Criticism in Pedagogical Research – Six Bad Practices (Discussion Article)/ Krytyka w badaniach pedagogicznych – sześć niedobrych praktyk (Artykuł dyskusyjny)

Abstract

The author’s intention is to briefly describe some of the selected “bad practices”, the attitudes (behaviour) of critics and reviewers of pedagogical works, and pinpoint the positive model of critical and supportive criticism on the basis of this diagnosis. The author intends to describe six “bad practices” commonly found, as he believes, in various recurrent and evaluative procedures in the education of educating: 1) ignorance and humiliation: taking an assessment (review) when there is no sufficient material competence; 2) asymmetry – disorder of the proportion between the perceived defects and the advantages: in-depth analysis of deficiencies and shortcomings of the work, but positive conclusions; 3) theoretical and methodological fixation: lack of openness to other theoretical and research methods; 4) recitative conformism: lack of assertiveness and submission to authority, sometimes illusory; 5) bias and recurrence mistakes; 6) narcissism – criticism as an opportunity to show off. Descriptions of these “practices” will also include questions to the author and other reviewers-critics, and will relate to habits and favourite patterns of behaviour in this important area of scientific activity. In the end, the author will try to identify some important features of the model of format and support criticism: (a) not intrusive; b) constructive, c) accurate (adequate), d) symmetrical (balanced), e) creative (revealing). To outline this model, the author will use the postulates resulting from the concept created by contemporary researchers of scientific criticism, mainly in psychology.