Editorial Conclusion: A philosophical perspective

The criticisms of educational research and the proposed solutions to those problems, referred to throughout this special issue, are summarised. However, it is argued that many of the difficulties are of a philosophical nature, rarely recognised as such either by the researchers or by their critics. In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to the nature of that which is being researched into, namely, an 'educational practice', and to the distinctive language and values through which such a practice is to be understood and evaluated.