Understanding Educational Research Paradigms: A Session on Research Methods

1. MA in Educational Leadership (Teach First) Research Methods Training: Session 1 What counts as “good” research? Paradigms in educational research Led by Dr. Justine Mercer with additional material by Professor Steve Strand (Justine.Mercer@warwick.ac.uk)

2. Recommended reading Briggs, A. and Coleman, M. (eds.) (2007) Research Methods in Educational Leadership and Management, Second Edition, London, Sage.

3. Activity 1:What is research?Discussion in pairs

4. What is research? “The triumph of evidence over anecdote” Peter Mortimore, British Educational Research Association, Presidential Address, 1999. “A focused and systematic enquiry that goes beyond generally available knowledge to acquire specialised and detailed information, providing a basis for analysis and elucidating comment on the topic of the enquiry” (Johnson, 1994:3).

5. What is research? “Research is systematic, critical and self-critical enquiry which aims to contribute towards the advancement of knowledge and wisdom” (Bassey, 1999:38).

6. Your answer to the “What is research?” question depends on your answers to two more fundamental questions: • What is reality? (Ontology) • What is knowledge? (Epistemology)

7. Ontology • from the Greek on (being) & logos (theory) So literally “theory of being”. • What is the nature of being? What is the nature of the reality we seek to explain? Does it exist out there waiting to be discovered, or only in the human mind?

8. Epistemology • From the Greek episteme (knowledge) and logos (theory) - so literally “theory of knowledge” • What constitutes knowledge, how can it be acquired and communicated? • Realist view suggests observer role, determine laws, natural science methods (positivism) • Nominalist view suggests any number of different social worlds

9. Methodology • From the Greek methodos (procedure for the attainment of a goal, in this case the acquisition of knowledge) and logos (theory) – so literally “theory of the way in which knowledge is acquired” • How should knowledge be produced? • Ontology & epistemological views lead to distinct approaches to methodology – e.g., scientific method, collecting quantitative data, notions of control etc.

10. Research paradigms • Paradigm means belief, assumption, tradition – ‘a network of coherent ideas’ (Bassey 1999) • A paradigm is an underlying structure for belief. • A lens through which to view the world.

11. Linked into paradigms Data analysis and conclusions Methods Methodological considerations Epistemological assumptions Ontological assumptions

12. Three Over-arching ParadigmsPositivist / Interpretivist / Critical • “This is the way it is.” ‘Naïve realism’ (Eisner, 1993) • “This is the way we think it is.”‘Extreme relativism’ (Phillips, 1993) • “This is the way we think it ought to be.” Education = ideological

13. The purpose of research is to … • Uncover timeless truths; test hypotheses. • Investigate perceptions; jointly construct reality. • Change the world; bring about social justice.

14. Two contrasting paradigms

15. Activity 3: Work in small groups to complete the grids showing how the two research paradigms (positivism and interpretivism) are based on different ontologies, epistemologies, methodologies and methods. Use Morrison, M. (2007) “What do we mean by educational research?” in Briggs, A. and Coleman, M. (eds.) Research Methods in Educational Leadership, Second Edition, London, Sage, if needed.

16. Activity 4: What are the features of “good” educational research? • Brainstorm in pairs and then try to complete the grid from Denscombe (2002).