Postgraduate research in Pacific education: Interpretivism and other trends

This article examines research by postgraduate students in education at the University of the South Pacific (USP) between 1968 and 2009. These experienced educators, who later return to their original education sector to influence policy and practice in some way, are producing new knowledge intimate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Prospects (Paris) 2012-06, Vol.42 (2), p.221-233
Main Authors: Burnett, Greg, Lingam, Govinda Ishwar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to Education
Beliefs
College Students
Cultural identity
Cultural Maintenance
Distance Education
Education
Education policy
Educational Development
Educational Research
Educational Trends
Equality
Foreign Countries
Global Approach
Graduate studies
Higher Education
International and Comparative Education
Journalism Education
New Zealand
Nontraditional Education
School Districts
Supervision
Teacher Improvement
Teacher Qualifications
Trends/Cases
University research
Vocational Education
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Summary:This article examines research by postgraduate students in education at the University of the South Pacific (USP) between 1968 and 2009. These experienced educators, who later return to their original education sector to influence policy and practice in some way, are producing new knowledge intimately connected to Pacific education systems. The article identifies broad trends in supervision, growth in completed degrees, research area, and national focus, and makes some comparisons with similar research in New Zealand. The article also focuses on how students position their research theoretically, using Lather’s research paradigm typology. The analysis indicates that many of these projects are positioned within an interpretivist paradigm, a few within positivist and emancipationist paradigms, and none at all within deconstructivist paradigms. The authors suggest that a Pacific education system underpinned by socially-critical theoretical perspectives, particularly deconstructive ones, can better respond to the twin challenges of creating universal and equitable access to education and arresting the loss of language, culture, identity, and life skills via rapid globalization.
ISSN:0033-1538
1573-9090
DOI:10.1007/s11125-012-9230-1