本文是從歷史發展的角度來瞭解英國的教育研究之演進。而蘇格蘭在教育研究上的許多措施居於領先的地位。在工黨於1997 年成為執政黨之後，允許蘇格蘭、威爾斯和北愛爾蘭在教育事務上有較高的自主權，教育研究也是如此。對於教育研究的檢討方面，自1996 年的Hargreaves 的演說至今，計有Hillage 報告書和James Tooley 的報告書繼續在檢討。就整體特色而言，英國的教育研究與其教育學的發展有密切關係，但其教育研究一開始就有濃厚的社會改革目標，往實用的方向在強調；其次，其教育研究與師資培育也有密切關係；第三，英國教育研究的實用導向在近年來卻更為強調，以致成為爭議的焦點。固然，研究的直接實用性是研究的主要成果，但不應是唯一的價值。

The article aims at explaining the educational research in Britain by historical progress. Scotland is in the lead in establishing the basic structure of educational research. After Labour Party becomes the ruling party in 1997, Scotland, Wales, and North Ireland have become more autonomous in educational policy and educational research follow suit by the policy of devolution. On the evaluation of educational research, after David Hargreaves’ TTA speech, it is followed by Hillage report and James Tooley report. The characteristics of educational research in Britain are, first,there are close relations between educational research and the formation of education as a discipline. However, educational research in Britain has preoccupied in social reform at the start which remains as a tradition for practical purpose; second,educational research has close relation with teacher training; third, the pursuit for
practical use has become a main issue in British educational research. The author holds that practical use of educational research is only one part of its values.