HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Unit III

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 1

HISTORY

Meaningful record of human achievement

RESEARCH

Formal, systematic application of scientific method to the

study of problems

(Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications, 10th Edition,Gay and Mills, 2012)

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 2

 HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Historical research is a procedure supplementary to

observation in which the researcher seeks to test the
authenticity of the reports or observation made by
others.

Historical research involving analysis of events that

occurred in the remote or recent past.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 3

 HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Historical research has been defined as the

systematic and objective location, evaluation and
synthesis of evidence in order to establish facts
and draw conclusions about past events.

It involves a critical inquiry of a previous age with

the aim of reconstructing a faithful representation
of the past.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 4

 HISTORICAL RESEARCH

EXAMPLE
✦How does a philosophy and religion shape a society.

RESEARCH QUESTION
✦What impact did Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,etc
on the society?

✦How was a religion text(Quran, Bible) is used to justify

power ,change etc?

✦What were the causes or impacts of the spread of

political philosophy?

✦How did a religion get adopted or change as it spread?

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 5

 CHARACTERISTICS OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

✴It is not a mere accumulation of facts and data

✴It is a flowing, vibrant report of past events

✴Collecting and reading the research material

✴It deals with discovery of data

✴It is analytical in that it uses logical induction.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 6

 TYPES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Social issues

Study of specific individuals, educational

institutions & social movements

Exploration of relationships between events

Synthesis of data

Reinterpretation of past events

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 7

 PURPOSES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

✓To solve contemporary problems.

✓Learn from past failures and success .

✓Make prediction.

✓To re-evaluate data in relation to selected

hypotheses, theories and generalizations.

✓To understand how and why educational theories

and practices developed.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 8

 STEPS OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 9

WHY WOULD A PERSON WANT TO CONDUCT HISTORICAL RESEARCH

Historical research is conducted to

uncover the unknown

answer questions

relationship- past to the present

record and evaluate accomplishments of individuals,

agencies, or institutions.

aid in understanding the culture in which we live.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 10

 HISTORICAL RESEARCH

WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION IS USED WHEN

CONDUCTING A HISTORICAL RESEARCH STUDY?

๏Documents

๏Records

๏Photographs

๏Relics

๏Interviews

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 11

HISTORICAL RESEARCH- SOURCES OF DATA

12
Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU
These sources are broadly classified into two types:

Primary Sources
Documents

Numerical records

Oral statement

Relics and Remains

Secondary Sources
Text Book

Encyclopedia

Biography

Periodicals

Other references

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 13

 SCOPES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION

✦General educational history of specific periods.

✦History of national education policies.

✦History of the role of the teacher.

✦History of specific types of education.

✦History of specific components of education

✦History of admission processes in professional

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 14

 SCOPES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATION

✦General educational history of specific periods.

✦History of educational administration, finance,

legislation, planning.

✦Historical biographies of major contributors to

education

✦Comparative history of education

✦Historical study of the relationship between politics

and education.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 15

 PROBLEMS AND WEAKNESS TO BE AVOIDED IN HISTORICAL
RESEARCH

➡The researcher needs to synthesize facts into

meaningful chronological patterns.

➡The researcher needs to be aware of his/her own

personal values.

➡Adequate criticism of sources of historical data is

essential.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 16

 IMPORTANCE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

It enables educationists to find out solutions to

temporary problems which have their roots in the past.

It throws light on present trends and can help in

predicting future trends.

It enables a researcher to re-evaluate data in relation

to select hypothesis, theories and generalizations that
are presently held about the past.

It enables us to understand how and why educational

theories and practices developed.

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 17

 CRITICISM

(i) External Criticism of Data

Establishes the authenticity or genuineness of data
The document is true or forgery
Establishing the age of the document

ii) Internal Criticism of Data

Evaluating the accuracy
Agreement among the witnesses

Dr. Nisanth.P.M, Assistant Professor, Dept of Education, RGU 18