This book is a methodological guide intended for those who wish to better understand how to conduct research in the education and training sciences. It is organized into three main parts. The first part deals with postures, emphasizing the idea that engaging in a research process involves taking a different stance from that of a social or professional actor. For example, this may require converting a professional or social question into a research question or reflecting on the use of a social vocabulary in research.
The second part concerns practices, that is, how research is conducted: the definition of a research question based on findings, theoretical exploration and problematization, the production of empirical information and its analysis and restitution.
The third and final part concludes by focusing on the diversity of research forms; not only research cultures specific to disciplinary fields and approaches, such as action research, collaborative research or research training, but also the design choices in terms of multi-, inter- or trans-disciplinarily.
Table of Contents
Introduction vii
Chapter 1 Positions: Some Specificities of a Research Approach Compared to a Professional Approach 1
1.1 A difference in position between that of the social or professional actor and that of the researcher 1
1.2 The challenge of research is to move from a social/professional question to a research question 5
1.3 The challenge of research is also to focus on common-sense concepts 6
1.4 The issue of the epistemological choices made by the researcher and the implications 8
Chapter 2 Practices: Conducting a Research Project and Data Security Issues 11
2.1 Introduction: the research context 11
2.2 Scientific approach and methods in the social sciences 13
2.3 From research topic to problem statement 15
2.3.1 The initial question 15
2.3.2 The exploratory approach 16
2.3.3 Problem statement 18
2.4 Design of the survey protocol 19
2.4.1 Survey field and participants 20
2.4.2 Negotiating the survey and field access with the Local Education Authority and management teams: a project to be defended 21
2.4.3 General Data Protection Regulation on personal data and documents produced 22
2.5 The construction of data collection instruments 35
2.5.1 Constructing the questionnaire 35
2.5.2 Composing the interview guide 45
2.6 Data collection 48
2.6.1 Time in the field 48
2.6.2 Administering the questionnaires 51
2.6.3 Administering interviews 53
2.6.4 GDPR, tasks and constraints 55
2.7 Data processing 57
2.7.1 Clean up the database 57
2.7.2 Transcribing 62
2.8 Data analysis 63
2.8.1 Analyzing questionnaires 64
2.8.2 Interview analysis 88
2.9 Dissemination and publication of results 97
2.9.1 Group dossier 97
2.9.2 Reports, conferences and research articles 104
Chapter 3 Forms: Research Cultures, Diversity of Forms and Interdisciplinary Issues 111
3.1 Recognizing different research “cultures” 111
3.2 External research, engaged research, collaborative research, action research and related issues 114
3.3 Mono-, pluri-, inter- and transdisciplinary research and related issues 119
3.4 Communication and valorization of research (its outcomes and methodological steps) 122
3.5 Pursuing a doctorate 124
3.6 Careers in research and higher education 127
Conclusion 133
Appendix 1 Questionnaire 137
Appendix 2 Interview Guide 153
Appendix 3 Quiz 157
References 169
Index 173
