Abstract

CUEVAS CAJIGA, Yazmín  and  MIRELES VARGAS, Olivia. Social representations in educational research. The status of the issue: Production, referents and methodology. Perfiles educativos [online]. 2016, vol.38, n.153, pp.65-83. ISSN 0185-2698.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the production of educational research in Mexico grounded in social representation theory. As part of a documentary study, 141 pieces of research published from 1995 to the first quarter of 2015 were reviewed to identify: 1) conditions of research production (author(s), type of publication, author institution); 2) objects of representation, actors and priority educational contexts; 3) theoretical references; and 4) methodological characteristics. The authors found that this theory is used in the research reviewed to understand common sense thinking of teachers and students about multiple, diverse objects such as teaching practices, educational policy, environmental education, professional training and identity, among others. Moscovici, Jodelet and Abric were the authors most consulted. These studies favored qualitative methods and there was a tendency to use specialized techniques and tools for obtaining information about social representations.

Keywords : Educational research; Social representation; Research methodology; Research techniques; Academic production.