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What works, for whom, and in what circumstances? Towards a critical realist understanding of learning in international and comparative education

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  • Tikly, Leon
Abstract
The article explores the potential for a critical realist approach to researching learning in international and comparative education (ICE) with a particular focus on the emerging post-2015 education and development agenda. It provides a critique of existing empiricist and interpretivist approaches to researching learning. It is suggested that whilst both have strengths, they are based on an ontologically reductionist view of learning with implications for research, policy and practice. As a ‘third’ research approach critical realism has the potential to build on the strengths whilst avoiding the pitfalls of both empiricism and interpretivism. Such an approach it is argued needs to start from an ontologically inclusive and laminated view of learning. Further, it is suggested that comparative research should focus on the development of theories of learning that are able to explain the natural and social structures and causal mechanisms that give rise to and inhibit learning at different scales and levels and in different contexts. The development of theory ought to embrace epistemological pluralism drawing critically on, cross-cultural, inter-disciplinary and mixed methods enquiry and making use of abductive and retroductive forms of inference. In this way it is argued it becomes possible to move beyond the dominant ‘what works’ agenda favoured by empiricists to critically consider what works, for who and under what circumstances.

Suggested Citation

  • Tikly, Leon, 2015. "What works, for whom, and in what circumstances? Towards a critical realist understanding of learning in international and comparative education," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 237-249.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:40:y:2015:i:c:p:237-249
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2014.11.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Bank, 2011. "Learning for All," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 27790.
    2. Paul W. Glewwe & Eric A. Hanushek & Sarah D. Humpage & Renato Ravina, 2011. "School Resources and Educational Outcomes in Developing Countries: A Review of the Literature from 1990 to 2010," NBER Working Papers 17554, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Helen Abadzi, 2006. "Efficient Learning for the Poor : Insights from the Frontier of Cognitive Neuroscience," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7023.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sumida, Sugata, 2017. "Donor’s motivation of the educational aid," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 17-29.
    2. Parra, Juan David, 2022. "Decentralisation and school-based management in Colombia: An exploration (using systems thinking) of the Full‐Day Schooling programme," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    3. Servaas van der Berg & Gabrielle Wills & Rebecca Selkirk & Charles Adams & Chris van Wyk, 2019. "The cost of repetition in South Africa," Working Papers 13/2019, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    4. Sotiria Grek, 2022. "The education Sustainable Development Goal and the generative power of failing metrics [The Learning Metrics Task Force 2.0: Taking the Global Dialogues on Measuring Learning to the Country Level]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(4), pages 445-457.
    5. Stutchbury, Kristina & Biard, Oliver, 2023. "Practical theorising for the implementation of educational change: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).

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