Abductive analysis in collaborative research: A focus on didaktik models in preschool

Abstract

Abductive analysis is linked to the concept of abduction, which focuses on interpretive processes that create meaning, moving between empirics and theory on encountering unexpected results. In addition to the fact that abduction can deepen and change current research in pedagogy and didaktik, abduction can also constitute an approach that is related to democracy. Shedding light on abductive analysis in collaborative research is important in that it regards all participants in collaborative research as knowledge users and potential knowledge developers, potentially leading to multivocal traces in the analysis. In this way, the possible multivocality of collaborative research holds democratic potential. In addition, democracy can be found in abductive analysis that results in didaktik models that unite multivocal practices and theories. In this context, there is a need for abductive studies conducted over long periods of time in collaboration between, for example, preschool teachers, leaders and researchers.

The article provides examples of abductive analysis tried out in collaborative research in two large-scale research and development (R&D) programs. The programs were implemented over a six-year period, with two consecutive three-year periods between 2016-2018 and 2018-2021². The empirical data in the R&D programs were generated over long periods of time and assessed against several theoretical perspectives, in line with abductive analysis.

There is a shortage of abductive studies focused on practice-based didaktik models in preschool. This article gives examples of abductive analysis that result in "multivocal didaktik modeling". Multivocality entails multiple voices being included in both practice and theory. In the R&D programs, the participants were involved in question formulation, method design, data generation, co-exploratory conversations, and analysis. Didaktik models can be both verbal and graphic. Two classic didaktik models are didaktik questions and the didaktik triangle. The models can provide support for teachers and leaders to make didaktik choices.

This article reveals the contribution of abductive analysis to the development of multivocal practical-theoretical models in collaborative research. The purpose is to provide knowledge about abductive analysis in collaborative research, with a focus on didaktik models in preschool.

When teaching was written into Sweden's governing document for pre-school in 2010, an uncertainty emerged as to what teaching could mean in preschool. In response, it was determined that education and teaching should rest on a scientific basis and proven experience. It turned out that there was a deficit of both teaching-oriented, Nordic research and of proven experience of teaching in preschool. A mismatch emerged between governing documents, research and practice. This mismatch was a driving force behind the R&D programs in which preschool teachers and leaders, from 18 municipalities and school authorities, raised questions about what characterizes teaching in preschool.

Abduction, as described in the article, requires that we pay attention to nuances in empirical material and try approaches that in being multivocal at both the action level and the (meta) theoretical level are democratic in nature. In the complex reality of teaching in a preschool, a multivocal rather than unilateral approach favors nuance over reduction and creates conditions for contributing knowledge at both the action and the (meta) theoretical level about the complex nature of reality. In other words, the logic of abduction can add a critical, nuanced and openly change-oriented dimension to didaktik collaborative research within the framework of democracy.

The contribution of this article lies in abductive analysis having been tried out and proven to be feasible in large-scale R&D programs over a six-year period. Abductive analysis in collaborative research makes it possible to generate research findings that include empirical examples, proven concepts and didaktik models. Having the abductive analysis replicated in two R&D programs strengthens credibility, generalizability and usability. All in all, the abductive analysis resulted in “multivocal didaktik modeling”, which could be related to democracy.

Notes

¹In this article the German word “didaktik” (with use of the letter k) is used, which is common in continental Europe and the Nordic countries. This term is distinct from the Anglo-Saxon word “didactics,” which refers to a narrow way of teaching, for example, learning-outcome oriented teaching.

In the article, collaborative research refers to research conducted in R&D programs (ibid). The article uses the third-person plural “we” instead of “I” to emphasize that didaktik models have been tried out in collaboration.

² The article has been written within the framework of the R&D programs Teaching in preschool (Undif) and Multivocal teaching in preschool (Fundif) in a collaboration between 18 Swedish municipalities, the independent Institute for innovation, research and development in school and preschool (Ifous) and Malmö University (Mau). The study was co-financed by Mau and the 18 municipalities. The research group thanks everyone who participated and contributed with funds, materials and views in analysis and discussions. The peer-reviewed article in this themed issue is based on a scientific report that was reviewed by Professor Stig Broström at Aarhus University in Denmark (Vallberg Roth et al., 2021).