Paradigms

What is a paradigm?

​A paradigm is a collection of beliefs and concepts held by a group of people. A set of theories assumptions and ideas that contribute to your worldview about a subject.

​This way of thinking and conducting research is endorsed and validated by the experts in the field who share the same paradigm.

Paradigms | What is a paradigm?

Why work with a paradigm?

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If you work within a paradigm you work with rules that would help you with the process of research and in the construction of your research question, also you will have a group of people that will be sympathetic to your approaches. 

Paradigms | Why work with a paradigm?

The philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn popularized the idea of paradigm explaining why science operated so successfully for long periods of time within a body or accepted theory or procedure.

​In his book the structure of scientific revolution published in 1962 popularized the term paradigm shift to describe the move from one way of explaining and researching to another.

Thomas Kuhn

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What about education and paradigms?

​​The equivalent of paradigms in education might be the teaching and learning strategies developed in different periods of time. Some approaches to research in education may also be thought of as paradigms because they provide ways for working with research. 

Each approach has its own rulebook and sets of procedures that have been accepted as canons of good practice​

Paradigms | What about education and paradigms?

It's a conceptual model underlying the theories and practice of scientific practice (Like a template or a pattern).

E.g. ​positivism, constructivism, interpretivism or pragmatism.

It's a system of methods used in a particular field (describe the processes and outcomes of their research)

E.g. ​Surveys, experiments, interviews,

literature review, observations.

​The difference between them is that the concept of “paradigm” functions at a higher level than methodology. The methodology is more related to the process of collecting and analyzing data and not higher-level conceptual thinking.