MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION. 309 



allow. It is in the hope of its producing a body of teacher- workers, 

 capable of conducting investigations of that kind, that the present ten- 

 dency to give to the teaching of pyschology a more practical and experi- 

 mental basis should, in the Committee's view, be welcomed. They have 

 drawn up, as an appendix to their report, a list of typical problems which 

 seem to them to call for systematic inquiry. 



The Committee wish finally to draw the attention of the Section to 

 the urgent need for funds in the furtherance of educational research. 

 The work is being done at present in this country under severe handi- 

 caps, both of time and money. So much is being accomplished in 

 Europe and America that the national honour seems almost at stake. 

 When may we hope to see such an institution as Teachers' College in 

 our country — a great institution devoted to advanced pedagogical study 

 and research? At least, in their view, the subject should be regarded as 

 ranking with medicine and other University studies in this respect, and 

 as needing the same financial support for purposes of research as other 

 departments of knowledge. The needs of departments of education in 

 Universities are apt to be overlooked by the Treasury, which considers 

 them already provided for from other funds, but grants from the Board 

 of Education at present cover tuition fees only; they take no account 

 whatever of the need for research. 



In conclusion, the Committee express the hope that they may be re- 

 appointed, to consider and report upon developments in the direction 

 which they have described. 



APPENDIX. 

 Typical Problems for Eesearch in Education 



A. Questions of a Psychological Character. 



(1) The child as an observer — how far is he dependent upon inner 

 factors for his direction? 



(2) The capacity of children of various ages for receiving and resist- 

 ing suggestion (a) from the teacher; (b) from books, pictures, physical 

 environment; and (c) from other children. Contra-suggestion. 



(3) The active and the passive type of child — their psychological 

 characteristics. The possibility of determining other types. 



(4) The varieties of imagery in the mental life of children, and its 

 relation to methods of instruction — image types. 



(5) The relation of the child's vocabulary to his mind-content, as 

 shown (i) by his spoken (ii) by his written words and sentences. 



(6) The development of children's memory powers — types of 

 memory. 



(7) Attention — the problem of its development — types. 



(8) Mental elaboration — association — the development of general 

 ideas — ways in which children reason. 



(9) The child's motor activities — the psychology of the child 

 draughtsman — expression and representation — conventions and symbols 

 —when do they appeal to the child ? 



