Theory and Research

1. Macdonald, D., Kirk, D., Metzler, M.,
Nilges, L., Schempp, P.,
Wright, J. (2002). It's all very well, in
theory: theoretical perspectives and
their applications in contemporary
pedagogical research. Quest, 54, 133-
156.
Annie Machamer

2. Type – Purpose - Background
• Position Paper
• Considers how multiple different paradigms
inform the questions we ask and shapes the
conduct of current physical education research.
• Background of educational research is concerned
about the relationship of knowledge and power,
and who holds “truth” and how they arrived at it.

3. Key Points
• A theory refers to a unified, systematic
explanation of a diverse range of phenomena and
that aids prediction
• “Good Theory” is grounded empirically, allowing
for points of investigation to rise, is strong in
explanation/interpretation, and is stated simply.
• Discussion of theory has to be discussed with
discussion on paradigm(s) used. (Working
Together)

4. Activity
• Tyler: The Positivist Perspective (135-137)
• Karl: The Interpretive Perspective (137-140)
• Adam: The Socially Critical Perspective (140-
142)
• Renee: The Poststructuralist Perspective (142-
144)
• Kathleen: The Feminist Perspective (145-148)
• David: Cautions and Conclusions (148-151)

5. Perspective Questions to Answer?
• What does the paradigm mean (definition)?
• What are its strengths?
• What are its weaknesses?
• Does it make any connection to other
paradigms? If so, how?

6. Cautions & Conclusions Questions
to Answer?
• What were the main points of caution?
• What main conclusions did the authors come
to?
• How does this effect the standings, or relate
to all paradigms?

7. Positivist Perspective
• Define: Society like the physical word holds itself to laws, the perspective
uses objective measurements to establish correlations between sets of
variables.
• Strengths: Strong focus on teacher and student behavior, places high
value on observing teacher/student behavior as it is happening in the
most valid environment, provides a snapshot description, and goes
beyond simple description of behavior.
• Weakness : underlying theory was shown to be in error, methodogical
flaws, and applications ineffective.
• Connections: Research has moved from roots in behavior psychology to
roots based in cognitive and social.

8. Interpretive Perspective
• Define: Anthropological approach to research questions and data
collection
• Strengths: Provides insight to multiple levels of attitudes and ‘truths’ to
experiences
• Weakness: Unrepeatable results, each situation is different depending on
researcher and/or participant so same questions in ‘same’ environment
can still yield very different results
• Connections: Feminist paradigms, since it can ‘give voice’ to participants
that may be in a small, fringe group of a specific population whole.

9. Socially Critical Perspective
• Define: All information is theory dependent.
• Strengths: Commitment to social justice, equity and
inclusivity and social change.
• Weaknesses: Can be seen as occupying the moral high ground
and as critics.
• Connection: it is similar to the interpretivist paradigm, as
both are based on previous research.

10. Poststructuralist Perspective
• Postructuralist Perspective investigate how selves and social relations are
constituted in particular relations of power-knowledge. They make visible,
what has been invisible and provides new ways of seeing things. In this
research, they understand how social practices affect gender relations.
• Strengths: Potential as theory to inform empirical research projects.
• Weakness: Focus too much on “hyperindividualistic.” Meaning they over
emphasize on identity politics consumerism, pluralism--they lost sight of
reproductive power and structural constraints.
• connection to other paradigms including interprevist, critical, and post-modern.
It rejects the notions of a reality that is fixed and
humanist/modernist view of the rational autonomous (not controlled by
others or by outside forces) meaning making individual. The only thing
different about the Postructualist Perspective is that it differs with the
kinds of questions that drive planning, research, collection and
interpretation of data.

11. Feminist Perspective
• Define: An attempt to more fully explain women's oppression and offer
solutions for its elimination.
• Strengths: Data collection is generally qualitative in nature in order to
capture the complexities of diverse women's lives. Large population size
• Weaknesses: Fragmented and splintered, feminist perspectives have not
been readily conceded to or uncritically accepted. Bias
• Connections: Gender is understood from a multifaceted and complex
position where a variety of identity categories (e.g., race, class, physical
ability, sexual orientation) intersect with context in the construction of
gender identity.

12. Cautions
• Connect theory to important political, economic, and cultural
issues. Get hands dirty forming alliances with practioners.
• Connect theory to observations and data collection. “Theory
itself can only be refined and advanced when tested and tried
out in the field (p.149).
• Avoid theory becoming instrumental in academic self-promotion.
Need to consider everyday lie-world to forge
theoretical perspectives.
• Avoid theoretical fads.
• Retain and develop our collective memory. Recognize gains
made and incorporate perspectives, such as structural and
post-structural.

13. Conclusion
• Positivist Approach-student’s perspective in physical
education and class interactions.
• Interpretivist Approach-student’s experiences in the
physical education class.
• Critical Approach-action research model to give
students a stronger voice in teaching and learning.
• Postmodern-poststructural-how the learning
environment came to be.
• Feminists—impact of the classroom interactions on
girls.

14. Effects on Paradigms
Theory is indispensable to quality research; but
• -ask good questions;
• -seek well considered ways of coming to
know;
• -communicate inclusiveness if the field is to
progress!

15. Conclusions/implications for practice
and/or future research
• Researchers need to understand each
paradigm/theoretical perspective and how they
are using their particular theory, in relation to the
“bigger picture” of what their research is adding.
• Different paradigms are used to answer different
kinds of questions, yet using multiple theories
together can answer the questions with more
“richness” and provide more insight for future
research .

16. Questions?
• After reviewing this material, what are you
thinking might be your underlying paradigm of
your research?
• With the physical education world today,
what might be the best paradigm to use in
research?
• (David Robertson):D

17. What it meant to me?
• Theory and how it relates to practice
• No theory is better than the other
• Choose the best paradigm that fits your
questions (or multiple)
• Not mutually exclusive, mixed method analysis
can be used