Research in education: Theory and practice working side by side

Abstract

Definition and description of research methods in modern educational theory are growing in importance because of the need for a scholarly reflection on how knowledge is acquired in this field. It is necessary to understand the theoretical relevance of research methods and their practical implementation. The aim of this study is to identify effective research methods for modern educational theory and practice and to systematize research methods in the educational theory. The research is methodologically grounded in the systematic approach to the educational theory providing a holistic view of the interrelation of educational phenomena and processes and their relevance to a child's personal development (V. Zagvyazinsky, I. Kolesnikova, V. Krayevsky, A. Mudrik, L. Novikova, N. Selivanova, V. Serikov). For the purposes of this study, a large-scale survey Research Methods in Education was conducted in February and March 2021. It was designed as a questionnaire consisting of three parts: (a) Research methods in education, (b) Experience of using research methods in education, (c) Analysis of professional difficulties in selecting methods in education. 672 people from 27 regions of the Russian Federation were surveyed. The results provided some important insights into the modern trends in the educational methodology, as the existing classification of methods into theoretical methods, empirical methods and the statistical analysis of empirical data does not quite take into account the modern findings in education. The educational science now can (and must) embrace methods from other realms of scientific knowledge. The choice of research methods should be based on the following: (a) essential theories and approaches of pedagogical science and related sciences; (b) ways in which information is gathered and used that are relevant to the specific goals of the research. Research methods should be chosen having in mind the aim of the research and how its result will be analyzed. As part of the study, many approaches to the classification of research methods in education have been proposed. The main accomplishment of this study is that the findings take us to the whole new level in discovering research solutions thus enabling educational science to push the boundaries in development of the educational methodology.