Complete thesis - Murdoch University

approach taken here.2.2.1 A positivist perspectiveThe complexity of the systems development process has led to multiple approaches to its definitionand study: based on the work of Iivari (1991) (who from a focus on IS describes sevenmajor schools of thought in systems development), it is possible to identify and categorisedifferent approaches, based on the positions taken in the dimensions listed below. These areadapted from the work of Hannafin (1997a) and Reeves (1994) who suggest these are relevantin the description of learning systems (see Chapter 4):• epistemological foundations – the theory of knowledge or reality held describes theworld view to be disseminated. This is described as a continuum from objectivism toconstructivism• psychological foundations – represent beliefs about how individuals think and learn.This can also be described as a continuum from behaviourism to approaches emphasison mental models and the connections between them (eg constructivism, situatedcognition)• philosophical foundations – an instructivist foundation stresses the importance ofgoals and objectives drawn from the domain. Alternatively, the primacy of experienceand metacognitive strategies is stressed to provide contextualised outcomes.At a fundamental level, the base assumptions made on, for example, the nature of the systemor the importance of its context, as well as the dimensions noted above, have enormousinfluence. The differing views produce differing bodies of knowledge, and different approachesto undertaking the activities which comprise the discipline. Traditionally these concernshave led to three broad classes of approaches – hard (objective, positivist, instructivist), soft(subjective, interpretivist, constructivist) and hard/soft (exemplified by the socio-technicalapproach). Each of these embraces one or more schools of thought (and/or IT specialisations)and may be considered a continuum, with exponents positioned on it depending on the flavourof their approach within the class.Within the broad IT specialisations some schools of thought may be categorised as nonpositivist1 , and a very few in the gap between the two, in general most would cluster around1 as opposed to post-positivist, a metatheoretical stance following positivism in philosophy, as well as usedto refer to a group within political theory in the social sciences who do not believe it is possible to view lifefrom an objective point of view45