I am interested in understanding the dominant paradigm guiding contemporary educational research, particularly in the context of intervention studies, classroom-based inquiry, and mixed-methods approaches. Insights into current trends, theoretical foundations, and methodological preferences would be highly appreciated
I think the whole notion of "dominant paradigms" is out of date. It started getting attention with Lincoln and Guba (1985), but that was forty years ago. Instead, the most common approach now is to match one's research questions with one's research methods, with out worrying about the nature of reality or the possibility of truth.
I always tell my graduate students that there is no superior or dominant research paradigm. However, I still hear some faculty members claiming the superiority of positivism over constructivism. I always caution them that the choice of methodology should be dictated by the nature of the research question. For example, if I want to answer the question, “What is the meaning of clan war as experienced by members of affected communities?” then positivism is not appropriate. The nature of this question naturally leads the researcher toward a constructivist paradigm.
We see research paradigm in four different aspects- Ontology, Epistemology, Methodology, and Axiology. I think the postpositivism is now in trend due to balanced and realistic approach for mixed-methods studies and this is and will be a major paradigm shift in educational studies in the upcoming time.
Irving Larot Rio In the classic version of paradigms based on Lincoln and Guba, paradigms are a world view that comes before anything else in the research process. Consequently, choosing your paradigm based on your research question is backwards -- from that point of view.
From my point of view, if your research question leads to your choice of methods, then you are done, without any need for Ontology, Epistemology, etc.
If I see the world simply as "1+1=2", that kind of worldview will be biased against a world view that is anchored on multiple realities. How I view reality will no doubt influence the conduct of my research.
In educational research, particularly in Tamil Nadu, I think both quantitative and qualitative paradigms are widely used, depending on the research question and objectives. Quantitative approaches are great for identifying trends and patterns, while qualitative methods provide rich insights into complex phenomena. Mixed-methods research, combining both paradigms, is also gaining popularity as it offers a more comprehensive understanding of educational issues.
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