论教育实证研究的本质溯源与未来发展路径

Empirical Educational Studies: Evolution and Prospects

实证研究作为一种推进教育科学化进程的重要途径,近年来备受学界关注。从历史纵深的视角来探讨社会学、心理学和教育学三大人文社会科学中实证研究的来龙去脉,有助于揭示并互证教育实证研究的真正内涵与逻辑,回应学界对教育实证研究在概念辨析、合法性辩护、不同教育学科下的争议等。实证研究本质上应从"研究"和"实证"两个方面来理解,其中"研究"是中心,"实证"是解决问题的科学途径。实证研究应作为一种研究方法体系来看待,包括方法论指导、基本研究类型和具体研究方法三个层面,既体现了实证研究的量化特征,也显现出质性分析的典型特征,两者相辅相成,共同支持研究问题的科学解决。未来教育实证研究应该尝试在两个方面推进:既关注传统教育实证研究开展的路径,也关注大数据技术支持下教育实证研究的变革路径和可行途径。

Empirical research as one of the important approaches to scientifically developing education studies has been widely concerned by academicians. The present study reviews the application of empirical research in sociology, psychology, and education, and traces its evolution. Results reveal the logics driving its application in terms of concept, plausibility, and sub-disciplinary diversity. In essence, research and empiricality are two keys to empirical research, the former of which constitutes the core, while the other of which the approach to problem solution. Empirical research as a systematic methodology embodies three dimensions, that is, methodology, typology, and approaches, featuring both quantitative and qualitative paradigms, which collaborate with each other to resolve a problem in a scientific manner. To develop empirical educational research, the present study predicts two trends, one of which is tradition-based, and the other of which is big-datadriven.