The particularities and the research missions of the educational theories

Starting from the analysis of the theoretical drawbacks of classical pedagogy stretching from Johann Friedrich Herbart to John Dewey, this paper advocates that educational research in China in the new century should take on a theory mission that calls for the classification of the knowledge of educational theory and the definition of its theoretical formation. Instead of a single theory, the formation of the new theories should be a theoretical continuum, which consists of three parts that are not isolated but interconnected and interactive. The first one is a general theory that is conformed by abstract propositions and has a reflective function. The second is a mid-level theory that presents the requirements of the methodology, and the third one is a micro-theory that displays detailed experiences. The paper finally presents the structure of the problems of educational theory and its unique value. It then concludes that progress in educational theory implicates progress in the understanding of the conditions for education.