The Productivity of Educational Research and the Applied-Basic Research Distinction

concern with the productivity — or better put, the lack of productivity — of educational research is a peren nial theme. Clifford's (1973) excel lent article in the Second Handbook of Research on Teaching illustrates well the difficulty of coming to a conclu sion about matters as complex as the-impact of educational research upon schooling and the factors that influ ence that impact. Generally, it ap pears that research has had some in fluence on practice2 in the schools when the findings have been compat ible with already-held views, and