Epistemological and Ontological Bases for Research in Education (orientation along with epistemological and ontological assumptions as well as approaches)
Epistemological and Ontological Bases for Research in Education
journalpapers.org Almost all social science researches
in general, and educational researches, in particular, based on varied philosophical assumptions, are carried out distinctly by taking cues from certain orientations. There are a number of approaches that are used within the context
of educational researches.
Varied orientation along with epistemological
and ontological assumptions as well as approaches
influence the methods and methodologies that are
adopted in the process of collection
and generation of data and its analysis.
Epistemological questions like what and how
of known knowledge in terms of its knowability do not depend on the legitimacy
of conducting educational research in a particular way. While designing and conducting educational
research, epistemological orientations and its reflections
do help the researchers to identify
the measures suitable for a particular context
and the people concerned.
Educational research is
largely focused
on finding
out how the educational world is under-
stood based on people’s larger
social and cultural lives, behaviors,
dynamic interactions, and, above all, life stories.
It is more interested in the processes than the product, and for this reason, the dynamics of social as well as cultural context and people’s own perspectives—on
life and the world—based
on their
experiences are considered important
ingredients while
conducting research.
Ontological understanding
in education
orients us to the two
most fundamental ques- tions, which
are, what
constitutes educational reality and
how can
we capture this
reality?
Epistemological understanding acquaints us
with the two most seminal
questions—what is valid knowledge
and how
can we
know it?
The epistemological
and ontological
under- standings lead us to
comprehend that
in educational
researches,
there
exists a triangular relationship among epistemological and ontological
positions and its methodological approach. That is
to say
that the methodological approach will
largely depend
on what
is to be and can be
researched
upon, and how the same
can be
known.
In educational discourse, knowing the context
is emphasized
more
often, especially in terms of knowing
people. Knowing people and their context demands two different kinds
of knowledge—one is ontological
and the
other is epistemological.
Therefore, in educational research, which is largely centered on people and their context, the researchers often commit mistakes in comparing different sets of data ontologically and epistemologically.
To this end,
the seminal
question arises: why should the
epistemology of the known subject be considered as the epistemological and ontological bases of educational research? Primarily, it is the
people’s world and existence around which
educational research revolves.
Therefore,
ontological perspective and it's understanding
will equip the educator educational researchers to comprehend the identity and existential issues that are important
to the understanding of human existence
in larger pedagogical
space.
Science
The term science may be thought of as
an approach
to the
gathering of knowledge rather than
as a field or subject matter. Science,
put simply, consists
of two primary functions:
(1) the devel-
opment of theory and
(2) the testing
of substantive
hypotheses that are deduced
from theory.
The scientist, therefore, is
engaged in the use, modification,
and/or creation of
theory. The scientist may emphasize an empirical approach in which data collection is the primary method, a rational approach in which logical and deductive reasoning
is primary, or a combination of these
approaches, which is most common.
Regardless of the emphasis, the scientist begins with a set of
ideas that direct the effort and with a goal that entails
the development or testing of theory.
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