Problem-Based Methodology and Administrative Practice

Abstract

A much neglected reason for the limited contribution of educational research to the improvement of practice is the mismatch between our various research methodologies and the generic features of practice. After a conceptual analysis of practice as problem solutions, a postpositivist methodology (Problem-Based Methodology) is outlined that incorporates a theory of problems and problem solving and a set of normative criteria for judging solution adequacy. The application of PBM to inquiry into administrative practice is illustrated in two school-based case studies of the design and implementation of schemes for the collective assessment of children's learning. The case analyses are discussed in terms of the preservation of the practical context and the capacity of PBM to produce generalizable knowledge.