National expenditure on educational research is less than 0.2 per cent of overall expenditure on education. Yet Professor Gorard berates the research community for saying this is too little. (OEAcademics told to stop moaning about funding(SUPERIOR 1), TES 6 September).
The reason that research needs more funding is that there are too many unanswered questions in the changing world of Education - on pedagogy, assessment, curriculum, and, above all, the processes of learning of children and adults - which cry out for the critical and creative insights of researchers. Their investigations need funding - and they themselves need a career structure based on adequate funding if they are to achieve a high level of research competence.
The DfES has recognised the need for better funding, having doubled its expenditure on educational research, but overall it is only a small part of what is needed if, as the Department has proclaimed, teaching is to become an evidence-informed profession.
Professor Michael Bassey
Academic Secretary
British Educational Research Association BERA Commercial House
King Street
Southwell, Notts NG25 0EH
