哲学、教育理论和教育研究范式之关系

The Relationships between Philosophy,Educational Theory and the Paradigms of Educational Research

教育学自19世纪赫尔巴特以降,已逐渐从人文学蜕变成社会科学,复加上统计、计算机软件包的发展,以实证、证据导向为基础的量化研究在20世纪中叶已蔚为主流。影响所及,也几乎改变了教育学理论的样貌。不过,现象学、诠释学、民族志等田野研究传统及批判理论在20世纪70年代以后的西方世界,也为质性研究开创另一视野。而在另一方面,自库恩以降的新科学哲学传统,也反思逻辑实证论,不遗余力。教育研究者若没能体现实践理论的精神,纵使运用多元的研究范式,并无助于教育理论的建构,也无助于理论指导实践的功能,从而孤悬了教育理论与实践。从我国台湾地区经验的反思中大致可归结出三类型的教育理论:其一是教育口号、隐喻、理念的陈述,其重点在于澄清与论证;其二是教育经验科学的实证研究,重点在于开拓新知;其三是对教学、办学的建言,重点在于实践智慧的开拓。教育哲学的课程内容也宜加强对教育研究方法论的反思。

Since Johann Friedrich Herbart founded scientific pedagogy in the 19th century, education has undergone a change from a discipline of the humanities to that of the social sciences. Since the middle of the 20th century, with the technical advancement of statistics and computer analysis software signifi- cantly influencing how theories of education were constructed, positivism and evidence oriented quantita- tive research has become the dominant model in educational research. However, in the Western world, phenomenology, hermeneutics, ethnography as well as critical theory, have all contributed prominently to qualitative research since 1970s. Within the positivist tradition, new developments in philosophy of science represented by Thomas Samuel Kuhn also powerfully challenges positivist logic. Without applying theory in practice, even though multiple research paradigms are employed, it is not helpful in constructing educa- tional theories and using theory to inform educational practices and thus it essentially isolates theories from practices. Based on the above discussion and taking into consideration the relevant reflections on Taiwan experience, three types of educational theories are categorized. These are.. 1） the statements of educational slogans, metaphors and ideas, of which the emphases are clarification and justifieation; 2） the empirical scientific （positivism） studies of education which gives weight to fact/objective inquiries; and 3） the sug- gestions and implications for teaching and school management, which stress the development of practical wisdom. Finally, it is argued that the curriculum content of philosophy of education should be adjusted to strengthen the reflection of educational research methodology.