Connecting Knowledge and Action

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Presently, two professional groups are active in education: those who teach (they act) and those who do research or give research-based advice (they 'know'). These two groups speak different languages. Although the essence of education lies in good teachers, teachers have a low status while outsiders often prescribe what they should do.

OD-E believes that the two professional groups should become one: research about K-12 situations needs to occur by those who are involved in K-12 teaching.

By dealing with students, teachers learn to recognize what is important in education. This knowledge is also indispensable for learning to better understand education via research.

When knowledge and action are connected, academic professors of education are involved in the teaching of students just as medical professors are engaged with patients. Good teachers can become active in developing their profession and ultimately become academic professors of education.