Beyond the Research

My department here at Warner, focuses on some larger issues: one that is cited alot is that of social justice. I have found that although this is central to my own thinking it has tended to be a given, almost a backdrop to what I wanted to look at. Recently, as I have struggled to really understand what my central question for my study was, I began to look to larger and larger issues. It was less about the process, setting or activities I was studying. What was at the core of my research?
As I thought of myself as a researcher (yes, code this for identity), I began to ask: What do I research? If it is just about the stuff of the research project, than I maybe am wasting my time.
I don't research K-12 students and teachers in online spaces. That might be the current focus, but I think what I really care about is much larger. How do we move beyond the current constraints of school to truly provide an environment that encourages student-exploratory learning? How do we free and at the same time support students to learn? This becomes more than research...it becomes a pursuit...a mission? Some might suggest that this would then 'taint the research.' If I have a purpose than I will make the research fit my purpose. Well, that is where ethics and design come into play. If I am ethical and design my research in such a way that I am truly looking for uncovering and understanding, than this is not an issue. AND if I am up front with my stances, this provides others with an understanding of where I am coming from. I don't see that this taints the research at all, but rather focuses it.
So I guess that in my design I need to understand not just the 'so what' of my research, but also what I am looking to say and do with it?
J:)