Recent Methodological Developments in the History of American Education (Chapter 3)

Education is my first love, so I chose this chapter to see how research in education is and has been done. I was pretty surprised at what I read and how long it takes for change to occur in thinking. Decades went by when people had the same "ideas" and were not branching out to study new philosophies or theories. Research becomes difficult when there is not a single method of inquiry. Values and experiences of the historian also enter into that research, often skewing information in some way, specifically as they make generalizations regarding those values and experiences. Theory also enters into our research as we look for, accept and argue various evidence. Without one method of inquiry, research follows many different paths. Those paths have allowed for the varied kinds of research used today, some which are more commonly used in different fields, such as science, education or philosophy. The consequences of various methods of research is the interpretation by the reader, who may not know of the values and experiences the researcher has had or is basing their generalizations on. I was surprised to think about all the various research out there that has potentially been skewed because of "experience." We tend to think of experience as a learning tool, but when we use that evidence as a generalization, we tend to lead the thinking (that of ourselves and others). I mention that not having one method of research becomes a challenge, I see that because of the many kinds there are, but also because of the risks that are evident when you consider generalizations that have been considered as solid research. This was a good chapter for me to read as I consider how I will approach my thesis as well as how I will use the experiences I have had that influence my ideas and opinions.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 1999

Answers

What you say about how long it takes for change to occur in thinking is so true. This "time and context" complication certainly affects research. Of course, values and experiences affect theory which affects everything else! EEk! But, I think the good news is, that more and more folks with different experiences and different passions are delving into research....just look at our small group. Lots of potential!

-- Anonymous, May 21, 1999