Asserts that qualitative research methodology represents a fundamental reconceptualization about knowledge, validity, and education. Reviews the history and trends of educational research and argues that it is increasingly legitimate to use qualitative methods. (CFR)

Educational researchers are not engaged in discovering mechanistic universal truths sought by positivists or tidy prescriptions about what works. Instead, they provide guidelines and interpretive material to liberate the teacher's intelligence so that the teacher can use whatever ability he or she can achieve. (SLD)