This course module is based on the argument that instead of classifying research methodology into small number of clearly separate paradigms or movements, it is more befitting and helpful to look at methodology as a multidimensional continuum. In the first part the short historical overview looks back to the emergence of the concept of methodological paradigms. Next the development of methodological discussion in the field of Mixed Methods (MM) is shortly reviewed in order to show how the idea of incommensurable paradigms prevalent in the end of past century has gradually given place to the conceptualization of research methodology as a multidimensional continuum. In the third part the current developments in MM research are plotted.

Lecturer: Prof. Katrin Niglas, Tallinn University (Estonia)