Situational Analysis:An Educational Qualitative Research Method Beyond Grounded Theory
Situational analysis is a qualitative research method that is proposed based on grounded theory and echoes the needs of postmodern society for contextuality,complexity,diversity,and contradiction.Since Clark proposed situational analysis in 2003,situational analysis has been widely used in various disci-plines.It takes the basic starting point of exploring"the incredibly diverse panorama of human life",and makes up for the lack of attention to situation in grounded theory by constructing three layers of maps:situa-tional map,social spheres/power arenas maps,and positional map.The situational map points to an analysis of the presentation of a wide range of elements that appear in the situation of a research questions and the re-lationships between the elements,which is designed to help open up the analytical process so that the re-searcher can elucidate the main elements of the situation from an ontological perspective;the social worlds/arenas map points to a meso-level interpretation of the situation,which is designed to show the entire range of collective actors in the research situation,the key non-human elements,and the arenas involved in the ongoing negotiation,providing the researcher with a broader interpretation of the situation;the positional map points to a micro-level analysis of the controversy,which is designed to help researchers banish the"maze"of dichotomous or persistent over-simplified divisions.As an empirical method in qualitative re-search paradigm,situational analysis is based on the most influential research paradigm in current social science and the"forefront of the qualitative research revolution"of grounded theory.Grounded theory was"resharpened"at four levels:object,subject,elements,and research techniques and a qualitative research method was developed beyond grounded theory.In terms of research object,situational analysis has realized the transcendence from focusing on the basic process of society to focusing on diversified situations;in terms of research subject,situational analysis has realized the transcendence from focusing on the protagonist of the discourse power to the inclusion of"implicated"actors;in terms of research elements,situational analysis has realized the transcendence from focusing on the human element to the inclusion of the non-human ele-ment;and in terms of research techniques,situational analysis has realized the transcendence from"tearing"the story to telling it in its entirety.Because of the compatibility of situational analysis with the disciplinary attribute that pedagogy exists for the"existence of human beings",the inherent consistency with the em-phasis on situation in educational research,and the satisfaction of constructing an autonomous knowledge system of pedagogy in the new era,situational analysis has been applied to educational theory and practiced by more and more educational researchers.In the process of gradual development,situational analysis has be-come an educational qualitative research method,and has been applied to macro educational policy research,meso educational inequality research,and micro classroom teaching research.Compared with developed countries such as Europe and the United States,China's attention to situational analysis is late and in its in-fancy.The systematical clarification of rise and development,mapping and analysis,the transcendence to grounded theory,and its appropriateness and application of situational analysis in educational research is of great significance in improving the scientific application and comprehensive promotion of situational analysis in educational research in China.
situational analysisgrounded theoryeducational qualitative researcheducational research
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