1st Edition
Generalizing from Educational Research Beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Polarization
"This book frames the major challenge facing educational researchers as one of going beyond the mindless qualitative-quantitative divide and addressing the overarching/fundamental challenge of enriching and enlarging educational inquiry. It is a signature contribution to the field." - Clifton F. Conrad, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Tackling one of the most critical issues in education research today - how research methods are related to value and meaningfulness - this frontline volume achieves two purposes. First, it presents an integrated approach to educational inquiry that works toward a continuum instead of a dichotomy of generalizability, and looks at how this continuum might be related to types of research questions asked and how these questions should determine modes of inquiry. Second, it discusses and demonstrates the contributions of different data types and modes of research to generalizability of research findings, and to limitations of research findings that utilize a single approach.
International leaders in the field take the discussion of generalizing in education research to a level where claims are supported using multiple types of evidence. The volume pushes the field in a different direction, where the focus is on creating meaningful research findings that are not polarized by qualitative versus quantitative methodologies. The integrative approach allows readers to better understand possibilities and shortcomings of different types of research.
Edited by Wolff-Michael Roth and Kadriye Ercikan, with Contributions from Lyle F. Bachman, Margaret Eisenhart, Robert J. Mislevy, Pamela Moss, Guillermo Solano-Flores, Kenneth Tobin
Preface
1. Introduction
Wolff-Michael Roth and Kadriye Ercikan
SECTION I: GENERALIZING WITHIN AND BEYOND POPULATIONS AND CONTEXTS
Overview
2. GENERALIZABILITY THEORY AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE GENERALIZABILITY OF RESEARCH FINDINGS
Rich Shavelson & Noreen Webb
3. THE TESTING OF ENGLISH LANGAUGE LEARNERS AS A STOCHASTIC PROCESS: POPULATION MISSPECIFICATION, MEASUREMENT ERROR, AND OVERGENERALIZATION
Guillermo Solano-Flores
Section I Highlights
SECTION II: COMBINING AND CONTRASTING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE EVIDENCE
Overview
4. GENERALIZATION FROM QUALITATIVE INQUIRY
Margaret Eisenhart
5. ON QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING IN VALIDITY
Robert J. Mislevy, Pamela Moss, James J. Gee
6. GENERALIZABILITY AND RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
Betsy Becker & Meng-Jia Wu
Section II Highlights
SECTION III: HOW RESEARCH USE MEDIATES GENERALIZATION
Overview
7. GENERALIZABILITY AND RESEARCH USE ARGUMENTS
Lyle F. Bachman
8. REPETITION, DIFFERENCE, AND RISING UP WITH RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Kenneth Tobin
9. CRITICAL REALISM, POLICY, AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Allan Luke
Section III Highlights
SECTION IV: RETHINKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND THE PARTICULAR
Overview
10. Limitations in Sample to Population generalizing
Kadriye Ercikan
11. PHENOMENOLOGICAL AND DIALECTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE RELATION BETWEEN THE GENERAL AND THE PARTICULAR
Wolff-Michael Roth
Section IV Highlights
12. DISCUSSION OF KEY ISSUES IN GENERALIZING IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Contributors
Index
Biography
Kadriye Ercikan is Associate Professor of measurement and research methods in the department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education, at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
Wolff-Michael Roth is Lansdowne Professor of Applied Cognitive Science at the University of Victoria.
