This book is unique in the sweep of issues it considers and the way it integrates them under one general philosophical perspective. Vital reading for philosophers of education, educational researchers and social science methodologists.

Inhalt

Preface.Acknowledgments. 1. Introduction and Overview. Part I: Positivism and the Old Divides. Part II: Interpretivism and the New Divides. Part III: Ethical and Political Frameworks. Part I: Positivism and the Old Divides. 2. Two Dogmas of Educational Research. Dogma 1: The Quantitative/Qualitative Distinction. Dogma 2: The Fact/Value Dichotomy. Conclusion: Toward Closing the Old Divides. 3. The Quantitative/Qualitative Dogma. The Incompatibility Thesis and Research Practice. The Incompatibility Thesis and Epistemological Paradigms. Criteria for Evaluating Educational Research. Some Observations About Pragmatism. Conclusion: Compatibilist Educational Research. 4. Persistence of the Fact/Value Dogma. The Received View and Program Evaluation. The Received View and Educational Testing. Conclusion: Why the Fact/Value Dogma Persists. Part II: Interpretivism and the New Divides. 5. The Interpretive Turn. Epistemology. The Ontology of the Self. Politics. Conclusion: Toward Closing the New Divides. 6. The Constructivist Turn. Constructivism's Kantian Roots. Constructivism and the 'Linguistic Turn'. The Foundering of Radical Constructivism. Conclusion: Toward a Thoroughgoing Constructivism. 7. On the Threat of Epistemological Bias. What is Bias? What is Epistemology? What is a Biased Epistemology? Conclusion: Controlling Bias Through Inclusion. Part III: Ethical and Political Frameworks. 8. The Interpretive Turn and Research Ethics. The Traditional Problematic. The Contemporary Problematic. Conclusion: Continuity Through Change. 9. Toward Democratic Educational Research. A General Framework for Democratic Educational Research. The Democratic Framework Applied to Educational Policy Research. The Democratic Framework Applied to Pedagogical Research. Final Remarks. References.