Please share any questions raised by this book and any
other thoughts you have. While I hope you learned a lot about pragmatism, I am
particularly interested in how the book served to get you thinking about the
nature of knowledge, what there is to know and how all of this relates to
educational research.
Regarding the nature of knowledge:
ReplyDeleteI think Biesta and Burules made me more aware of how I gain knowledge and I think I am a pragmatist for sure. I believe experience leads to knowledge and that science and inquiry are critical components of experience. Additionally, I think the knowledge and theories gained from research should be of practical use. In essence, I always was a pragmatist, but by reading Biesta and Burbules I believe I am now more aware of how we develop knowledge. Going forward, I have no doubts that I will take more time to think about what I am doing, why I am doing it, and how the process and outcomes will impact me, my teaching, and my students.
Regarding pragmatism and the educational research:
Pragmatism and educational research just seem like they go together. The tenets of pragmatism are well aligned with what I believe the common goal of educators and researchers should be. That is, to promote effective change so that students benefit. From page 94, Biesta and Burbules write, “Dewey’s constructivism must, of course, be understood transactionally.” I couldn't agree more and I believe this is one of the reasons teachers and researchers as well as theory and practice in education fail to merge well (a common theme in class so far). For educational research to advance teaching and learning, there needs to a greater emphasis placed on transactionalism as well as the experience of education. Coming into this class, and prior to reading this book, I was 100% committed to the quantitative side of research, whatever the field. I’m conflicted now, and really believe that excellent research needs to include more qualitative and longitudinal work. To me, educating young people is and always will be a human endeavor. For research to be effective, and ultimately more pragmatic, I believe there needs to be a greater balance between quantitative and qualitative work.
ReplyDeleteChapter 5 provided a helpful synthesis on the concepts of pragmatism and how the nature of knowledge can be applied to educational research. In this section, Biesta and Burbules further solidified the role of the educational practitioner in Dewey’s view as an active participant, problem solver, researcher, and creator of knowledge (Biesta and Burbules, 2003, p. 111). Furthermore, I found it helpful to consider the role of educational research as helping to inform practice, but still being unable to supply prescriptive answers due to the unstable nature of education, the constitution that takes places between “communication and the coordination of actions,” and the unpredictable nature of individuals, both practitioners and students (Biesta and Burbules, 2003, p. 111).
While the idea that a problem may never be completely (permanently) “solved” is somewhat discouraging, overall, I find Dewey’s pragmatism to be mostly hopeful and encouraging in its focus on functional and practical approaches to educational research. The blended role of practitioner/researcher jibes well with my own experiences, and in the future, I expect to implement this role in my studies and research. A thought that I felt translated well throughout the book was one my group discussed in class last week “that we are not spectators to a finished universe but participants in an ever-evolving universe” (Biesta and Burbules, 2003, p. 90). This quotation accurately described the constantly shifting world of education and the educator’s shifting role within it.
I appreciate Dewey’s insistence that knowledge is best when it is co-constructed, that there is an “inter-subjective” nature to its construction. The implications of this framing of knowledge “co-creation” support Dewey’s idea that the researcher and practitioner are collaborators - contributing to a body of educational knowledge and improved educational outcomes both in the classroom and for the field at large. (p. 111) The pragmatic approach to research that examines methods and means along with value and purpose links closely to the idea of validity as defined in quantitative research: it is the usefulness of the results of a well-designed study that provides evidence of its validity. As stated on page 109, “questions of instrumental effectiveness cannot be separated from value.” I believe collaboration with classroom practitioners and an attention to usefulness will help guide my own research practice as it develops.
ReplyDeleteI am taken with the last few points made by B&B about pragmatism’s questioning of universal narratives and Platonic dualisms and the idea that pragmatism supports methods for “un-thinking certain false dichotomies, certain assumptions, certain traditional practices and ways of doing things, and in this it can open up new possibilities for thought” (p. 114). In this way, I feel pragmatism laid the groundwork for theories that may presently play a more relevant role in a post-modern, pluralistic contemporary culture. This contribution to the evolution of new theories highlights a guiding principle of pragmatism that has given Dewey’s decades-old philosophy its staying power: a belief that, “the world in which we live is ever-changing and ever-evolving […] that in a fundamental sense we can never know what the future will bring.” (p. 110.) Applying this principle to educational research means we resist the assumption that our results are fixed or certain, we try not to take our research too seriously, and we habitually hold space for new, different, or alternative ways of approaching educational questions, problems, and practice. I hope my own research is conducted with this kind of perspective and flexibility.
In Chapter four, page 89, the authors reflect on the imbalance between educational research and educational practice and how this occurs because there is an assumption that science presents us with a special kind of knowledge. They go on to present Dewey’s point that research and practice are their own distinct things with their own applications, possibilities and limitations but that each must inform the other. I think this is a very important point to be made and not overlooked. This relationship should always be considered when developing and conducting educational research.
ReplyDeleteI liked the section on the impact educational research can make on practice in Chapter five. The authors kind of knock research down a peg when saying that research is not the be-all and end-all. Educational research, because of the population and processes studied can never provide an ultimate solution to anything. It can provide tactics and information for educators to then use to begin to fix problems or inform their practices.
I also appreciate the authors’ perspective about educators, that they are the final stop in education. Educators must take research and decide how and what to apply in their own thinking and problem-solving methods. As the authors point out, they are not passive consumers. I think it is important for me and my classmates to keep this perspective in mind as we pursue our own research and future careers. I also think it is imperative for practicing researchers to revisit this concept. Solutions to educational problems cannot be solved in solitude, it a bidirectional relationship between researchers and educators.
I am not sure that I have specific questions that were raised by “Pragmatism and Educational Research.” I was enlightened about John Dewey’s views surrounding knowledge and its attainment. I always thought of knowledge as a noun. This book attempted to force seeing it as a verb instead. Unfortunately, I am “stuck in my ways” and must follow what I was taught in grade school. However, I truly understand the message that was conveyed. The adage, “Knowledge is power” means even more to me now. The fact that it was continuously stressed that knowledge is acquired through action made me further reflect on why educators must be life-long learners. How can one expect to educate pupils in the modern world without the understanding that the world is consistently changing? He/She must stay current with the happenings of the world and his/her area of expertise in order to make a significant impact on each individual learner’s educational experience.
ReplyDeleteThe book reminded me that everyone gains knowledge. All living organisms serve a purpose and as they continue living, that purpose is continually being served. As we progress through life, we interact with each other and our environment, learning from our mistakes or misfortunes as well as our triumphs. We do this while, at the same time, gaining a wealth of knowledge about how to proceed in the future. This is true for any situation, from the most basic understanding to the most intricate. Basically, “you live and you learn.” This is directly related to educational research in that this type of research formalizes what the educator inquires about and puts into action on a daily basis. Educators must be “quick on their feet” in taking action on many occasions when problems arise. They literally teach, act, learn, and react in no set order. Educational research is a resource available to allow educators, along with others concerned in/with the field of education, to see what has worked before in other situations that may help with whatever “problem” they have at end or that which may arise in the future. Ultimately, the readings from the book taught me that personal knowledge is not completely validated without experience. Thus, educators validate and build upon their knowledge as they continuously take action.
I don't think I have any specific questions about this book. Some of the notions put forth by Dewey about knowledge really connected to my understanding of Black feminist theory and its concerns with recognizing different means of knowledge construction and validation. I wonder if there is a book that could be used for this class that provides a variety of different philosophical approaches while simultaneously comparing and contrasting different concepts relating to knowledge and educational research. I think that would provide an understanding of even more approaches than just pragmatism and Dewey's approaches to the concepts of knowledge and educational research. I would also be interested in seeing how contemporary scholars are making use of pragmatism and Dewey. In saying that, I feel like this last chapter connected to understandings from critical theories about the relationships between knowledge and action, practice and theory, and what and how we know. I think it is important to consider these connections as we do educational research. It requires us to be more aware of the research we do as well as being constantly reflective during the process of conducting research. I think that educational research can make major contributions to educational practice. I think it is important for research to have some capacity for practical application.
ReplyDeleteNature of Knowledge:
ReplyDelete“Dewey reflected the idea that knowledge is the measure of reality…” (p. 30). This makes me think that each person has their own sense of knowledge due to their experience. This relates well to me because I believe that each person’s perspective shapes their reality. For example, two people might experience the same event but have two different perspectives about it. In leadership this is extremely important to be cognizant of. Reading this book helped solidify this concept. As Darwin believes, each person’s experience is equally real. This is due to their experiences, actions, and consequences of these actions. I can certainly relate to this and see this carried out in my own personal experience.
Relation to Education Research:
I believe that this relates to educational research because of the belief that knowledge is always ongoing. Education is forever changing. I believe a lot of this has to do with the fact that education directly deals with human behavior. If society is always changing and adapting, then education will always be changing as well. In addition, I have really enjoyed the conversation about researchers and practitioners. I believe in order to do effective research, one must consider how he/she will be able to reach the practitioner and gain buy-in from them. This means studying topics that are relevant, writing in a way that is understandable and not using jargon, and possibly being proactive by placing practitioners in the development stages of the research. I hope that by being a practitioner in this program that I can help bridge the gap between practitioners and researchers.
This text was a both complicated and enlightening in that it was a great (re)introduction to pragmatism. It was an opportunity to challenge my own understanding of how I construct knowledge. It was initially challenging to understand Dewey’s position on the construction of knowledge as the logic of action and making meaning didn’t feel linear. On page 109, the text reads, “that educational research should have a wider remit than simply systematic inquiry into the methods and techniques of education.” As an educational researcher this further pushes me to think about the broader scope and direction of my work. This informs how my thinking is not enough to understand the work. How others see and experience knowledge influences how we make meaning.
ReplyDeleteIn the final pages, the author describes pragmatism as a “practice of unthinking” (p.114). It forces us to rethink our understanding and our beliefs about how we construct knowledge. It helps to better understand the relationship between “knowledge and action” and “educational research and practice.” (p.107) To simplify the relationship between knowledge and action, it settles on the idea that our development of knowledge is ongoing. It is always changing and developing with new data and ideas. This influences my own research agenda. I expect that it will continue to shift and change over the years.
I think when we say "RESEARCH" people just think of numbers and statistics, but I think Dewey's ideas wanted us to understand the importance of "Qualitative Research" and I think he was addressing the power of Qualitative Research and all that it explains. One thing that I really appreciated that the chapter summarized was that the point of research is not only to find the better way of practice but why do we need to find the reason that we need to find the better method. In educational research or any social science research, we have the ability and the curiosity to ask the "whys". I don't think many of the hard sciences really dive into seeking the whys and focus more on the "how" and I think both aspects are important for research.
ReplyDeleteEDUS 702 was recommended as a first class to take to help me decide whether I have the time to pursue a PhD education while working full time and fulfilling a multitude of volunteer commitments. It has, so far, been a GREAT class to revive my passion for lifelong learning and stimulate a LOT of thinking. Our text by Biesta and Burbules has been instrumental in making wonder about the nature of knowledge. I will admit, as I have in earlier blogs that the reading of this text has brought me much productive struggle. To help me understand some of the ideas, I have also been reading with it, A Beginner’s Guide to Dewey. Between the two books, I have learned a lot about pragmatism and John Dewey. I am comfortable with many of the tenants of pragmatism as I have always thought myself to be a constructivist. Constructivism and pragmatism are remarkably close and although Dewey shunned labels, his work is consistent with constructivist thought. In fact, in John Dewey Between Pragmatism and Constructivism, Hickman, Neubert, and Reich say, “many contemporary constructivists are particularly attuned to Dewey's penetrating criticism of traditional epistemology, which offers rich alternatives for understanding processes of learning and education, knowledge and truth, and experience and culture.” I have often referred to this work in understanding how my thoughts meld with Dewey’s. That said, I have also done a lot of reflecting about the nature of knowledge and believe that Dewey and pragmatism have made knowledge more accessible to me as they have settled the conflict in my mind between my practitioner notions and ideas once formed in a philosophy class long ago which made knowledge seem the “abstract possession of wise and skilled persons.” I now see knowledge as embedded in action, not just a simple substitution of new experiences for old but developmental and intertwined with previous experiences, “the product of inquiry.” This has also made me made me reconsider my ideas about educational research. I no longer see it as the inflexible product of, as Becker says, “professional intellectuals but accessible to regular folks.” I believe that educational research, and math educational research in particular, are theories and practice under construction. It has made me see the method of research I am considering for my work, narrative research, as valuable and acceptable. I think the narrative approach to research will allow people to construct meaning in what they do and will allow them to analyze their own narratives to become, in Dewey’s phrase, “scholars of their own consciousness.”
ReplyDeleteThere were two ideas that stood out to me, “achievable and desirable” and “possibility and potential.” These ideas support the underlying goal of pragmatic thought or at least I would like to think that they do. The pragmatist approach and process ask us to think beyond what we know or how we come to know. It asks us to ask questions that encourage thought and a production of new ideas and beliefs.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter concisely summarizes and plainly explains the previous chapters. It also connects us again to the Larabee article. There is strong support for the co-existence and support of educational researchers and educational practitioners. There is also an explanation of how each is misunderstood. The fact that educational research does not provide a prescription of what educational practitioners must do is important to note. This may encourage practitioners to be open to what it is that researchers are saying and encourage a willingness on their part to apply findings without thinking that someone is “telling them what to do.”
I would like to think that in this field a common goal is revolutionizing education or at least making improvements for all. Even if we don’t subscribe to a pragmatic approach, there are still elements that are useful in educational inquiry and educational knowledge.
The two sections of chapter 5 did two things as I read- first, they summarized what I would consider to be the main takeaways from the discussion of pragmatism and ed research and second, they spoke to my personal experience as I continue to walk the line of educator and researcher. The first, “Pragmatism provides us with a different ways to think about the objects of our knowledge. Objects of knowledge are instruments for action, and different objects, different worlds, provide us with different opportunities and possibilities for action” (p. 108) really draws my attention back to one of the first readings that we did in this course and actually solidifies my first blog post. I initially said that I wanted to remain both and educator and a researcher because one relied on another and I’m feeling even more attached to that idea as I read this.
ReplyDeleteThe second section, “We may, for example, well be able to devise highly effective instructional machines. But if this would result in an educational system in which the educational experience of children and young people would simply consist of jumping through the hoops of the instructional machinery, even if they were shown to be successful at promoting certain learning outcomes, we would still also need to raise the question of whether what students would learn from the system itself…is consistent with what we think students ought to learn” (p. 109). I was immediately reminded of the alternative state assessments that some students with disabilities are mandated to participate in and I thought about how this is could be an example of a well-intended instructional machine gone awry. While the working theory of using a portfolio-style form of assessment to measure student achievement and growth towards academic learning standards may be a research-based assessment technique, and in fact the students may be able to regurgitate the first and sixteenth presidents and their accompanying currency, the question remains if this is the learning that these particular students “ought” to be doing. I’ve heard teachers of students with functional deficits describe the portfolio process as one akin to “jumping through hoops” and I wonder if this isn’t exactly what Biesta and Burbules (and Dewey) are describing here.
At this time, I don’t have specific questions that were raised while reading this book. While this book was difficult at times to follow and understand, the more we talked about it and as the book continued, it opened my way of thinking about educational research. Often, I think when someone hears research that there is an instant thought of results and a definite answer(s) to a question. It a ‘perfect’ solution for the problem. However, Dewey rejects this idea saying that there is no perfect solution and that educational research is always continuing and is always unique. Dewey emphasized that educational research show be meaningful to both the educators and other educators. It is a shared responsibility (pg.108). I appreciated how Dewey relates what pragmatism offers educational researchers to where it fits in with forming educational research topics, methods, and tools. From reading this book, I am able to get the full picture of what knowledge really means in the context of educational research and pragmatism. Knowledge allows us to see all the different possibilities there are to solve the day-to-day problems and helps educational researchers form their questions for a particular study. Therefore, there a relationship between knowledge and action.
ReplyDeleteThis book really puzzled me at the start, but as it went on I was able to see that Dewey's pragmatism aligns with my own philosophies of research. At first, I had trouble seeing the whole image Dewey meant to portray: that research is a means to understanding knowledge and practice, but that it is by no means a panacea. By the end, I noticed how effective the layout of this book was in guiding me through the various portions of the overarching theories of knowledge and pragmatism Dewey imagined. I believe that Dewey's theory is ignored not because it isn't correct, but because those in power have too much at stake to rely on research and information that is subject to change over time and between classrooms and schools. Perhaps Dewey's theory is the strongest argument for local or school focused policies, but if that is true how do states and the nation as a whole decide what the country needs? I still want answers to point in a direction that guides how the nation learns and how we may all reach a standard of applying knowledge, while finding evidence that benefits individualized education. I guess that is the gap we are constantly trying to find.
ReplyDeleteBiesta and Burbules write that pragmatism offers “a distinct perspective on educational research, a specific way to understand the possibilities and limitations of research in, on, and for education” (p. 107). I think the biggest insight I have gained is that each of the perspectives we read about at the beginning of the semester will do this. Studying pragmatism has helped me see how the limits and beginning point of our understanding of knowledge are such a critical piece to grasp before beginning to ask questions. The answer will differ from a perspective other than pragmatism, but the implications of the purpose of question and the generalizability of the question’s answer will stem from the lens you’re using to ask the question. As much as we have dissected the words and discussed in class, I think I am still struggling to reconcile the “scientific” method, way of thinking, way of asking questions, statistical procedures necessary to publish and exist in this modern world of educational research with the pragmatism described by Dewey that both admired parts of this method and fought against its search for an objective knowledge. Perhaps my question in there is this: is this a common struggle for the all of the perspectives we discussed at the beginning of class (as I am remembering it was a common thread we discussed), and if so, what are the ways most people practically reconcile this in their daily writing/research?
ReplyDeleteI don’t have any questions, but I do have some thoughts about the book. I believe pragmatism offers the flexibility to conduct research that is usable in educational settings. It allows us to think more critically about the purpose of our work. Recognizing that knowledge is “a function of and for human action” (p.107), pragmatism offers the medium to support everyday problem solving. This is useful for the educational setting because no educational environment is identical to another.
ReplyDeleteIt also recognizes that our purpose or function is everchanging and it evolves over time. This means our research could also adapt or evolve to our society. It is what makes our work relevant or at least helps draws perspective of what is relevant.
I don't have any questions. I will say that this last chapter gave me a comprehensive view of how pragmatism apples to educational research. I feel like I broadly understand pragmatism; the relationship between knowledge and action, theory and practice, objects of knowledge and relativity, and how they provide different ways to think about research questions, methods and researchers. In addition, I really like how the last chapter describes the relationship between educational research and practice. “not one of application but of cooperation and coordination.” “…educational research provides educational practices with receipts so that educational practice can be ‘perfected’…
ReplyDelete“Educational research can only ever show us what has been possible in a specific situation, it can never tell us once and for all what to do”
This book actually raised a lot of questions for me, overall, it was really the practical application. Although I understand that the purpose of the book was to have us think about pragmatism and educational research, I wanted to spend more time reflecting on how that did apply to my current position and future. I wanted to think more about how knowledge, action and inquiry would be incorporated in to my future work versus how it was understood as a generalization of educational research. The final chapter discussed how every educational inquiry is unique and that might be a challenge that we all face because our interests and goals are all very different. In the last paragraph of the conclusion, the author brings up the application of pragmatism. They mention that it is a way of "un-thinking" on certain traditional ways and practices. I wonder about what they truly means and how we attempt to reform our thinking. If we all have to approach our research and thought process in new ways, what does that look like and how are we using this text to our advantage? I wanted to discuss more about how we would each approach a pragmatist point of view and thought process when thinking about our own educational research.
ReplyDelete