The purpose and place of interpretive approaches in education research

Sofia Marques da Silva

Chapter 4 in Handbook of Interpretive Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 2025, pp 55-72 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Interpretive research is meaning-oriented. Its aim is to investigate social reality shaped by situated experiences rooted in social, cultural, and historical contexts. In the field of education, interpretive research has been used to explore the deeper structures of complex educational phenomena through naturalistic inquiry, and to unlock the meanings assigned to them. This chapter provides a contextualization of the interpretive paradigm by pointing to its origins, key thinkers, and major contributions, as well as outlining how the interpretive approach has entered education research, while considering the benefits of incorporating key interpretive concepts such as meaning and reflexivity. Several examples are presented to illustrate the possibilities of interpretive scholarship in different areas of education research. I emphasize how the interpretive approach incorporates diverse theoretical ideas, offering a solid framework to guide reflexive research on persistent and emerging issues in education, utilizing diverse methods and data, and generating knowledge that drives social change.

Keywords: Interpretive paradigm; Education research; Meaning; Reflexivity; Social actors; Social change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781803926384
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