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

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 2 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

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 3 What is complexity really? Natural laws like Newton’s law or Kepler’s law represent the domain of order. Chaos was understood to belong to a different face of nature where simple — or even complicated — laws would not be valid. Natural laws like Newton’s law or Kepler’s law represent the domain of order. Chaos was understood to belong to a different face of nature where simple — or even complicated — laws would not be valid. In other words, chaos was seen not just as a higher degree of complexity or as a more complex form of order, but as a condition in which nature fails to obey laws. In other words, chaos was seen not just as a higher degree of complexity or as a more complex form of order, but as a condition in which nature fails to obey laws. Even more challenging was the observation that natural systems seem to have no difficulty switching from one state into the other, from laminar flow into turbulent flow, from a regular heart beat into a fibrillating heart beat, from predictability into unpredictability (Peitgen, Jürgens, & Saupe, 2004). Even more challenging was the observation that natural systems seem to have no difficulty switching from one state into the other, from laminar flow into turbulent flow, from a regular heart beat into a fibrillating heart beat, from predictability into unpredictability (Peitgen, Jürgens, & Saupe, 2004).

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 4 What is complexity really? Primarily the notion of complexity represents an existence of adversaries interdependently. They can be: Primarily the notion of complexity represents an existence 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

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 5 Complexity science It is different from the Enlightenment science. It is different from the Enlightenment science. It combines several areas of research including cybernetics, systems theory, artificial intelligence and nonlinear dynamics. It combines several areas of research including cybernetics, systems theory, artificial intelligence and nonlinear dynamics. Complexity science is an approach to understanding social and natural worlds through systems that operate at higher levels. Complexity science is an approach to understanding social and natural worlds through systems that operate at higher levels. It recognizes the fact that part of the world we live and act is not ordered, planned and pre-determined. It recognizes the fact that part of the world we live and act is not ordered, planned and pre-determined. (Davis & Simmt, 2003)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 6 Complexity and educational research Axiological, Ontological and Epistemological, pluralism: What is knowledge? Is there one kind of knowledge? How do we know? What are my values? What is to be known? What is the role of emergence in valuing, knowing and being? Axiological, Ontological and Epistemological, pluralism: What is knowledge? Is there one kind of knowledge? How do we know? What are my values? What is to be known? What is the role of emergence in valuing, knowing and being? ___|_________|_____________|_________|_______|__________|____ Positivist Post-positivist Interpretivist Critical Postmodern Integral Taylor (2006)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 7 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

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 8 Valuing: Axiological dimension Who is doing the research? Who is doing the research? How does the researcher conceptualize her/himself in the web of social/professional networks? How does the researcher conceptualize her/himself in the web of social/professional networks? How will the researcher be as a moral person in the world? How will the researcher be as a moral person in the world? What are the researcher’s personal and professional values? What are the researcher’s personal and professional values? What type of knowledge does the researcher value as a person and as an educator? What type of knowledge does the researcher value as a person and as an educator?

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 9 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-based Scientific versus Artful or Arts-based Decultural versus Cultural Decultural versus Cultural Structural versus semi-open Structural versus semi-open Factual versus fictive imagining Factual versus fictive imagining Monological versus dialogical Monological versus dialogical Rational knowledge versus wisdom Rational knowledge versus wisdom (Taylor & Wallace, 2007)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 10 Relationship between known and inquirer: Epistemology KnownInquirer Impersonal knowledge Detached self Mediated knowledge Participatory self Critical self knowledge Reflexive self Holistic knowledge Immersed and wise self Knowledge/Knowing as bricolage Self as bricoleur Guba and Lincoln (2005), Taylor and Wallace (2007)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 11 Nature of reality: Ontology Correspondence theory of truth Detached self Critical realism Detached self Historical realism Detached and attached self Relativism Local and specific self Integralism Attached, detached, experiential and wise self Guba and Lincoln (2005), Settelmaier and Taylor (2001)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 12 Nature of Being: Ontology I and reality are separate. ‘I’ is invisible. ‘I’ is an object. ‘I’ is the means of something else. I and reality are separate. ‘I’ is invisible. ‘I’ is an object. ‘I’ is the means of something else. I is socio-historical construct. Oppression, resistance and struggle defines I. I is socio-historical construct. Oppression, resistance and struggle defines I. I is defined in the web of others. They exist therefore I am. I is defined in the web of others. They exist therefore I 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), Guba and Lincoln (2005)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 13 Quality standards Internal and external validity, reliability, and objectivity, rational-analytical texts Internal and external validity, reliability, and objectivity, rational-analytical texts Historical situatedness, erosion of ignorance and misapprehension, action stimulus, rational-analytical- historical texts Historical situatedness, erosion of ignorance and misapprehension, action stimulus, rational-analytical- historical texts Trustworthiness and authenticity, mediated texts Trustworthiness and authenticity, mediated texts Arts-based criteria: verisimilitude, poetic, dramatic control, multi-layered texts (capturing complexity is possible here) Arts-based criteria: verisimilitude, poetic, dramatic control, multi-layered texts (capturing complexity is possible here) Genre-based criteria for performance texts: stories, ethnodramas, testimonio, testimonial and poems: texts with alternative logics (capturing complexity is possible here) Genre-based criteria for performance texts: stories, ethnodramas, testimonio, testimonial and poems: texts with alternative logics (capturing complexity is possible here) Emerging quality standards (Emergence is the hallmark of complexity science) Emerging quality standards (Emergence is the hallmark of complexity science) Guba & Lincoln (2005), Eisner (1997), Davis and Sumara (2005)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 14 Organizing Thesis Chapters: managing complexities Diachronic versus Synchronic Diachronic versus Synchronic Autobiographic versus Neutral text Autobiographic versus Neutral text Rhetorical versus Thematic Rhetorical versus Thematic Pre-determined versus Emerging Pre-determined versus Emerging Arts-based versus Scientific Arts-based versus Scientific Metaphorical versus Literal Metaphorical versus Literal Taylor and Wallace (2007) Taylor and Wallace (2007) Maintaining coherence through emergence|structured relationship

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 15 Organizing thesis chapters The logic of causation may not be always useful in the context of complexity: Emergent events cannot be caused but might be occasioned. The logic of causation may not be always useful in the context of complexity: Emergent events cannot be caused but might be occasioned. A shift from prescriptive thinking to proscriptive thinking: An appropriate logic for complexity science is proscriptive. A shift from prescriptive thinking to proscriptive thinking: An appropriate logic for complexity science is proscriptive. According to complexity science, internal diversity, redundancy and interdependence are very important features. Perhaps, a reductionist logic may not be useful in representing the complexity. According to complexity science, internal diversity, redundancy and interdependence are very important features. Perhaps, a reductionist logic may not be useful in representing the complexity. Davis and Simmt (2003)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 16 My chapter layout Title: Theme(s) from my autobiography Overview (can be a self-conscious and a co- generative form of writing) Datatexts (they will be different kinds of performance texts) Layered interpretations Summary of the chapter (Some boxed texts will help represent my feelings of writing the chapter.)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 17 Managing the complexity Employing dialectical approach as an overarching principle. This implies : Employing dialectical approach as an overarching principle. This implies : that the researcher needs to make a balance between adversaries such as emerging and structured, fact-based and fictional imagining and so forth. (Balancing act) that the researcher needs to make a balance between adversaries such as emerging and structured, fact-based and fictional imagining and so forth. (Balancing act) that dialectics are developmental. The researcher needs to develop a new vision out of adversaries. This can be the researcher’s contribution to the field. (Developmental approach) that dialectics are developmental. The researcher needs to develop a new vision out of adversaries. This can be the researcher’s contribution to the field. (Developmental approach) that the researcher cannot avoid alternative views about the issue s/he is taking into consideration in her/his research. S/he needs to explore alternative logics that help uncover further her/his research territory. (Alternative logics) that the researcher cannot avoid alternative views about the issue s/he is taking into consideration in her/his research. S/he needs to explore alternative logics that help uncover further her/his research territory. (Alternative logics)

24/04/07 SMEC Colloquium 18 List of references Davis, B., & Simmt, E. (2003). Understanding learning systems: Mathematics education and complexity science. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 34(2), 137. 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. 305–321. Eisner, E. (1997a) The new frontier in qualitative research methodology, Qualitative Inquiry, 3(3), 259–273. Guba, E. G. & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005) Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging confluences, in: N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds) The Sage handbook of qualitative research (3rd edn). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Kincheloe, J. L., & McLaren, P. (2005). Rethinking critical theory and qualitative inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitativeresearch (3rd ed., pp ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Peitgen, H.-O., Jürgens, H., & Saupe, D. (2004). Chaos and fractals: New frontiers of science. New York: Springer. Settelmaier, E., & Taylor, P. C. (2001). Wilber’s integral philosophy and educational research: Fleshing out the seventh moment (and beyond?). Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Fremantle, W.A. Taylor, P. C. & Wallace, J. (Eds.) (2007). Contemporary qualitative research: Exemplars for science and mathematics educators. (Dordrecht: Springer.) Taylor, P. (2006).Research paradigms: SMEC 691/692 class note. Wilber, K. (1996). A brief history of everything. Boston: Shambhala.