Qualitative Research in Education: Philosophical Foundations, Methodological Challenges, and Applications
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Abstract
Background and Aim: Qualitative research has become essential in educational inquiry as it reveals the complexity and contextual nature of teaching and learning. It is fundamentally rooted in interpretivist, constructivist, critical, and postmodern paradigms, emphasizing meaning-making and the social construction of reality. Despite its increasing acceptance, qualitative research faces challenges related to philosophical debates, methodological rigor, and practical relevance. The study aims to examine the philosophical foundations, paradigms, applications, and challenges of qualitative research in education.
Materials and Methods: The study employed a literature review as a research design. For this, the journal articles and seminal theoretical books were purposively selected based on relevance, recency, and availability for review. The review materials were collected purposively using databases such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, ProQuest, and Semantic Scholar. The collected materials were read thoroughly and recursively. Through constant comparison and conceptual abstraction, themes were developed and analyzed.
Results: By analyzing peer-reviewed articles and key theoretical works, the study highlights crucial ontological, epistemological, and methodological assumptions. The findings suggest that qualitative research is essential for comprehending classroom dynamics, teacher and learner identities, curriculum implementation, and issues of equity and policy. However, challenges such as researcher positionality, trustworthiness, and ethical responsibility persist. The study argues that these challenges are not methodological weaknesses but inherent to qualitative inquiry. Consequently, it contributes to a deeper understanding of the relevance of qualitative research in producing ethically grounded and context-sensitive educational knowledge.
Conclusion: This study affirms qualitative research as a rigorous, socially situated approach rooted in interpretivist and critical traditions. It captures meanings, identities, and educational processes often missed by quantitative methods. Methodological challenges strengthen the approach when addressed reflexively. Overall, it remains essential for theory, policy, and socially responsive educational practice.
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