Five suggestions that I have for socially relevant research are more systemic in nature because the infrastructure is in danger of being flooded. Several relevant articles are in the March/April 1995 issue of Educational Technology magazine.
1. First, listen, listen, listen. Listen to those who complain. What are they complaining about? Why are they complaining? Is it a legitimate complaint or are they chronic malcontents whose problem may be more internal than external? For example, Peter Dean's article in the November/December 1994 issue of Performance & Instruction entitled, "Some Basics about Ethics," identifies real complaints. These are the kinds of complaints that need long-term solutions, not quick fixes.
2. Understand basic needs that promote better learning. What "detracts from the quality of life for individuals and groups in society, especially those problems related to learning and human development?" (Definition of socially responsible research by Tom Reeves, ITForum #5.)
3. Take IT all the way to the home. The home is the primary learning environment. It is the basic infrastructure of learning. Focus research on making education better by addressing poor parenting skills. Teach them how to set boundaries, forgive, and accept their children. Help them become aware of what types of abuse there are, giving them a standard, a foundation for learning. If kids are having kids, where will they learn the skills of parenting? Teachers can't be expected to pick up the emotional pieces of a flood-ravaged student and try to teach content. Increasingly I have found that students are unable to focus upon a task because of intervening emotional problems--problems that short-circuit or detract from their quality of life, especially those related to learning and human development. The number of students at risk are growing and growing.
A learning disability may often mask a behavioral or emotional problem. Teachers cannot reach nor meet their overwhelming needs. The question of research seems for me to be this: How can we increase an individual's personal sense of responsibility? Increasing accountability seems to make education better. Decreasing emotional problems seems to make education better. Focus research in these areas.
4. Look at trends. Forecasts of demographic changes need to be examined. Develop more contextual decision trees that are user-friendly and adaptable for multiple situations. Dean (1994) cited one process. Graphs of trends alert researchers to problems that need to be addressed to make education better. "When we apply the principles of exponential growth to our problems, we find ourselves quickly mired in deep trouble. Crisis points are reached almost overnight" (Swenson, 1992, p. 46 in the book Margin).
5. Prepare for future needs. The population is becoming older and living longer. What are the needs of the elderly? What would make education better for the lifelong learner and address "problems that detract from their quality of life, especially those problems related to learning and human development?"
From these five suggestions may come clear guidelines for how to choose such topics:
IT research would provide a valuable service to education if the focus is socially responsible research, directed towards a goal that is larger than ourselves.