Editorial 29(4)

Abstract

We are pleased to present Volume 29, Issue 4 of AJET. In this editorial we would like to discuss the importance of building on the results of prior research. Building on prior research is an important consideration for AJET authors, as it is for authors of educational research publications in general. Arguably, there has been a tendency in educational research to ‘reinvent the wheel’ rather than building on the work of others. This has resulted in a proliferation of studies that propose new conceptual models for learning processes or educational issues rather than testing and refining the conceptual models developed by others. This limits the field in collectively moving forward and also makes it hard for practitioners trying to apply the results of ‘the latest research’ in their own context. A tendency to ignore or duplicate related research done by others may be one of the reasons why average citation rates for educational research publications are generally lower than those in the natural and biomedical sciences.