行動研究是否科學？對W.Carr論教育科學與行動研究之分析及其啟示

Is Action Research Scientific? A Study Based on W.Carr's Perspectives Concerning Educational Science and Action Research

「行動研究」大抵於第二次世界大戰前後發軔於美國，至今已有數十年之久。就台灣地區的教育研究而言，1990年代中後期之後，行動研究的數量才逐漸有明顯的增加。雖然如此，許多承繼實證主義傳統之專家學者仍認為行動研究並非科學研究。筆者認為這樣的觀點對教育學門之學術發展，以及教育實務問題的解決將產生負面影響。因此，本文以英國學者W. Carr對教育科學與行動研究之討論為基礎，闡明行動研究應為教育科學的一種形式，且是一種批判實踐道德，以及以哲學探究為核心之科學。不過，這並非意謂所有的行動研究皆能稱為科學。透過對本身先前兩個行動研究之反省，筆者指出行動研究的過程中可能出現何種問題而妨礙其科學性。希望藉此，協助實務工作者之行動研究往科學及教育科學的方向前進。

Action research has been developed and utilized for decades. However， its practice in the field of educational research in Taiwan is not fruitful until the mid 1990s. Some researchers， especially those who hold perspectives of positivism， still do not recognize action research as a scientific way of research. In this situation， the utilization of action research in practical problem solving and theory development may be limited. Based on W. Carr's discourses concerning educational science and action research， this article illuminates that action research could be considered as an effort of scientific enquiry. Besides， the author points out that action research is also a kind of critical， practical， and moral science consisting of philosophical enquiry. Nevertheless， whether action research is scientific depends on how it is conducted. In an effort to help future action researchers to grasp the merits of the scientific methodology， the author provides criteria and suggestions for researchers after the self reflection on two previous action researches in which he participated.