You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
Theoretical issues in research methods concern the fundamental questions about what kind of knowledge sociology should produce and how best to produce it. When applied to the context of education, theoretical considerations help us evaluate whether a particular method is capable of providing a valid, reliable, and representative account of educational phenomena. Theoretical issues also include how different sociological perspectives influence the choice of method and the interpretation of findings.
Validity refers to whether a research method produces a true, authentic, and accurate picture of what is really happening. A valid study captures the reality of social life as experienced by the participants.
Key Definition: Validity — the extent to which a research method measures what it claims to measure, producing a true and authentic picture of the social phenomenon being studied.
Different methods produce different levels of validity when applied to education:
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.