Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity

The question of “which method” is fundamental to the utility of educational policy research within postcolonial contexts such as the Anglophone Caribbean. Although qualitative approaches are more sensitive to these unique contexts, the heterogeneity of populations and spaces are a significant threat to the generalizability and transferability of findings. Therefore, to generate comprehensive and contextualized theory, Caribbean policy researchers must adopt a multiplist philosophy which explicitly privileges multiple and mixed methods. This paper first describes some critical issues related to education policy research in the Anglophone Caribbean and global South. It then illustrates the value of promoting epistemological diversity in this context by examining three mixed methods research (MMR) policy studies conducted in Trinidad and Tobago. All three illustrative studies were guided by paradigm stances favouring the mixing of methods. The findings suggest that MMR does offer a degree of flexibility that might capture heterogeneity and lack of local knowledge. Integrated findings were divergent and comprehensive, but there was limited instrumental use by policymakers. Additionally, indigenous epistemologies were not adopted. The future challenge is for Caribbean policy researchers to make better use of MMR designs that incorporate indigenous epistemologies and employ strategies to enhance the political legitimation of findings.

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Main Author: De Lisle, Jerome
Format: Article biblioteca
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality,
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2139/49272
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spelling oai:oai:uwispace.sta.uwi.edu:2139:2139-492722020-10-01T04:49:26Z Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity De Lisle, Jerome Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality The question of “which method” is fundamental to the utility of educational policy research within postcolonial contexts such as the Anglophone Caribbean. Although qualitative approaches are more sensitive to these unique contexts, the heterogeneity of populations and spaces are a significant threat to the generalizability and transferability of findings. Therefore, to generate comprehensive and contextualized theory, Caribbean policy researchers must adopt a multiplist philosophy which explicitly privileges multiple and mixed methods. This paper first describes some critical issues related to education policy research in the Anglophone Caribbean and global South. It then illustrates the value of promoting epistemological diversity in this context by examining three mixed methods research (MMR) policy studies conducted in Trinidad and Tobago. All three illustrative studies were guided by paradigm stances favouring the mixing of methods. The findings suggest that MMR does offer a degree of flexibility that might capture heterogeneity and lack of local knowledge. Integrated findings were divergent and comprehensive, but there was limited instrumental use by policymakers. Additionally, indigenous epistemologies were not adopted. The future challenge is for Caribbean policy researchers to make better use of MMR designs that incorporate indigenous epistemologies and employ strategies to enhance the political legitimation of findings. 2020-09-30T21:18:37Z 2020-09-30T21:18:37Z 2020 Article Caribbean Curriculum Vol 26 2018/2019 2412-558X http://hdl.handle.net/2139/49272 en application/pdf
institution UWI TT
collection DSpace
country Trinidad y Tobago
countrycode TT
component Bibliográfico
access En linea
databasecode dig-uwi-tt
tag biblioteca
region Caribe
libraryname UWI library system TT
language English
topic Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality
Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality
spellingShingle Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality
Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality
De Lisle, Jerome
Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity
description The question of “which method” is fundamental to the utility of educational policy research within postcolonial contexts such as the Anglophone Caribbean. Although qualitative approaches are more sensitive to these unique contexts, the heterogeneity of populations and spaces are a significant threat to the generalizability and transferability of findings. Therefore, to generate comprehensive and contextualized theory, Caribbean policy researchers must adopt a multiplist philosophy which explicitly privileges multiple and mixed methods. This paper first describes some critical issues related to education policy research in the Anglophone Caribbean and global South. It then illustrates the value of promoting epistemological diversity in this context by examining three mixed methods research (MMR) policy studies conducted in Trinidad and Tobago. All three illustrative studies were guided by paradigm stances favouring the mixing of methods. The findings suggest that MMR does offer a degree of flexibility that might capture heterogeneity and lack of local knowledge. Integrated findings were divergent and comprehensive, but there was limited instrumental use by policymakers. Additionally, indigenous epistemologies were not adopted. The future challenge is for Caribbean policy researchers to make better use of MMR designs that incorporate indigenous epistemologies and employ strategies to enhance the political legitimation of findings.
format Article
topic_facet Anglophone Caribbean, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Policy Research, Epistemological Diversity, Coloniality
author De Lisle, Jerome
author_facet De Lisle, Jerome
author_sort De Lisle, Jerome
title Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity
title_short Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity
title_full Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity
title_fullStr Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity
title_full_unstemmed Valuing Multiple and Mixed Methods for Educational Policy Research in the Caribbean: Illustrative Cases Privileging Epistemological Diversity
title_sort valuing multiple and mixed methods for educational policy research in the caribbean: illustrative cases privileging epistemological diversity
publishDate 2020
url http://hdl.handle.net/2139/49272
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