| The EDUC 805 course, Research and Scholarship in Education, was a good introduction to the
faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) here at George
Mason. The course provided an intellectual framework for research and
scholarship in education, which included consideration of the specific research
of CEHD faculty as representative of the range of educational scholarship that
makes up the educational research community. The course also acknowledged the
importance of “communities of practice” in research as a way to further one’s
learning. I had already experienced the benefits of communities of practice because I participate in them in my current position as a policy analyst. It has taught me that learning is a matter of engaging in certain practices, which ultimately determines what we learn and empowers us to be who we are. In other words, learning reflects our participation in communities of practice. In participating in communities of practice, we also develop shared ways of doing things and relating to one another that allow us to achieve our joint purpose. In addition to affirming my belief in the value of communities of practice, I also learned a lot about the research and experiences of the CEHD faculty. As a result of what I’ve learned in this course, I will continue to seek different communities in which to be involved in order to further my knowledge of my field. Perhaps the most important decision I have made as a result of hearing the experiences of the faculty is to pursue a different academic field of study here at George Mason. While I was accepted into the program with the intention to study Mathematics Education Leadership, I have decided to change to the field of Education Policy. After hearing Dr. Penelope Earley’s presentation to the class, I realized that not only could I make an important contribution to decision-making through providing educational research and evidence, I could also influence the decision-making process and make recommendations for the future of education through sound policy analysis. |