Challenging Methodological Boundaries in Deaf Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Standards, Difference, and Competence: Boundaries and Borders in Contemporary Curriculum Studies

Abstract

The ongoing debate on Deaf Epistemologies in the field of deaf education reflects two major paradigms: positivism and constructivism. The purpose of this theoretical study is to investigate Deaf Epistemologies through a metaparadigm to blur the boundaries between different paradigms, and to connect the epistemological inquiry with instructional practice for deaf students. This study encourages people not to be obsessed with defending a particular methodological paradigm and attacking others, but to move toward a utopia of methodological paradigmatic integration. Furthermore, effective classroom instruction should be based on the goal of the educational activity and the ability of the students in the classroom.

Author

• Ye Wang, Missouri State University