort made over time by a professional practitioner to bring about learning with values inspiring human flourishing.

Further explanation ... From a cultural-historical perspective, a practice can be seen as arising in response to general demands of societal need. A practice can be conceptualized as a historically developed and conditioned tradition of action for addressing societally formed needs (Chaiklin, 2007).

From a Living-Educational Theory Research perspective, a practice is defined as the actions that

Educational researchers

Professional practitioners who carry out research enquiries into their educational practice with the intention of improving that practice.

Further explanation ... The research findings are intended to be educational and to improve the quality of educational practice. From a Living Educational Theory Research perspective, a distinction is made between educational research and education research. Educational research generates valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanations of educational influences in learning, with values of human flourishing. Education research makes a contribution to the conceptual frameworks and methods of validation of the forms and fields of education such as the philosophy, psychology, sociology, history, politics and economics of education.

Epistemology

The characteristic theoretical and procedural structure of an LETR account that constitutes the researcher's living-educational-theory.

Further explanation ... An LETR accunt is defined by the unit of appraisal, the standards of judgment and the logic of the account. From a Living Educational Theory Research perspective, the unit of appraisal is an individual’s explanation of their educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations within which the practice is located. The standards of judgement include the values used as explanatory principles in the explanations of educational influences in learning. The logic is the mode of thought appropriate for comprehending the real as rational (Marcuse, 1964, p. 105)

Marcuse, H. (1964) One Dimensional Man, London; Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Ethics

Standards defined by groups and cultures as enduring, long-held beliefs intended to guide not just individuals, but a society as a whole.

Further explanation ... There is a distinction between values and ethics in Living Educational Theory Research; ethics are given a philosophical meaning in terms of the conceptual understanding of meanings of shared value-words such as justice, freedom, care, and compassion.

Explanatory principles

The descriptions and explanations of values in action that form the basis and structure of Living Educational Theory Research accounts.

Further explanation ... The generation and testing of theory is a fundamental purpose of research. A theory usually explains why something happens. In Living Educational Theory Research a living-educational-theory explains an individual’s educational influences in learning with values of human flourishing.

Flourishing of humanity

When people experience positive emotions, positive psychological functioning and positive social functioning – the opposite of living a life that feels hollow and empty.

Further explanation ... Humanity flourishes when it exists within an optimal range of human functioning, including aspects of equity, justice, and agency, together with goodness, generativity, growth, and resilience.

Holding oneself to account for living values of human flourishing is a fundamental purpose of Living Educational Theory Research. These values face and respond to contradictions in the world where crimes against humanity are being perpetrated and where values of human flourishing are being negated.

Knowledge claim

An assertion to have generated new knowledge and understanding.

Further explanation ... Knowledge claims are assessed for validity by subjecting them to standards of judgment.

A fundamental purpose of Living Educational Theory Research is to generate, test and share new knowledge in the form of explanations of educational influences in learning.

For more information of the importance of testing the validity of knowledge-claims, see the glossary entry on validity.

Living Educational Theory

A lexical definition of meaning – in terms of epistemology and practice – that distinguishes a unique field of educational research activity and underpins the claims to knowledge made by researchers in the field.

Further explanation ... Such lexical definitions are offered in terms of conceptual frameworks. Valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanations for the educational influences in learning of individuals, cannot be derived from such conceptual frameworks. These explanations are generated by the individuals themselves.

living-educational-theory

A professional practitioner's descriptions of and explanations for their educational influence in their own learning in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formation that is the context of their practice.

Further explanation ... The explanatory principles in these explanations are informed by the researcher's values as ethical principles and standards of judgment that emerge over time through practice. The distinctivness of each individual’s living-educational-theory is grounded in the unique constellation of values used by each individual to give meaning and purpose to their professional educational practice.

Living Educational Theory Research

The conceptual framework that a professional practitioner researcher uses to distinguish their own living-educational-theory (with lower case, hyphenated) as contributing to Living Educational Theory Research.

Further explanation ... Living Educational Theory Research (with upper case), unlike traditional theories, does not provide a general explanation that can be used to derive a valid explanation of an individual’s explanation of their educational influences in learning. Individuals generate their own valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanations of educational influences in learning, using their unique constellation of values as their explanatory principles.

Living logic

If "... logic is the mode of thought that is appropriate for comprehending the real as rational" (Marcuse) then a living logic structures an individual’s explanation of their educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations in which they live, work and research.

Further explanation ... A living logic for educational research has emerged from the enquiry, ‘How do I improve what I am doing in my professional practice?’ It has emerged in the logic that characterises the explanations, or living theories, produced by practitioner researchers as they explain their educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations in which we live, work and research. The explanations include insights from both propositional and dialectical theories of education and constitute the growth of an individual’s educational knowledge.

The living logic includes both living contradictions and a relationally dynamic awareness of space and boundaries. The meanings of the living logic for educational research required both ostensive expressions of meaning communicated through digital visual data and lexical definitions of meaning. The living logic remains in a direct relationship with the practical, values laden enquiries, ‘How do I improve what I am doing?’ and the explanations of educational influence in learning that are produced in such enquiries.

The living logic distinguishes a form of rationality that can integrate insights from propositional and dialectical theories without denying the rationality of these logics. A living logic for educational research, with its requirement of visual data for the communication of meanings of the expression of embodied values as explanatory principles has implications for extending the present solely text-based publications of BERA, into multi-media, on-line Journals.

Conclusion from: Whitehead, Jack ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9644-0785 (2013) A living logic for educational research. In: 2013 Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association, 3–5 September 2013, University of Sussex, UK. (Unpublished) – From: https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/1719/1/Whitehead_ALivingLogic.pdf

Logic

The means by which inferences from information may be used to create new knowledge; it is the mode of thought appropriate for rational comprehension.

Further explanation ... A logic is constituted by the rules of reasoning appropriate to the formation of a given paradigm (in this case, Living Educational Theory Research). It forms the structure of an epistemology and allows for its analysis. Living Educational Theory does not depend on one type of logic (e.g. formal logic, dialectical logic) to generate rational comprehension of researchers' observations. A blend of logics – termed a living logic – may be used. The researcher's claim to have developed knowledge and understanding through the use of their logic is tested for validity by appropriate means.

Logic (dialectical)

A form of logic based on the premise that contradictions are the nucleus and dialectics are at the heart of theories of change.

Further explanation ... There is a 2,500 year history of arguments between logicians about the validity of their logics. Dialectical logicians hold contradictions as the nucleus of their understanding of rationality. Formal or propositional logicians hold that contradictions have to be eliminated from correct thought.

Logic (formal, propositional)

A form of logic based on the premise that contradictions in theories make the theories useless.

Further explanation ... In answering his question, ‘What is Dialectic?’, Popper (1963) rejects dialectical claims to knowledge as, ‘without the slightest foundation. Indeed, they are based on nothing better than a loose and woolly way of speaking’ (p.316). Popper demonstrates, using two laws of inference, that if a theory contains a contradiction, then it entails everything, and therefore, indeed, nothing. He says that a theory which adds to every information which it asserts also the negation of this information can give us no information at all. A Theory which involves a contradiction is therefore entirely useless as a theory (p.317).

Popper, K. (1963) Conjectures and Refutations, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Morals

Objective descriptions of an individual's personal character that are developed within a culture's ethical code, reflecting their sense of right and wrong or what ought to be (moral perspective).

Further explanation ... There is a distinction between values and morals in Living Educational Theory Research: morals are given a philosophical meaning in terms of the individual's long-term core understanding of right and wrong; an exploration and clarification of values in the course of a Living Educational Theory Research enquiry may lead to a modification of the researcher's moral perspective.

Practitioner-researcher

A professional educator engaged in an educational setting who researches their practice as a means of continually improving its quality.

Further explanation ... From a Living Educational Theory Research perspective, a practitioner-researcher generates a valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanation of their educational influences in learning with values of human flourishing, in inquiries of the kind, ‘How do I improve the educational influences of my professional practice?’

Professional educator

A professional practitioner working in the field of education who carries out Living Educational Theory Research as an active part of their practice.

Further explanation ... A professional educator meets the criteria for being a member of their professional organization. They go further than this by accepting their responsibility for researching their own professional learning and development. This includes generating and sharing valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanations for their educational influences in learning.

Professional practice

The core activity of a professional practitioner who works to an ethical code.

Further explanation ... Professional practice includes both meeting the criteria for belonging to a professional organization and the generating, sharing and revising of a living-educational-theory. Thus, the quality of a professional practice may be continually assessed and improved as the practitioner generates and revises their living-educational-theory.

Professional practitioner

A person who conducts their work under the guidance of agreed ethical standards of performance that are appropriate to their field, usually overseen by professional associations.

Further explanation ... A professional practitioner (a professional) is a person whose regular work and occupation (practice) serves some important aspect of public interest and contributes to the general good of society – and is recognised by the public as such.

A professional belongs to a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to ethical standards. This group positions itself as possessing special knowledge and – usually accumulated over a significant period of time – in a widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high level.

A professional has knowledge and skills, usually accumulated over a significant period of time, that are necessary to perform their specific role within that profession.

A professional ideally enjoys considerable work autonomy and is commonly engaged in creative and intellectually challenging work. They are actively aware of their rigorous ethical and moral obligations, which constitute their professional responsibility.

Professional practitioners in the field of education engage in Living Educational Theory Research as a form of continual professional development. They hold themselves to account for understanding and improving their practice, whatever the field of practice and social formation that forms the context of their practice. They contribute to the growth of a global knowledgebase of developing values-led practice by creating and sharing their living-educational-theory as a valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanation of their educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations within which the practice is located.

Professional responsibility

The obligation for a professional practitioner to hold themselves to account for their own professional learning and development.

Further explanation ... This obligation of professional responsibility can be met by embedding continuing Living Educational Theory Research within the practice in generating, sharing and testing the validity of their living-educational-theory.

If you are drawn towards this distinctive form of values-led practitioner research then it is likely that you have already developed a particular perspective on your professional practice. For example, while you may or may not be a member of a professional body, it is likely that:

you accept your responsibilities as a professional practitioner, which include holding yourself to account by researching your practice to better understand and improve it, and help others do so too.
you wish the outcome of your research to itself be educational for all those involved in it, including those who read your scholarly accounts of your research.
you wish yourself and those you work with, and those in the wider world, to flourish as human beings – to grow and develop in a healthy and vigorous way and to help others do so too.
you hold distinctive values that guide your actions as a professional practitioner – values as principles, standards, or qualities that you identify as life-affirming and life-enhancing, significant, worthwhile and desirable.

Relatability

The 'use value' to a reader of a Living Educational Theory Research account in developing their own Living Educational Theory Research enquiry.

Further explanation ... The relatability of another's LETR account can assist another researcher's understanding of their own educational practice, helping to improve it and to generate, share and test the validity of their own living-educational-theory.

Relatability was proposed by Michael Bassey as an alternative to the idea of generalisability used by a traditional theory to offer an explanation that applied to all.

Social formation

The profile of a given human community in terms of its political, economic and cultural history.

Further explanation ... A social formation can include the immediate working environment of a Living Educational Theory researcher and reach out to embrace the whole of Humanity. Bourdieu makes the following point about analysing social formations in terms of the automatisms of the habitus:

“The objective adjustment between dispositions and structures ensures a conformity to objective demands and urgencies which has nothing to do with rules and conscious compliance with rules, and gives an appearance of finality which in no way implies conscious positing of the ends objectively attained. Thus, paradoxically, social science makes greatest use of the language of rules precisely in the cases where it is most totally inadequate, that is, in analysing social formations in which, because of the constancy of the objective conditions over time, rules have a particularly small part to play in the determination of practices, which is largely entrusted to the automatisms of the habitus.” (Bourdieu, 1990, p. 145)

Living Educational Theory researchers explain their educational influences in the learning of social formations in terms of the unique constellation of values that they use in influencing the learning of social formations.

Bourdieu, P. (1990) The Logic of Practice. Stanford CA; Stanford University Press.

Standards of judgment (epistemological)

Values that emerge and are clarified in the course of a Living Educational Theory Research enquiry, used to evaluate the validity of a knowledge claim.

Further explanation ... Standards of judgement are the criteria used to make judgments about the unit of appraisal to assess its validity.

Standards of judgment (practical)

Values that emerge and are clarified in the course of an Living Educational Theory Research enquiry, used to appraise the validity of a claim for improvement in the procedure or practical outcome of educational practice.

Further explanation ... The standards of judgement are the criteria used to make judgments about the unit of appraisal to assess its validity.

Teacher educator

A professional practitioner who is engaged in an educational setting to bring about improvement in a teacher’s knowledge, skills and understanding.

Further explanation ... There are many professional organisations that focus on the criteria for membership by teachers. Living Educational Theory Research offers the opportunity for teacher educators to make public their explanations of educational influences in the learning of teacher. This could make a contribution to the establishment of a professional of teacher educators.

Unit of appraisal

An element from a claim to knowledge that is being judged.

Further explanation ... From a Living Educational Theory Research perspective, the unit of appraisal is the individual’s explanation of their educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations within which the practice is located.

Validity

The extent to which a claim to knowledge may be believed; it is assessed by applying standards of judgment to units of appraisal within the claim.

Further explanation ... From a Living Educational Theory Research perspective, the validity of an explanation of educational influence in learning can be enhanced by submitting an explanation to a validation group of between 3–8 peers. The validation group uses Popper’s insight that objectivity, grounded in intersubjective criticism can be enhanced through the mutual rational controls of critical discussion (Popper 1975, p.44). Validity can be enhanced through using modification of the four criteria Habermas (1976, pp. 1–2) uses to enhance the validity of communications:

How can I enhance the comprehensibility of my explanation?
How can I strengthen the evidence I use to justify my explanations?
How can I deepen and extend my understandings of the sociocultural and sociohistorical influences in my practice and explanations?
How can I enhance the authenticity of my explanations in showing that I am living my values of human flourishing as fully as possible?

Habermas, J. (1976) Communication and the evolution of society. London: Heinemann.

Popper, K. (1975) The Logic of Scientific Discovery, London; Hutchinson & Co.

Values

The elements of an individual's principles, standards, or qualities that they identify as significant, worthwhile and desirable for guiding their intentional actions.

Further explanation ... Values are given embodied meanings that are expressed and clarified as they emerge in the course of a Living Educational Theory Research enquiry.

Values-laden

Activities, perspectives and judgments that are informed by and explained by the subjective moral standards of an individual or group.

Further explanation ... Within Living Educational Theory Research, these (values-laden) subjective moral standards are tested by rigorous scrutiny and evaluation. Education is a values-laden practical activity. To distinguish something as educational means that one approves of it in terms of particular values. Hence it is values-laden. The meanings of these values are expressed in the embodied practices of professional educators and clarified in the course of their emergence in professional, educational practice.