bal chandra luitel & roshan thapa. activity one what do you mean by science? why do we refer to...
TRANSCRIPT
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