Co-producing knowledge in and about education by combining collaborative ethnography and abductive reasoning

Ruth Wouters (), Antoon Cox and Annelies Raes
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Ruth Wouters: University Colleges Leuven-Limburg
Antoon Cox: KU Leuven
Annelies Raes: KU Leuven

Palgrave Communications, 2025, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Transdisciplinary projects can facilitate the development of legitimate answers to grand societal problems, leading to new insights. Within the context of inclusive education, designing and developing schooling for all affects society, research and practice, and benefits from the co-production of knowledge with both academic and non-academic stakeholders. Nevertheless, comprehensive methodological descriptions of transdisciplinary projects in education are currently scarce. This article presents such a transdisciplinary project, conducted in a particular Belgian school (K2 – K8) where pupils with various (neuro)diverse needs are supported. By employing and combining collaborative ethnography and abductive reasoning, the authors aimed to answer complex educational research questions. Accordingly, the main goal of this article is to examine how a transdisciplinary research project works in education. This examination addresses the grand challenge to identify teaching strategies and learning materials that foster inclusive education in mainstream school contexts. The specific research questions guiding this article are: (1) What are the intended and achieved phases of a transdisciplinary approach to the reconfiguration of knowledge of inclusive education (epistemological consideration) and (2) What are the essential steps and considerations when planning and running a transdisciplinary project with both academic and non-academic scholars in education (methodological consideration)? To address these questions and reveal the iterative process of describing, understanding, and communicating about the problem insights, a sequence organizer, and a comprehensive account of the intended and achieved phases are provided. Furthermore, the article offers theory- and practice-informed insights and considerations for future transdisciplinary projects. Combining collaborative ethnography and abductive reasoning offers a potential methodological journey to the prevailing challenges in education and, more broadly, in socio-cultural issues. In addition, the specific approach facilitates the personal and professional growth of those involved.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-05721-y

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