Educational science : a discussion about methodology in didactic research

• Research in the field of educational science is expected to respond to demands of proven experience and scientific principles according to the Education Act. Tensions between maintaining scientific quality and practical relevance for the development of school practices are an ongoing issue for discussion. Research strengthening the quality of teaching is discussed in terms of practice-based, practice-developing research and evidence-based practices. Initiatives from national institutions have aimed to strengthen research tomeet the needs of practitioners and enhance teaching practices. Attention is paid to what knowledge research can contribute to and how collaboration between researchers and practitioners may be fruitful. In earlier research, the importance of theoretical choice has been illuminated in terms of the applicability of theories in practice. The choice of methods in practice-based research has primarily been described in action research and learning/lesson studies. Important questions in collaborative projects between researchers and practitioners have targeted who formulates the research question, who is responsible for the design, and who benefits from the results. Metatheoretical points of departure and methodological issues in a more general sense have not, however, drawn significant attention. The purpose is to contribute to a discussion about methodological considerations in didactic research. This is framed with experiences from two theses, one about student influence, didactics, and power and one about the teachers’ role in early literacy practices. In the research process both practical and theoretical relevance of the research, as well as collaboration between involved actors were essential to consider. In the thesis about student influence theoretical and methodological questions gain attention also concerning issues of power in the teaching-practice and to deal with power relations between researchers and practitioners. Likewise, in the thesis in literacy practices, methodological questions and theoretical concerns got essential to let teachers’ voices influence a picture mainly created by statistics. In addition, questions involving power primarily related to bilingual students’ empowerment and chances to overcome language barriers are described. In both theses, the contribution of knowledge was formulated in line with the possibilities for didactic research to create conceptual tools for linking theory and practice. In the thesis, a didactic model was developed with constructive critical didactics as a frame. Examples from the thesis illustrate how critical realism as a scientific approach and methodology can be applied. The thesis also emphasizes how methodological questions and a critical stance towards the influence of external factors and discourses that may affect students’ life chances are manifested, with didactic issues considered. The conclusion is that when the research interest is didactical both knowledge and the research process need to be shaped without predetermined narrow limitations. Relationships between different issues for education, and what happens in schools need to be scrutinized. Critical realism and critical analysis may provide such space. Our contribution is that design in didactic research needs a methodologic approach where the outcomes of research can be a common concern. More specifically, the role of abduction is promoted and how it can challenge questions concerning evidence-based practice is discussed.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Didaktik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Didactics (hsv//eng)

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