Educational Research Methods
A site to support teaching and learning...
Theory
Academic research can be considered to be ‘theory directed’ (although some forms of practitioner research are more action or context directed.) Much research aims either to test out the application of existing theory in a particular context (confirmatory research) or to build up new theory to explain what is not well understood (discovery research).
Theory has been described by Strauss (one of the ‘discoverers‘ of grounded theory, GT) and Corbin as:
“A set of well-developed concepts related through statements of relationship, which together constitute an integrated framework that can be used to explain or predict phenomena” (Strauss & Corbin, 1998: 15).
Strauss, Anselm & Corbin, Juliet (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory, Thousand Oaks,California: SAGE Publications.
The other ‘discover’ of GT, Glaser has suggested that:
“…a theory should be able to explain what happened, predict what will happen and interpret what is happening in an area of substantive or formal enquiry.” (Glaser, 1978, p.4.)
Glaser, Barney G. (1978) Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in the Methodology of Grounded Theory, California: The Sociology Press, 1978.
This is a personal site of Keith S. Taber to support teaching of educational research methods.
(Dr Keith Taber is Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.)
2015
