Is there a shortage of quantitative work in education research?
Is there a shortage of quantitative work in education research?
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教育研究是否缺乏定量工作？
DOI：
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发表时间：
2004
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Chris Taylor
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Stephen Gorard *;K. Rushforth;Chris Taylor
本文考虑了英国教育研究界使用的研究方法的范围。通过对关键利益相关者的25次访谈，它描述了他们对当前方法的优势和劣势的看法，以及该领域未来改进需要哪些方法发展。利用521名活跃研究人员的调查结果，论文继续描述了可用的技术，以及那些需要进一步“培训”或经验的技术。利用8,691个个体的RAE对教育的回报，论文总结了实际使用的方法。最后，本文用对期刊内容的简要分析作为三角测量证据。我们的受访者普遍认为，目前英国教育研究的质量普遍存在缺陷。他们认为这种弱点很大程度上是由于缺乏“定量”方法的技能。我们的其他数据来源表明，后者的可能性比举报人认为的要小。绝大多数教育研究人员报告说他们使用了一些定量方法，大量涉及定量方法的出版物也支持了这一观点。也许，正是定量和定性研究的类型和质量，以及使用者的不合理期望，导致了教育研究的公众形象不佳。改善不是简单地通过使用定量方法扩大人群来实现的。
This paper considers the range of research methods used by the UK education research community. Using insights from 25 interviews with key stakeholders it describes their views on the current strengths and weaknesses in methods, and of what methodological developments are needed for future improvement in this field. Using survey returns from 521 active researchers, the paper goes on to describe the techniques that are available for use, and those where further ‘training’ or experience is required. Using the 8,691 individual RAE returns to education, the paper then summarises the methods reported to be in actual use. Finally, it uses a brief analysis of journal contents as triangulating evidence.Our informants were generally in agreement that there is currently a widespread weakness in the quality of UK education research. Much of this weakness is attributed by them to a shortage of skills in ‘quantitative’ methods. Our other data sources suggest that the latter is less likely than the informants believe. A clear majority of education researchers report having used some quantitative methods, and the substantial number of publications involving quantitative methods supports this view. It is, perhaps, rather the type and quality of both quantitative and qualitative research along with unreasonable expectations by its users that leads to the poor public image of education research. Improvement is not going to come simply by enlarging the group of people using quantitative methods.