Qualitative research in education: revisiting its theories, practices and developments in a scientific-political era

Abstract

Since it entered education in the mid-20th century, qualitative research has been a wellestablished methodology among educational researchers. Its strength lies in its nature, scope, and methodological flexibility to understand education's cultural, social, political, and moral phenomena. Between the 1970s and 1980s, the relevance and superiority of quantitative vs. qualitative research in education were debated in academic forums. The paradigm debate was so intense that it reached political discussions. In 2002, the National Research Council (NRC) of the United States of America recommended the Federal Department of Education the exclusion of qualitative research from federal funds because it was not considered scientific research. A similar situation was observed in England and Australia. Since then, qualitative research has continued to develop as a model of educational research with the support of private funds. This paper revisits qualitative education research and examines its developments to reposition itself as a legitimate model of scholarly research in a politicalscientific era.