Knowledge Claims The Larger Picture lecture 1 Dr Douglas Fleming Faculty of Education University of Ottawa What is a knowledge claim An assertion based on a logical argument and some form of evidence ID: 218286
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Slide1
Making Knowledge Claims: The Larger Picture lecture 1
Dr. Douglas Fleming
Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa Slide2
What is a knowledge claim?
An assertion based on a logical argument and some form of evidence.
Ontology: What is knowledge?
Epistemology: How do we know what it is?
Axiology: What values go into assessing it?
Rhetoric: How do we present it to others?
Methodology: How do we support our assertions? Slide3
Two basic alternative philosophical a
ssumptions about knowledge claims:
Positivist and Constructionist
Three strategies of inquiry:
Quantitate, Qualitative and Mixed
Slide4
philosophical assumption 1:Positivism
R
educing and isolated variables
Empirical observation
Measurement
Verification of theory
ReplicableSlide5
philosophical
assumption
2:
Constructionism
Multiple participant meanings
Socially constructed
Historically situated
C
ontextually situated
Theory generating
Slide6
There are two basic strategies of inquiry:Quantitative
Qualitative
Attempts to combine elements of these two strategies are called:
Mixed Methods Approaches Slide7
QuantitativeExperiments or quasi-experiments:Isolation of measurable variables;
Subject randomization or representativeness.
Surveys:
Cross-sectional or longitudinal;
Questionnaires;
Structured interviews;
Structured observation protocols.Slide8
QualitativeEthnographies
s
ingle cultural group; prolonged observation in the field; flexible instrumentation.
Grounded Theory
g
eneration of theory; minimal prior assumptions; analysis concurrent with multiple stages of data collection.
Case Studies
bounded phenomenon; exploration of a case in depth; variety of instruments; prolonged.Slide9
Phenomenologicalthe common “structures of consciousness”
(the experiences and views) of a small number of participants.
Narrative
t
he stories told by a limited number of participants and reproduced as a narrative; can be combined with the researcher’s viewpoint or done autobiographically. Slide10
Many researchers argue for neutrality and objectivity. Others, however, emphasize the role of advocacy in their work. Many of these are influenced by
critical race theory,
feminism, queer theory, critical (Marxist) theory, or disability inquiry.
These researchers tend to:
b
e collaborative;
b
e orientated towards change;
b
e overtly political;
f
avor non-hierarchical relationships;
emphasize how theory is linked to problem-solving practice.Slide11
The two philosophical assumptions are best thought of as the opposite ends of a continuum.
Quantitative researchers tend to be more positivist. Qualitative researchers tend to be more constructionist.
Advocates are often (but not necessarily) more constructionist.
Where do you fit in terms of these philosophical assumptions, strategies and advocacy?