From Numbers to Meaning: Understanding the Paradigms and Axioms of Educational Research

Educational research is not only about collecting data, but also about how researchers view and understand reality. Some see the world as objective and measurable numbers, while others emphasize meaning, experience, and narrative. This has given rise to two major paths in research, namely quantitative and qualitative, with paradigms, axioms, and specific concepts that distinguish the two.

First, the research paradigm serves as a philosophical foundation. Quantitative research is rooted in positivism, which considers reality to be fixed, measurable, and neutral in terms of value. Researchers maintain distance so as not to influence the object being studied. Meanwhile, qualitative research is based on constructivism, which believes that reality is pluralistic, dynamic, and influenced by social interactions. Researchers become part of the research to understand its deeper meaning.

Second, the axioms in research are also different. Quantitative research believes that cause-and-effect relationships can be clearly identified, data is in the form of numbers, and researchers act as neutral observers. In contrast, qualitative research assumes that reality is complex, the relationship between the researcher and the participants is interactive, and the data consists of words, symbols, and narratives. These differences show that quantitative research is oriented towards objectivity, while qualitative research is oriented towards understanding context.

Third, specific concepts also serve as indicators of research quality. Quantitative research emphasizes validity, reliability, and generalization. Valid instruments and reliable data enable results to be generalized to a broader population. Meanwhile, qualitative research emphasizes credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. These concepts ensure that research results are trustworthy, consistent, and relevant, even if they cannot be generalized.

Fourth, the implications of these differences are evident in educational research practices. Quantitative research is more appropriate for measuring relationships between variables, such as the effect of learning models on achievement. Qualitative research is used to understand the experiences of teachers and students in the classroom context. When combined, educational research becomes more comprehensive, as numbers provide measurement while narratives provide meaning.

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that quantitative and qualitative are two different approaches built from their respective paradigms, axioms, and concepts. Quantitative excels in measurement and generalization, while qualitative is strong in meaning and context. Instead of being opposed, the two can complement each other to produce more comprehensive educational research.

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*) This article is a review of Part V (Paradigms, Axioms, and Specific Concepts of Quantitative and Qualitative Research) from the teaching materials for the Management Research Methods course, taught by Prof. Dr. H. A Rusdiana, M.M (https://digilib.uinsgd.ac.id/id/eprint/121673 )