Abstract

This paper examines the definition of research, purpose and influence of educational research on policy and its practitioners, the distinguishing features of positivist and interpretative approaches as complementary research paradigms, and to debate their relevance in exploring quality education in schools in St. Lucia, a small Caribbean Island. Although they are presented as different approaches with different philosophical foundations, employing different methods to investigate, discover or to provide information, this paper provides justification for combining the positivist and interpretative methodologies because of their relevance in the understanding of educational issues.

Key words: Caribbean, quality education, St Lucia, relevance of educational data, positivist and interpretive paradigms, research methodology