Alphabetical List of Terms

This online dictionary hopes to provide a good introduction to some of the key terms and concepts in education. It is mainly designed for students on education courses but should also be useful for others with an interest in education. Please click on the alphabetical list above to browse, or use the search tool above right for a specific term.

The dictionary aims to provide a starting-point for inquiry and does not claim to be exhaustive or comprehensive. The number of entries has been kept brief as has the extent of the entries. The aim has been to provide a guide to as many key words as possible but certain groups of terms have been omitted:

  • only terms used within the UK have been included;
  • there are no biographical entries;
  • only a few of the most common terms from educational psychology have been included;
  • the names and titles of educational organisations, examination systems, and educational qualifications or certificates have not been included;
  • only a few common statistical terms used in educational research have been included.

The dictionary is also 'critical' in that, where appropriate, some of the questions and debate surrounding key terms and ideas have been raised in the entries to alert readers to the fact that education is a very contested field. cooltext766420190Thus, the brevity of the entries in this publication should not be misinterpreted as a suggestion that the words and concepts are simple and unproblematic.

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