ABSTRACT
This chapter first briefly describes three examples of educational researchers’ attempts to fulfill the educational research promises Thorndike made in 1910. Then, the discussion turns to considering at least some of the reasons why, during the 20th century’s final quarter, some members of the educational research community abandoned Thorndike’s conception of educational inquiry and battled to legitimate quite different research paradigms. Third, the chapter describes what happened after the so-called paradigm wars ended. Finally, the focus shifts to what the legacy of the paradigm wars era is and could be today.
