The obstacles that prevent the latest educational research reaching the classroom are daunting: few channels to communicate the results of educational research, fewer opportunities for teachers to participate in research themselves, and little support for honing a scientific approach to teaching.

The solution, according to Robert VanWynsberghe and Andrew C. Herman, is radical but simple: transform the educational institution itself into a laboratory for continuous experimentation. Inspired by the pragmatist theories of John Dewey and Roberto Unger, Adaptive Education explains how schools and universities can incorporate research processes into their activities, institutionalize a policy of inquiry and experimentation, and make teaching an evidence-based profession.

An audacious proposal to reform the education system from the ground up, Adaptive Education is a roadmap for creating an institution that empowers teachers, parents, and the community to innovate, adapt, and explore.

Robert VanWynsberghe is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia.

Robert VanWynsberghe's profile page

Andrew C. Herman is a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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