Pedagogic Research into Singularities: case‐studies, probes and curriculum innovations

Most people seem to agree that research entails sustained enquiry which is systematic, coherent, critical and self-critical, and which, through publication, contributes to the advancement of knowledge. Looking across the range of research endeavoursscientific, technological, social, philosophical-it is possible to distinguish between two modes of research, namely search for generalities and study of singularities. 'Search for generalities' is the mode of research most commonly practised in scientific research. The scientist tries to encapsulate his findings as general statements; he is searching for generalisations about phenomena and trying to link together generalisations in the form of explanations which give a theoretical coherence.