Abstract
Theory is a word that is evocative. It evokes confusion, frustration, trepidation,
discomfort, shame, joy, disorientation, invention and derision. At times researchers will likely experience all of the above in regard to theory. Part of the joy of
grappling with theory is this experience of confusion as one encounters new
ideas, or attempts to create ideas that are new by bringing theory to a new problem, or different parts of existing theories together in order to look at a problem
anew. Working with theory is invention, and this invention is not abstract. Theory
is indispensible because it is intrinsic to the work of education.
Though the association of theory with education and educational research
might not be automatic for some. Often when people think about theory it is
often associated with science and its capacity to:
make things visible or intelligible that are not immediately observable. In the natural sciences
theory often performs this function by making plausible why certain laws – such as Ohm’s
law or Boyle’s law – are as they are…. In the social sciences theory performs this function by
trying to make plausible why people act as they act or do as they do.
discomfort, shame, joy, disorientation, invention and derision. At times researchers will likely experience all of the above in regard to theory. Part of the joy of
grappling with theory is this experience of confusion as one encounters new
ideas, or attempts to create ideas that are new by bringing theory to a new problem, or different parts of existing theories together in order to look at a problem
anew. Working with theory is invention, and this invention is not abstract. Theory
is indispensible because it is intrinsic to the work of education.
Though the association of theory with education and educational research
might not be automatic for some. Often when people think about theory it is
often associated with science and its capacity to:
make things visible or intelligible that are not immediately observable. In the natural sciences
theory often performs this function by making plausible why certain laws – such as Ohm’s
law or Boyle’s law – are as they are…. In the social sciences theory performs this function by
trying to make plausible why people act as they act or do as they do.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The BERA/SAGE Handbook of Educational Research |
| Editors | D Wyse, N Selwyn, E Smith & L E Suter |
| Place of Publication | London |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Ltd |
| Pages | 53-71 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Volume | 2 |
| Edition | 1st |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781473918917 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |