Salma Siti Fauziah/5th Semester Student/D/Department of Islamic Education Management/Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training/Undergraduate Program/UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung
Rapid changes in the world of education in line with globalization have led to the emergence of new phenomena in research. Research is no longer merely descriptive, but is required to be based on a solid methodology, utilizing scientific paradigms and comprehensive data analysis. The assumption underlying this is that the quality of research methodology will greatly determine the quality and relevance of educational policy recommendations. However, the reality in Indonesia shows a gap: much research is still understood as merely the application of technical methods without regard to the philosophical framework. As a result, research often stops at academic formalities, rather than serving as an instrument for solving problems. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the foundations of educational management research methodology in order to strengthen the capacity of academics and practitioners.
First: Quantitative research is based on the positivistic paradigm, which emphasizes objectivity, measurement, and theory verification. This paradigm views reality as something singular, measurable, and explainable through universal laws. Its basic assumptions include objectivity to reduce bias, generalization so that findings are widely applicable, and causality that explains the cause-and-effect relationship between variables. Quantitative research produces accurate, valid, and reliable data to test hypotheses and understand educational phenomena systematically and consistently. Valid and reliable instruments are key to ensuring that data is valid, objective, and generalizable. With this positivistic foundation, research produces consistent findings, although they still need to be interpreted contextually.
Second: Quantitative research has characteristics that aim to test hypotheses, measure variables, and explain the cause-and-effect relationships between phenomena. This research produces empirical evidence that can strengthen or reject theories. The procedure is systematic, with the main designs being experiments, surveys, and ex post facto, which allow for objective, structured, and replicable analysis of the relationships between variables. This approach also has limitations because it tends to ignore social context, lacks understanding of meaning, and relies on instruments that do not always reflect the complexity of reality. With its strengths and limitations, quantitative research can be used more wisely, especially when combined with other methods to provide a more comprehensive picture of education.
Third: Qualitative research has specific characteristics based on interpretive and constructivist paradigms. These paradigms emphasize that social reality is pluralistic, constructed through interaction, and understood from the perspective of individuals or groups. The main focus is on the meaning, process, and experiences of participants. Researchers seek to understand phenomena narratively and contextually by emphasizing social and cultural dynamics, as well as the course of events being studied. Qualitative research is conducted in a naturalistic and interactive manner, through interviews, observations, and document analysis. This research has limitations in terms of generalization and is prone to subjectivity. Therefore, qualitative research is important as a complement to quantitative research to understand the complexity of social reality, especially in the context of education.
Fourth: Research types are distinguished based on paradigm and data analysis. Quantitative research includes descriptive, comparative, correlational, and experimental research. Descriptive research describes phenomena as they are, comparative research compares groups, correlational research examines the relationship between variables without cause and effect, while experimental research tests the influence of variables with strict controls. The choice of research type is tailored to the research objectives. Educational research includes quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Quantitative emphasizes measurement and statistics, qualitative focuses on meaning through ethnography, phenomenology, case studies, and grounded theory. Mixed-methods combines both for comprehensive understanding. Quantitative analysis uses statistics, while qualitative uses coding, categorization, and thematic analysis, increasing the validity of the research.
In conclusion, educational research has a variety of approaches with different paradigms and objectives. Quantitative research emphasizes objectivity, measurement, and theory verification, producing reliable data to test hypotheses and explain cause-and-effect relationships, but often fails to capture social meaning. Qualitative research focuses more on meaning, experience, and socio-cultural dynamics, although it is limited in terms of generalization. Thus, the use of quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods needs to be adapted to the research context in order to provide a more complete, in-depth, and comprehensive understanding of educational phenomena.
Tulisan ini merupakan resensi dari Part 3 (Fondasi Metodologi Riset Manajemen Pendidikan. Metodologi Riset & Jenis Riset: dari Segi Paradigma dan Jenis Analisis Data) dari bahan ajar mata kuliah Metode Penelitian Manajemen, Pengampu mata kuliah Prof. Dr. H. A Rusdiana, M.MÂ
