Review

The struggle for recognition: Qualitative research in adult education

Samuel Kofi Badu-Nyarko

Institute of Continuing and Distance Education, University of Ghana, Legon

E-mail: sbnyarko57@yahoo.com

Accepted August 20, 2013

Abstract

Qualitative research designs over the years had been down played in research work by a number of researchers particularly those with flair for quantitative methods. They believed that it is only when rigorous statistical measures are applied to research analysis that it could be deemed scientific. They also believed that when predetermined questions and figures are applied to research work that interpretations and conclusions could be drawn. These post- positivists use deductive means to arrive at reality and conclusions. Post-positivists or positivism holds the philosophy that the problems that they study in education reflect the need to identify and assess the causes that eventually influence outcomes as found in experimental research. Such studies tend to utilize large samples and make inferences without providing critical reasons for such occurrences. However, constructivists and qualitative researchers also beloved that working through ethnographic design and observation of behavior can bring about shared patterns of behavior over time and help explain the worldview of participants and groups. This controversy has been waged within the educational realm particularly in adult education for some time. It is therefore the view of this paper to bring about the role qualitative research plays in adult education as it seeks for recognition among researchers in education.

Keywords: Qualitative research, Education, Adult education, Research designs, Quantitative research.