Abstract:
There is a growing interest in comparing developments and trends in Australia with those in other countries, especially with our neighbours in Asia and our OECD allies. Commenting or interpreting developments on the basis of comparative evidence, is often fraught with problems. Such difficulties essentially stem from the nature of comparative study and the outcomes can be one of concordance or confusion. To a large extent, the social identity of the researcher(s) can have a significant impact on data collection and data interpretation. This paper will examine the significance of the role and status of the researcher's identity in doing crosscultural research in education.