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Controversies in Education: Separating Fact from Fiction

Theory into Practice (TIP) is calling for submissions for a special issue titled, “Controversies in Education: Separating Fact from Fiction.” TIP is published quarterly by Taylor & Francis, and only publishes special thematic issues. All articles are written about applications of theory and research to practice. TIP does not publish original empirical studies. The articles are relatively short compared with other journals. Additional information about TIP can be found here: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/htip20/current.

Issue Editors:

Overview:

Educators often debate the benefits of a wide range of instructional practices and policy decisions.  This special issue aims to directly address the research surrounding some of these issues, and to offer practical and evidence-based advice for educators, policymakers, and researchers. Some examples of controversies that we would be particularly interested in for this special issue include the following (although we will certainly consider manuscripts addressing other topics):

  • Is homework effective?
  • Does class/school size really affect achievement?
  • Is critical race theory really taught in schools?
  • Does teaching to students’ preferred learning styles offer any benefits?
  • Is standards-based grading effective?
  • What does research actually tell us about virtual learning?
  • Are there really “right-brained” and “left-brained” learners?
  • Is it effective to have school safety officers present in schools?
  • Is there a way to address chronic absenteeism?
  • What are the best strategies for addressing learning loss because of Covid?
  • How can schools openly and honestly address disproportionate disciplinary actions taken against students of color?
  • Are charter schools effective?
  • Does attending a 4-year college really make a difference in the long term?
  • How can schools effectively address students’ physical and mental health challenges?
  • Does high self-esteem lead to high achievement?
  • Are rewards effective?

We invite potential authors to submit a one-page article proposal that includes the following: (a) proposed title of the manuscript and names and affiliations of authors; (b) brief description of the specific educational controversy that will be addressed; (c) brief summary of what the research actually says about this issue; and (d) examples of recommendations that you might offer in the article, particularly for practitioners and policymakers.

Before submitting a proposal, please be aware of these guidelines for articles published in TIP:

  • Manuscripts generally contain between, 4000-4500 words, with 4500 being the limit.
  • TIP does not publish empirical studies; all TIP articles are summative, and are based on reviews of previously published studies.
  • At the end of each article, all authors are asked to provide a brief list of additional resources for classroom use.
  • All articles must be written in APA format, 7th Edition.

Tentative Timeline:

  • Call for proposals: October 15, 2021
  • Submission of proposals: November 5, 2021
  • Accepting/Rejecting proposals: November 19, 2021
  • Submission of the first draft: February 10, 2022
  • Feedback to authors: March 30, 2022
  • Resubmission of revisions: May 15, 2022
  • Publication date: Fall 2022

Please submit proposals via Qualtrics, to: http://www.go.osu.edu/TIPControversies by November 5, 2021.