The case for problem-making research in the developmental university
Everyone knows that research should solve problems. It’s common sense, especially in the context of lower-income countries striving to improve the living conditions for all citizens. Ethiopian universities are now being encouraged to conduct more problem-solving research and thus function as “devel...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
College of education, Bahir Dar University
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Bahir Dar Journal of Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ajol.info/index.php/bdje/article/view/249027 |
| _version_ | 1797248028348776448 |
|---|---|
| author | Vachel W. Miller |
| author_facet | Vachel W. Miller |
| author_sort | Vachel W. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Everyone knows that research should solve problems. It’s common sense, especially in the context of lower-income countries striving to improve the living conditions for all citizens. Ethiopian universities are now being encouraged to conduct more problem-solving research and thus function as “developmental universities” in support of national growth priorities. However, advocates of problem-solving research have overlooked a major problem. In this essay, I suggest that the discourse of problem-solving research may constrain our research questions and neglect problems that call for critical attention. To widen our research discourse and our research vision, I propose that problem-solving research should be complimented by problem-making research, i.e., research that highlights otherwise hidden issues – including who has the power to frame “problems” – and challenges us to look more critically at the consequences of our “solutions”
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T20:08:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b724358384bd449bbb98937898ad7bd6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1816-336X 2415-0452 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T20:08:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | College of education, Bahir Dar University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bahir Dar Journal of Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-b724358384bd449bbb98937898ad7bd62024-03-23T19:45:25ZengCollege of education, Bahir Dar UniversityBahir Dar Journal of Education1816-336X2415-04522023-06-0116210.4314/bdje.v16i2.The case for problem-making research in the developmental universityVachel W. Miller0Department of Leadership & Educational Studies, Appalachian State University, North Carolina, USA Everyone knows that research should solve problems. It’s common sense, especially in the context of lower-income countries striving to improve the living conditions for all citizens. Ethiopian universities are now being encouraged to conduct more problem-solving research and thus function as “developmental universities” in support of national growth priorities. However, advocates of problem-solving research have overlooked a major problem. In this essay, I suggest that the discourse of problem-solving research may constrain our research questions and neglect problems that call for critical attention. To widen our research discourse and our research vision, I propose that problem-solving research should be complimented by problem-making research, i.e., research that highlights otherwise hidden issues – including who has the power to frame “problems” – and challenges us to look more critically at the consequences of our “solutions” https://www.ajol.info/index.php/bdje/article/view/249027problem-making research, problem-solving research, Ethiopia |
| spellingShingle | Vachel W. Miller The case for problem-making research in the developmental university Bahir Dar Journal of Education problem-making research, problem-solving research, Ethiopia |
| title | The case for problem-making research in the developmental university |
| title_full | The case for problem-making research in the developmental university |
| title_fullStr | The case for problem-making research in the developmental university |
| title_full_unstemmed | The case for problem-making research in the developmental university |
| title_short | The case for problem-making research in the developmental university |
| title_sort | case for problem making research in the developmental university |
| topic | problem-making research, problem-solving research, Ethiopia |
| url | https://www.ajol.info/index.php/bdje/article/view/249027 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vachelwmiller thecaseforproblemmakingresearchinthedevelopmentaluniversity AT vachelwmiller caseforproblemmakingresearchinthedevelopmentaluniversity |