Educational Research In Practice: Making Sense Of Methodology

Educational Research in Practice offers valuable insights into problems faced by educational researchers. In order to convey what it is like to be a researcher, experienced practitioners from the UK, New Zealand, and North America address a common set of questions about their research: what they do; why they do it; its methodological basis; perceived outcomes. Dialogues between the book's editors and four of its contributors offer fascinating first-hand debate between Popperians and exponents of post-modernism, critical theory, indigenous research and case-study. The editors provide a set of principles for good research practice and a substantial glossary of research terms and their usage. Review: ''In the course of the exchanges interesting new light is thrown on some of the fundamental methodological divisions within educational research today.' Professor Martyn Hammersley, The Open University; 'This is a good book, offering a fresh and coherent view, which will be useful to students and indeed academics.' Professor Tyrrell Burgess, University of East London; '... the dialectic approach adopted really helps draw out the central issues.' Professor Richard Bailey, Canterbury Christ Church University College' Table of Contents: Part I: An Introduction to Educational Research in Practice; 1. Why You Should Read This Book Joanna Swann, King's College London and John Pratt, University of East London; 2. Making Sense of Methodology Joanna Swann and John Pratt; Part II: Different Approaches to Educational Research; 3. A Popperian Approach to Research on Learning Joanna Swann; 4. The Post-modern Prism: Fracturing Certainty in Educational Research Elizabeth Atkinson, University of Sunderland; 5. A Popperian Approach to Policy Research John Pratt; 6. Critical Approaches to Research in Practice Michael Collins, University of Saskatchewan, Canada; 7. Science in Educational Research William E. Tunmer, Jane E. Prochnow and James W. Chapman, Massey University, New Zealand; 8. Research in a Bicultural Context the Case of Aotearoa/New Zealand Patricia Maringi G. Johnston, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, New Zealand; 9. Case-Study Research Michael Bassey, Nottingham Trent University; Part III: Dialogues from a Research Community; 10. Decision-making in the Real World: Post-modernism versus Fallibilist Realism Elizabeth Atkinson and Joanna Swann; 11. Research and Social Improvement: Critical Theory and the Politics of Change Michael Collins and Joanna Swann; 12. Culture, Race, and Discourse Patricia Maringi G. Johnston and John Pratt; 13. How General are Generalizations? Michael Bassey and John Pratt; Part IV: Doing Good Research; 14. Principles for Good Practice John Pratt and Joanna Swann; Glossary: Some Important Research Terms and their Usage John Pratt and Joanna Swann; Index