Reconceptualising research methodology in philosophy of education

Abstract

In education theory and practice, philosophy serves as an instrument of action to facilitate the process of inquiry. The implication is that philosophy which is an independent academic discipline is only required to give direction to theoretical and practi cal realms of education. In this case, philosophical methods, principles, theories, perspectives are used to solve an experienced problem that is perceived to overawe education either in its theoretical or practical dimension. Accordingly, Kani and Sa’ad ( 2015:21) argue that a philosophical research is an activity of investigation which is defined as both a scientific and an abstract search for knowledge, or any systematic enquiry that is envisaged to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, p rove new ideas, or develop new theories. A philosophical research in education is either a scientific or an abstract attempt which aims at finding solutions to educational questions based on a clearly identifiable technique. Hitherto, the current approach to research in philosophy of education seems to be confined to the strategies of exploring problems within the discipline of philosophy. A glaring problem is that philosophy of education and philosophy itself are two distinct disciplines and the two are ne ither tantamount nor proxies. Therefore, this blatant negation provides the contextual basis of this paper.