Teaching

Your Twitter Source in Fake Education Research News

By Sarah D. Sparks — June 15, 2011 1 min read
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Education research is not always the funniest beat, and I’ve always had a soft spot for those who can lighten up the academic discussion while still making their point.

Faithful readers will know my enthusiasm for the real-but-bizarre research honored in the annual Improbable Research awards. Likewise, The Onion is a favorite for its cutting-edge fake education research through the years, covering everything from an Education Department “study” of high schools to the latest debate on an evidence-based science class.

Now, may I introduce NothingWorksInEd, the self-styled “Official fake Twitter feed of the US DOE’s What Works Clearing House.” Since November the feed has been popping up from time to time with snarky references to real research, like “New Study finds research has caveats!!!!” and fake-but-could-have-been entries like, “Director of Faith-based research to deliver key-note on relationship between faith and uncovering policy-relevant findings.”

Ironically, the real What Works Clearinghouse doesn’t have a Twitter feed, so NothingWorksInEd has the final word on the subject for now. I’m trying to track down the diligent researcher responsible for the feed, if anyone has any tips.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Inside School Research blog.