Introduction

Why close to practice is not enough: Neglecting practice in educational research

“…These experts are likely to acquire a sense of what are appropriate practice interactions, and to apply implicit criteria for assessing potential contributions to the practice, forming the 'appropriateness' by which the 'holding to account' takes place. These criteria may become more explicit and consensually agreed amongst groups of practitioners over time, defining what is or is not appropriate performance of the practice (Addis & Winch, 2019).…”

“…There is therefore some form of boundary, however permeable, which delineates what constitutes educational practice: some forms of discursive and practical activity are 'educational' and some forms are not. Practitioners, broadly defined, need to acquire a specialised educational lens through which educational activity can be viewed as a preface for making judgements in educational scenarios, cognisant of the criteria by which judgements can be evaluated (Addis & Winch, 2019).…”

“…Rather than attempting to be 'close to' practice, educationalists need to reconceptualise education as a practice to which all those concerned with education can (and should) belong, including when conducting educational research. The argument is developed with the use of the work of MacIntyre (2007), Rouse (2007), Hager (2013), and Addis and Winch (2019), which foregrounds the iterative mutual accountability of practice activities and claims to expertise. Such notions of normative practice can provide a new means for evaluating educational research, and a rethinking of how educational practice is conceptualised so as to enhance educational understanding.…”

Does the vocational curriculum have a future?

“…Wouldn't it be beneficial to use a notion that bridges or even dissolves the divide? One such notion might be 'practice', at least in the sense used by philosophers such as MacIntyre (2007), Hager (2011), or Addis and Winch (2019)? It could be argued that all education is about preparation for and engagement in normative practices, whether those are nominally 'academic' or 'vocational'.…”

“…While many would agree with the main arguments of Wolf (2011) and attempts to reform vocational qualifications in England, the underlying problems of the logic behind vocational qualifications in England have persisted. In other words, vocational qualifications still rely on the prevailing conceptualisation of preparation for occupational competence through a set of discrete tasks and duties that has held sway in the policy discourse for the last 40 years in England (Young 2006), rather than drawing on an underlying theory of expertise (Addis and Winch 2019), brought together within a normative practice framework. Successive attempts to introduce new forms of upper secondary technical and vocational qualifications have struggled (e.g.…”