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arXiv · 1307.4136

Selection, Generalization, and Theories of Cause in Case-Oriented Physics Education Research

Amy D. Robertson·Sarah B. McKagan·Rachel E. Scherr
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Abstract

Case-oriented physics education research - which seeks to refine and develop theory by linking that theory to cases - incorporates distinct practices for selecting data for analysis, generalizing results, and making causal claims. Unanswered questions about these practices may constrain researchers more familiar with the recurrence-oriented research paradigm - which seeks to inform instructional predictions by discerning reproducible, representative patterns and relationships - from participating in or critically engaging with case-oriented research. We use results from interviews with physics education researchers, a synthesis of the literature on research methodologies, and published examples of case-oriented and recurrence-oriented research to answer "hard-hitting questions" that researchers may pose. In doing so, we aim to substantiate our position that both case-oriented and recurrence- oriented PER are rigorous but that the rigor is of a different nature in each paradigm.

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Amy D. Robertson, Sarah B. McKagan, Rachel E. Scherr. 2013-07-16. Selection, Generalization, and Theories of Cause in Case-Oriented Physics Education Research. https://arxiv.org/abs/1307.4136

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