24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 1 Constructing thesis chapters in the era of complexity Bal Chandra Luitel,...

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 1

Constructing thesis Constructing thesis chapters in the era of chapters in the era of complexitycomplexity

Bal Chandra Luitel, SMEC, Curtin University Bal Chandra Luitel, SMEC, Curtin University of Technology of Technology


Summary

Meanings of complexity Meanings of complexity Complexity and education research Complexity and education research Axiology, epistemology and ontology Axiology, epistemology and ontology Quality standards Quality standards Organizing thesis chapters Organizing thesis chapters Managing the complexity Managing the complexity My chapter layout My chapter layout


What is complexity really?

Natural laws like Newton’s law or Kepler’s law Natural laws like Newton’s law or Kepler’s law represent the domain of order. Chaos was understood represent the domain of order. Chaos was understood to belong to a different face of nature where simple — to belong to a different face of nature where simple — or even complicated — laws would not be valid. or even complicated — laws would not be valid.

In other words, chaos was seen not just as a higher In other words, chaos was seen not just as a higher degree of complexity or as a more complex form of degree of complexity or as a more complex form of order, but as a condition in which nature fails to obey order, but as a condition in which nature fails to obey laws. laws.

Even more challenging was the observation that Even more challenging was the observation that natural systems seem to have no difficulty switching natural systems seem to have no difficulty switching from one state into the other, from laminar flow into from one state into the other, from laminar flow into turbulent flow, from a regular heart beat into a turbulent flow, from a regular heart beat into a fibrillating heart beat, from predictability into fibrillating heart beat, from predictability into unpredictability unpredictability (Peitgen, Jürgens, & Saupe, 2004)(Peitgen, Jürgens, & Saupe, 2004). .


What is complexity really?

Primarily the notion of complexity represents an existence Primarily the notion of complexity represents an existence of adversaries interdependently. They can be: of adversaries interdependently. They can be: Order and Chaos Order and Chaos Predictability and Unpredictability Predictability and Unpredictability Certainty and Uncertainty Certainty and Uncertainty Linear and Nonlinear Linear and Nonlinear Mechanical and Organic Mechanical and Organic Regular and Irregular Regular and Irregular Structural and Open Structural and Open Pre-determined and Emergent Pre-determined and Emergent


Complexity science

It is different from the Enlightenment science.It is different from the Enlightenment science. It combines several areas of research including It combines several areas of research including

cybernetics, systems theory, artificial intelligence and cybernetics, systems theory, artificial intelligence and nonlinear dynamics.nonlinear dynamics.

Complexity science is an approach to understanding Complexity science is an approach to understanding social and natural worlds through systems that social and natural worlds through systems that operate at higher levels.operate at higher levels.

It recognizes the fact that part of the world we live It recognizes the fact that part of the world we live and act is not ordered, planned and pre-determined. and act is not ordered, planned and pre-determined.

(Davis & Simmt, 2003) (Davis & Simmt, 2003)


Complexity and educational research

Axiological, Ontological and Epistemological, pluralism: Axiological, Ontological and Epistemological, pluralism: What is knowledge? Is there one kind of knowledge? What is knowledge? Is there one kind of knowledge? How do we know? What are my values? What is to be How do we know? What are my values? What is to be known? What is the role of emergence in valuing, known? What is the role of emergence in valuing, knowing and being?knowing and being?

___|_________|_____________|_________|_______|__________|____Positivist Post-positivist Interpretivist Critical Postmodern IntegralPositivist Post-positivist Interpretivist Critical Postmodern Integral

Taylor (2006)Taylor (2006)


Complexity and educational research: How does the world look like according to Complexity Science?

Ordered world

Partially Ordered world

Adversaries

Occasioned events

Emergent Aesthetics

Collectives

Crisis

Redundancy


Valuing: Axiological dimension

Who is doing the research?Who is doing the research? How does the researcher conceptualize How does the researcher conceptualize

her/himself in the web of social/professional her/himself in the web of social/professional networks?networks?

How will the researcher be as a moral person in How will the researcher be as a moral person in the world?the world?

What are the researcher’s personal and What are the researcher’s personal and professional values? professional values?

What type of knowledge does the researcher What type of knowledge does the researcher value as a person and as an educator? value as a person and as an educator?


Knowing : Epistemology

How do I know the world? How do I know the world? Literal versus Metaphoric Literal versus Metaphoric Pre-determined versus Emerging Pre-determined versus Emerging Scientific versus Artful or Arts-basedScientific versus Artful or Arts-based Decultural versus Cultural Decultural versus Cultural Structural versus semi-openStructural versus semi-open Factual versus fictive imagining Factual versus fictive imagining Monological versus dialogicalMonological versus dialogical Rational knowledge versus wisdomRational knowledge versus wisdom

(Taylor & Wallace, 2007)(Taylor & Wallace, 2007)


Relationship between known and inquirer: Epistemology

Known Known Inquirer Inquirer

Impersonal knowledge Impersonal knowledge Detached self Detached self

Mediated knowledge Mediated knowledge Participatory self Participatory self

Critical self knowledge Critical self knowledge Reflexive self Reflexive self

Holistic knowledge Holistic knowledge Immersed and wise self Immersed and wise self

Knowledge/Knowing as Knowledge/Knowing as bricolage bricolage

Self as bricoleur Self as bricoleur

Guba and Lincoln (2005), Taylor and Wallace (2007)Guba and Lincoln (2005), Taylor and Wallace (2007)


Nature of reality: Ontology

Correspondence theory of Correspondence theory of truthtruth

Detached self Detached self

Critical realism Critical realism Detached self Detached self

Historical realism Historical realism Detached and attached Detached and attached self self

Relativism Relativism Local and specific self Local and specific self

Integralism Integralism Attached, detached, Attached, detached, experiential and wise self experiential and wise self

Guba and Lincoln (2005), Settelmaier and Taylor (2001)Guba and Lincoln (2005), Settelmaier and Taylor (2001)


Nature of Being: Ontology I and reality are separate. ‘I’ is invisible. ‘I’ is an object. ‘I’ I and reality are separate. ‘I’ is invisible. ‘I’ is an object. ‘I’

is the means of something else. is the means of something else. I is socio-historical construct. Oppression, resistance and I is socio-historical construct. Oppression, resistance and

struggle defines I.struggle defines I. I is defined in the web of others. They exist therefore I I is defined in the web of others. They exist therefore I

am. am. I is more important than others. I exist therefore I am. I is more important than others. I exist therefore I am. I is only complete when it combines with higher holons. I is only complete when it combines with higher holons.

Kincheloe and McLauren (2005), Wilber (1996), Kincheloe and McLauren (2005), Wilber (1996), Guba and Lincoln (2005)Guba and Lincoln (2005)


Quality standards Internal and external validity, reliability, and objectivity, Internal and external validity, reliability, and objectivity,

rational-analytical textsrational-analytical texts Historical situatedness, erosion of ignorance and Historical situatedness, erosion of ignorance and

misapprehension, action stimulus, misapprehension, action stimulus, rational-analytical-rational-analytical-historical texts historical texts

Trustworthiness and authenticity, Trustworthiness and authenticity, mediated textsmediated texts Arts-based criteria: verisimilitude, poetic, dramatic control, Arts-based criteria: verisimilitude, poetic, dramatic control,

multi-layered textsmulti-layered texts (capturing complexity is possible here) (capturing complexity is possible here) Genre-based criteria for performance texts: stories, Genre-based criteria for performance texts: stories,

ethnodramas, testimonio, testimonial and poems: ethnodramas, testimonio, testimonial and poems: texts with texts with alternative logicsalternative logics (capturing complexity is possible here) (capturing complexity is possible here)

Emerging quality standards (Emergence is the hallmark of Emerging quality standards (Emergence is the hallmark of complexity science) complexity science)

Guba & Lincoln (2005), Eisner (1997), Davis and Sumara Guba & Lincoln (2005), Eisner (1997), Davis and Sumara (2005)(2005)


Organizing Thesis Chapters: managing complexities DiachronicDiachronic versus Synchronic versus Synchronic AutobiographicAutobiographic versus Neutral text versus Neutral text RhetoricalRhetorical versus Thematic versus Thematic Pre-determinedPre-determined versus Emerging versus Emerging Arts-basedArts-based versus Scientific versus Scientific MetaphoricalMetaphorical versus Literal versus Literal Taylor and Wallace (2007)Taylor and Wallace (2007)

Maintaining coherence through emergence|structured relationship


Organizing thesis chapters

The logic of causation may not be always useful in The logic of causation may not be always useful in the context of complexity: the context of complexity: Emergent events cannot Emergent events cannot be caused but might be be caused but might be occasionedoccasioned..

A shift from prescriptive thinking to proscriptive A shift from prescriptive thinking to proscriptive thinking: An appropriate logic for complexity science thinking: An appropriate logic for complexity science is is proscriptiveproscriptive..

According to complexity science, According to complexity science, internal diversityinternal diversity, , redundancyredundancy and and interdependenceinterdependence are very important are very important features. Perhaps, a features. Perhaps, a reductionist logicreductionist logic may not be may not be useful in representing the complexity. useful in representing the complexity.

Davis and Simmt (2003) Davis and Simmt (2003)


My chapter layout

Title: Theme(s) from my autobiography Title: Theme(s) from my autobiography

OverviewOverview (can be a self-conscious and a co- (can be a self-conscious and a co-generative form of writing)generative form of writing)

Datatexts Datatexts (they will be different kinds of performance texts)(they will be different kinds of performance texts)

Layered interpretations Layered interpretations

Summary of the chapter Summary of the chapter

(Some boxed texts will help represent my (Some boxed texts will help represent my feelings of writing the chapter.feelings of writing the chapter.))


Managing the complexity

Employing dialectical approach as an overarching Employing dialectical approach as an overarching principle. This implies : principle. This implies : that the researcher needs to make a balance between that the researcher needs to make a balance between

adversaries such as emerging and structured, fact-based adversaries such as emerging and structured, fact-based and fictional imagining and so forth. and fictional imagining and so forth. (Balancing act)(Balancing act)

that dialectics are developmental. The researcher needs to that dialectics are developmental. The researcher needs to develop a new vision out of adversaries. This can be the develop a new vision out of adversaries. This can be the researcher’s contribution to the field. researcher’s contribution to the field. (Developmental (Developmental approach)approach)

that the researcher cannot avoid alternative views about the that the researcher cannot avoid alternative views about the issue s/he is taking into consideration in her/his research. issue s/he is taking into consideration in her/his research. S/he needs to explore alternative logics that help uncover S/he needs to explore alternative logics that help uncover further her/his research territory. further her/his research territory. (Alternative logics)(Alternative logics)


List of references

Davis, B., & Simmt, E. (2003). Understanding learning systems: Mathematics education and Davis, B., & Simmt, E. (2003). Understanding learning systems: Mathematics education and complexity science. complexity science. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 34Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 34(2), 137. (2), 137.

Davis, B. and Sumara, D. J. (2005) Challenging Images of Knowing: Complexity science and Davis, B. and Sumara, D. J. (2005) Challenging Images of Knowing: Complexity science and educational research, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 18, pp. educational research, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 18, pp. 305–321.305–321.

Eisner, E. (1997a) The new frontier in qualitative research methodology, Eisner, E. (1997a) The new frontier in qualitative research methodology, Qualitative Inquiry, Qualitative Inquiry, 3(3), 259–273.3(3), 259–273.

Guba, E. G. & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005) Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging Guba, E. G. & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005) Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging confluences, in: N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds) confluences, in: N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds) The The Sage Sage handbook of qualitative handbook of qualitative research research (3rd edn). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.(3rd edn). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Kincheloe, J. L., & McLaren, P. (2005). Rethinking critical theory and qualitative inquiry. In N. Kincheloe, J. L., & McLaren, P. (2005). Rethinking critical theory and qualitative inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitativeresearchThe Sage handbook of qualitativeresearch (3rd ed., pp. (3rd ed., pp. 303-342). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.303-342). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Peitgen, H.-O., Jürgens, H., & Saupe, D. (2004). Peitgen, H.-O., Jürgens, H., & Saupe, D. (2004). Chaos and fractals: New frontiers of scienceChaos and fractals: New frontiers of science . . New York: Springer.New York: Springer.

Settelmaier, E., & Taylor, P. C. (2001). Wilber’s Settelmaier, E., & Taylor, P. C. (2001). Wilber’s integral philosophy integral philosophy and educational research: and educational research: Fleshing out the seventh moment (and beyond?). Paper presented at the Annual Fleshing out the seventh moment (and beyond?). Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Fremantle, W.A.Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Fremantle, W.A.

Taylor, P. C. & Wallace, J. (Eds.) (2007). Taylor, P. C. & Wallace, J. (Eds.) (2007). Contemporary qualitative research: Exemplars for Contemporary qualitative research: Exemplars for science and mathematics educators.science and mathematics educators. (Dordrecht: Springer.) (Dordrecht: Springer.)

Taylor, P. (2006).Taylor, P. (2006).Research paradigms: Research paradigms: SMEC 691/692 class note. SMEC 691/692 class note. Wilber, K. (1996). Wilber, K. (1996). A brief history of everythingA brief history of everything. Boston: Shambhala. . Boston: Shambhala.

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 1 Constructing thesis chapters in the era of complexity Bal Chandra Luitel,...

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