Educational Research, History of

The history of educational research reflects an almost 200-year journey that began with the recognition in the mid-1800s that education is a science. Educational research methodology has been dominated from the start by a quantitative experimental approach. This domination continues, although the last 50 years have seen a rise in and acceptance of postpositivistic and qualitative research approaches. In the United States, federal funding and policy have supported important educational research and driven the increased use of standardized tests in schools.

This entry highlights major events in the field of educational research, primarily in the United States, to provide a summary of its progression over the nearly two centuries since formalized data collection and dissemination first began. It is not meant to represent an exhaustive history ...