SCIENCES AND RESEARCH PARADIGMS

Bal Chandra Luitel & Roshan Thapa

Activity One

What do you mean by science? Why do we refer to science in educational research?

Research and Science

science as a process science as a basis for

systematic inquiry science as a model for

knowledge production

Is there a single science or a single view of science?

Newtonian Science: Key Features

explanatory metaphors: control, manipulation, standardization, replication

process of knowing: structured, isolated, piecemeal, mechanistic approaches

equilibrium as the ‘featuring assumption’ about reality

linearity – singular concept of scientific process...

reality is made up of ‘simples’ (i.e., machine-like objects)

Activity Two

‘Speaking for a minute’ Activity

Newtonian Science: Logic

logic of reductionism: (i) make your knowledge claims declaratively, (ii) privilege scientific worldview over local worldviews, (iii) choose one of two sometime competing views

logic of dualism: (i) reality is divided into two mutually exclusive entities, (ii) select one of them on the basis of their immediate importance, (iii) privilege one entity over the other

Newtonian Science: Language third-person writing style

(invisible self) language detached from the

context of knowledge generation

propositional, monological, mono-vocal, ‘plain English’...

Newtonian Science: Quality Standards validity – external and

internal validity reliability – consistency objectivity – does not

contradict with the existing premise, researchers’ self is invisible

Activity Three

Which research paradigm(s) is/are promoted by Newtonian Science? Why?

New Science(s)

science of emergence – complexity science

reality made up of complexes multiple sciences: Multi-

worldview sciences dissipative structures,

science beyond ‘stable equilibrium’

Complexity Science: Features

Emergence Auto-generation/

production Fluid structures Organicism

Emergence

Contingency (as opposed to planned)

Possibility ‘Emergence’ in

educational inquiry An example of

classroom research

Activity

Which educational research paradigm is likely to share the feature of emergence?

Auto-generation/production Any individual or living system is

capable of self-governance A research participant is capable

of forming his/ her own perspectives

This is about acknowledging creative dimension of researchers and their research participants

Activity

Paradigm(s) that share this feature??

Fluid structures/ Dynamic Systems Social or otherwise structures are

dissipative (dissolving, loosened boundaries)

Boundary may exist but it is temporary (e.g., teaching techniques, school and social system)

Examples: A researcher can also become a research participant. A teacher can also be a researcher...

Activity

How can a postmodern research paradigm draw from this feature of complexity science?

Organicism

Interdependence is the key feature of organicism, i.e. one organ depending upon many other organs of the ‘individual or social body’

Whole is more than sum of its parts ‘Organic thinking’ as opposed

to mechanistic thinking Example: accounting for

feeling, logic, emotions of researcher and research participants

Activity

An example of organic writing