Subject:
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Center for Religion and Contemporary Society (CRCS) |
Organization:
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Leerstoel Empirische en praktische religiewetenschap |
Abstract:
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The strength of the practice-oriented research strategy is to develop knowledge
about the improvement of practices. Practice oriented research is research in
which the research goal is coming from the professional practice and in which the
knowledge created in the research contributes directly to this professional practice.
The problem does not originate in theory, and the knowledge created in the research
is not valued because it contributes to theory. It is not knowledge-for-its-own-sake,
but the knowledge is valued because it contributes to the improvement of the practice
which is considered (by ministers and lay people) to be a problem. Practice-orientated
research is especially relevant to congregational studies because the congregational
ministry is conducted within a specific context that is challenging it to be relevant.
The major steps or questions in developing a research design of practice oriented
research is: what is the problem you are going to study? Why is it interesting to get
this new knowledge and for whom is it interesting? How are you going to reach your
research objective? How much do you want to know? And what are the conceptual
instruments which you are going to use in your research? In following these steps the
specific research orientation of practice oriented research is introduced.
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