RSE4801
Assignment 2 2025
Unique number:
Due Date: 2025
This document includes:
Helpful answers and guidelines
Detailed explanations and/ or calculations
References
Connect with the tutor on
+27 68 812 0934
,© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
, SECTION A: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1.
In research, context refers to the surrounding conditions, environments or factors
that influence the research process. These include social, cultural, political,
economic, and historical elements that shape what researchers study, how they
study it, and why (RSE4801, 2023). Context is not fixed or separate from the
research itself—it changes over time and is partly shaped by the research process.
Researchers work within different layers of context, such as the personal (micro),
institutional or national (meso), and global (macro), which all interact in complex
ways (Foucault in RSE4801, 2023). Understanding context helps researchers create
meaningful and relevant studies.
2.
Understanding context is essential in research because it shapes the questions we
ask, the methods we use, and the meaning we draw from the results. According to
the RSE4801 study material (2023), research never happens in a vacuum—it is
always influenced by political systems, social structures, personal experiences, and
global processes. For example, in South Africa, the education system exists within a
constitutional democracy, but classrooms may still reflect inequality or undemocratic
practices. This gap between ideals and lived experience shows how important it is to
analyse context when researching schools, learners, and teachers (Mattes et al.,
2012).
Research is also shaped by personal contexts, such as a researcher‘s values,
background, or experiences. Linda Tuhiwai Smith‘s work shows that personal stories
and cultural knowledge can lead to research questions that are deeply rooted in lived
realities (Smith, 1999). These personal connections often give rise to research that
challenges dominant worldviews and highlights local or marginalised knowledge.
At the same time, larger forces like neoliberalism and globalisation influence how
research is done. Neoliberalism, which promotes market values over public good,
affects how schools are run, how teachers are assessed, and what counts as useful
knowledge (Sims et al., 2018; Hall, Massey & Rustin, 2013). Globalisation pushes
© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
Assignment 2 2025
Unique number:
Due Date: 2025
This document includes:
Helpful answers and guidelines
Detailed explanations and/ or calculations
References
Connect with the tutor on
+27 68 812 0934
,© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
, SECTION A: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1.
In research, context refers to the surrounding conditions, environments or factors
that influence the research process. These include social, cultural, political,
economic, and historical elements that shape what researchers study, how they
study it, and why (RSE4801, 2023). Context is not fixed or separate from the
research itself—it changes over time and is partly shaped by the research process.
Researchers work within different layers of context, such as the personal (micro),
institutional or national (meso), and global (macro), which all interact in complex
ways (Foucault in RSE4801, 2023). Understanding context helps researchers create
meaningful and relevant studies.
2.
Understanding context is essential in research because it shapes the questions we
ask, the methods we use, and the meaning we draw from the results. According to
the RSE4801 study material (2023), research never happens in a vacuum—it is
always influenced by political systems, social structures, personal experiences, and
global processes. For example, in South Africa, the education system exists within a
constitutional democracy, but classrooms may still reflect inequality or undemocratic
practices. This gap between ideals and lived experience shows how important it is to
analyse context when researching schools, learners, and teachers (Mattes et al.,
2012).
Research is also shaped by personal contexts, such as a researcher‘s values,
background, or experiences. Linda Tuhiwai Smith‘s work shows that personal stories
and cultural knowledge can lead to research questions that are deeply rooted in lived
realities (Smith, 1999). These personal connections often give rise to research that
challenges dominant worldviews and highlights local or marginalised knowledge.
At the same time, larger forces like neoliberalism and globalisation influence how
research is done. Neoliberalism, which promotes market values over public good,
affects how schools are run, how teachers are assessed, and what counts as useful
knowledge (Sims et al., 2018; Hall, Massey & Rustin, 2013). Globalisation pushes
© Study Shack 2025. All rights Reserved +27 68 812 0934
