Designed to help the reader move through an empirical research project,
this book describes how they can think like a researcher. Methods and
methodologies are presented as pragmatic tools to address research
questions. Research into adult learning is different from educational
research more broadly as it recognizes and applies the power of
narrative and experience. Adult learning is a localized and highly
diverse endeavor, and inevitably reflects the life experiences and
identity of those involved, making their stories essential. There is a
fundamental link between adult learning and the lifeworld of those who
are involved in that learning. Whether we are considering a community
project supporting adults to tell their immigration stories in a new
language, a university instructor encouraging students to think about
the assumptions behind the economics curriculum, a group working to
re-establish an Indigenous language in a community, or a corporate
trainer delivering anti-harassment sessions, the vast majority of
education for adults does not fit the taken for granted assumptions of
school-centered educational research. One implication is the need for
researchers in adult learning to apply the tools differently.
The book is organized in four parts. A satisfying research project has
coherence across the various parts (research question, methodology,
methods, claim to knowledge) and the parts of the book reflect these
four areas. Part 1 is about learning to think like a researcher,
including ethical guidelines and how to work out the details of a
research question. Part 2 discusses methods in a concrete way, to give
readers a sense of what the activity of researching looks like. This
book looks at a range of qualitative approaches but does not shy away
from research with numbers as a way to generate knowledge. Part 3
discusses methodologies for connecting the data generated by methods to
findings. Part 4 deals with communicating findings, and also looks at
research proposals. A glossary helps readers encountering new
terminology, and appendices include a sample research proposal and a
sample consent form, as well as resources to learn more about the topic.
