Michael L. Kamil
Some Alternatives to Paradigm Wars in Literacy Research
The Ohio State University
past decade seen largescale debate educational research termed paradigm wars gage 1989 suggests one set dates march 1989 international conference alternative paradigms inquiry similar debate played literacy research specifically although perhaps pervasively publicly educational research general roots battles surely traced even back time difficult state succinctly substance issues space limitations alone would prevent endeavor even cursory examination back issues educational researcher past 5 10 years easily yield major sources information debate suggested debate quantitative versus qualitative research others believed debate ethnographic experimental paradigms still others argued positivism postpositivistic philosophies candidate causes debate political agendas personalities financial rewards like short little agreement underlying issues represented readers often see debate winning side matches perspective literacy several recent examples debate played first exchange mckenna robinson miller 1990a 1990b edelsky