Is Qualitative Research in Education Being Lost in Spain? Analysis and Reflections on the Problems Arising from Generating Knowledge Hegemonically

Authors

Manuel Fernández-Navas, University of Málaga, SpainFollow
Noelia Alcaraz-Salarirche, Unviersity of Málaga, SpainFollow
Laura Pérez-Granados, University of Málaga, SpainFollow
Ana Yara Postigo-Fuentes, University of Málaga, SpainFollow

Abstract

In this paper we reflect on how qualitative research in education in Spain has become invisible, by asking a series of questions. What are the effects of this? What are the keys to understand this marginalisation of qualitative research? What are the implications for researchers and students? What challenges does qualitative research face in order to overcome this lack of visibility? To discuss these issues, we present a series of structured reflections in the form of an essay based on the preliminary impressions that have emerged in the course of a broader investigation that we are conducting and that focuses on the state of qualitative research in education in Spain. Our intention is, on the one hand, to offer a vision of the Spanish panorama to the international community, and on the other hand, to transfer the ideas that have emerged during the course of the research that we are developing to serve as a reflection and resource to other qualitative researchers.

Keywords

Qualitative Research, Policies, Paradigm Wars, Research Training, Publications

Author Bio(s)

Manuel Fernández-Navas is professor in training teacher’s department from Málaga University. He is member of research group HUM311 one of the most important qualitative research group in education in Spain. He has participated in qualitative studies of education and evaluation programs. His interests include case study, evaluation, innovation processes in education and possibilities of action research and lesson study for training teachers and professional development. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: mfernandez1@uma.es.

Noelia Alcaraz-Salarirche is professor in training teacher from Málaga University. She is member of research group HUM311: Innovation and educative evaluation. Her publications and research focus on educative evaluation. Her interests include assessment, innovation, action-research and case study. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: noe@uma.es.

Laura Pérez-Granados is professor in training teacher’s department of Málaga University. She is a member of the HUM311 research group, one of the most important qualitative research group in education in Spain. Her main research lines focus on teacher training, educative evaluation and action-research. She has participated in several educational research projects and she has different publications, some of them from these studies. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: lpgranados@uma.es.

Ana Yara Postigo-Fuentes is a PhD student in training teacher’s department of Málaga University. She is actually researching about esports, video games and education. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: anayara@uma.es.

Publication Date

6-13-2020

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2020.4374

Recommended APA Citation

Fernández-Navas, M., Alcaraz-Salarirche, N., Pérez-Granados, L., & Postigo-Fuentes, A. (2020). Is Qualitative Research in Education Being Lost in Spain? Analysis and Reflections on the Problems Arising from Generating Knowledge Hegemonically. The Qualitative Report, 25(6), 1555-1578. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2020.4374