Applications of mixed methods research in educational studies

Mixed methods research is a newly developing discipline, having been widely applied in areas such as the social and medical sciences. Recently, mixed methods research has also caught the attention of educational researchers. Therefore, this article discusses mixed methods research in terms of the following aspects: (a) the meaning, history, and function of mixed methods research; (b) the shift and conflict of research paradigms, and the rise of pragmatism as the philosophical basis (concerning ontology, epistemology, and methodology) for mixed methods research; (c) the research design of mixed methods; (d) the rationale for and examples of utilizing mixed methods research in educational studies; and (e) the current limitations and future directions of mixed methods research.