Meanings Attributed to the Concept of Research Methodology by Brainers of a Doctorate in Education

Abstract

This paper reports visions around the concept of research methodology, which emerged when identifying and organizing inferred meanings from the discourse of professors of a doctoral program in education. Some approaches of those who have studied the dynamics of academic cultures were used in the analysis and interpretation of what was found. The study approach was qualitative; it was carried out in congruence with the characteristics of the single case study method and the focus group technique was used to explore the inner meanings by the participating trainers. Among the predominant views on the concept of research methodology, two were detected: one normative-instrumental and the other constructive, which were considered as features of at least two coexisting academic subcultures in the institution offering the doctorate, which is explainable by the diversity of backgrounds, training and trajectory of the participating professors. However, the possibility of negotiating the differences of meanings and interpretations is admitted (Bruner, 1990), in such a way that the academic discourse becomes the main mediation to do it in an understandable way, because the researchers enrolled in the program sustain and they perform in their job as researchers and in their role as trainers.