Commentary If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Most people know the answer to this philosophical riddle. While the tree technically makes a sound, it’s irrelevant if no one hears it. Education professors might want to consider how this applies to their teaching and research. They can start by asking themselves a simple question: If an education professor writes about things that make no difference to teachers, does it still count as research? Like the tree that falls in the forest, that professor’s work might technically fit the definition of research, but there isn’t much point to it if no one pays attention or finds it useful. Sadly, this is a fair description of much of what passes for education research these days. A quick perusal of the academic journals does not inspire confidence. For example, the …