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The Nature of Educational Enquiry

Module description

Beginning educational researchers need to have a good grasp of the central and current ideas, concepts, debates, theories, philosophies and approaches employed in educational research. This provides a foundation for their understanding and application of different research approaches and methods. The purpose of the module is to introduce you to the range of philosophical and theoretical ideas and debates underpinning educational and social science research, including exploring in some depth the key technical, philosophical and theoretical concepts and terms used in current research reports and debates, and the ethical and political dimensions of research.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aims of the module are to develop a critical understanding of:

• The nature and purpose of educational research, its history, and its relationships with ethical, social, political, economic and power factors and influences;
• The range of philosophical and theoretical ideas, perspectives and debates underpinning current educational and social science research, including the diversity of educational methodologies and paradigms, and their characteristics, strengths and weaknesses;
• The central and constitutive roles of meta-theory and language in educational research; and
• The use of theory and methodology in current research projects, debates and publications.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate detailed knowledge of philosophical and theoretical foundations of educational research and research methodologies, as well as styles and paradigms utilized in the field and current debates and controversies;
• 2. demonstrate understanding of the significance of alternative epistemological positions for theory construction, research design, and the selection of appropriate analytical techniques;
• 3. demonstrate understanding of educational research in its social and political context from a variety of viewpoints;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge and skills developed in the module in a critical analysis of research papers and presentations;
• 5. demonstrate the ability to make an informed judgment about the strengths and weaknesses of available research approaches based, among other things, on ethical considerations;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. demonstrate skills in self-management - in particular the management of time, tasks and evaluation of own learning;
• 7. demonstrate skills in personal judgment - particularly in respect of ethically sensitive issues;
• 8. demonstrate the ability to work independently and cooperatively;
• 9. communicate and present your ideas when writing and speaking and to listen effectively and persuade rationally;
• 10. demonstrate the ability to problem solve - to think logically, laterally, strategically, analyzing and evaluating;
• 11. demonstrate data handling skills; and
• 12. demonstrate effective use of ICT -the use of electronic data bases in the library, email, word processing, the internet.

Syllabus plan

• The nature of educational enquiry and the context of education research;
• Ways of knowing and the use of theory in research and practice;
• Ethics and educational research;
• Scientific, interpretive, critical and mixed methods approaches to educational research; and
• Contemporary debates in educational research.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Books

• Okasha, S. (2002). Philosophy of science: a short introduction.OxfordUniversityPress.
• Craig, E. (2002). Philosophy: a short introduction.OxfordUniversityPress.
• Pring, R. (2000). Philosophy of educational research.London/New York: Continuum.

 Articles

• Biesta, G.J.J. (2007). Why ‘what works’ won’t work. Evidence-based practice and the democratic deficit of educational research. Educational Theory, 57(1), 1-22.
• Carr, D. (1992). Practical enquiry, values, and the problem of educational theory.OxfordReview of Education, 18(3), 241-251.
• Carr, W (2007). Educational research as a practical science, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 30(3), 271-286.
• Clegg, S. (2005). Evidence-based practice in educational research: a critical realist critique of systematic review British Journal of Sociology of Education, 26(3), 415–428.
• Ethics policy of theSchoolofEducationand Lifelong Learning,UniversityofExeter.
• Gilborn, D. (2005). Education policy as an act of white supremacy: whiteness, critical race theory and educational reform, Journal of Education Policy, 20(4), 485-507.
• Hammersley, M. (2003). Social research today: some dilemmas and distinctions. Qualitative Social Work, 2(1), 25-44.
• Hammersley, M (2005). Is the evidence-based practice movement doing more good than harm?, Evidence and Policy, 1(1), 1-16.
• MacLure,M. (2005). ‘Clarity bordering on stupidity’: where’s the quality in systematic review?, Journal of Education Policy, 20(4), 393-416.
• Malone, S. (2003). Ethics at home: informed consent in your own backyard, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 16(6), 777-797.
• Toroyan, T,. Roberts, I, and Oakley, A. (2000). Randomisation and resource allocation: a missed opportunity for evaluating health care and social interventions. Journal of Medical Ethics, 26 (5), 319-322.
• Osberg,D.C.& Biesta, G.J.J.  (2007). Beyond Presence: Epistemological and pedagogical implications of 'strong' emergence.  Interchange, 38 (1) 31-55.
• Scott, D. (2007). Resolving the qualitative-quantitative dilemma: a critical realist approach. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 30(1), pp. 3–17.
• Stenhouse, L. (1981). What Counts as Research? British Journal of Educational Studies, 29 (2) 103-114.
• Symonds, J.E. and Gorard, S. (2010). Death of mixed methods? Or the rebirth of research as a craft? Evaluation and research in Education, 23(2), 121-136.
• Wegerif, R., Mercer, N., and Dawes, L. (1999). From social interaction to individual reasoning: an empirical investigation of a possible socio-cultural model of cognitive development. Learning and Instruction, 9 (5), 493-516.
• Wegerif, R. (2007) Dialogic or Dialectic? The Significance of Ontological Assumptions in Research on Educational Dialogue, British Educational Research Journal. British Educational Research Journal, 34(3), 347-361.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• British Educational Research Association (BERA) http://www.bera.ac.uk
• European Educational Research Association (EERA) http://www.eera.ac.uk
• American Educational Research Association (AERA) http://www.aera.net

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3161

http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3162

Key words search

Education, Enquiry, Theory, Methodology, Paradigm, Research.