Coming out of the shadow. A systematic review of shadowing as a methodological approach to educational research

Abstract

When we talk about educational research, we refer to a field of knowledge disputed by mul- tiple disciplines and international organizations, which can cast a shadow on school actors. Shadowing is a relatively new ethnographic strategy in Spanish-speaking academic environ- ments, that precisely emerges in order to highlight the importance of the observation of specific contexts and communities for educational research. Thus, the objective of this article is to show the main characteristics, possibilities, and limitations of shadowing for educational research. From a qualitative approach, a literature review of 37 scientific articles describing and reporting results on its use has been carried out. The reported findings are organized into three categories: (1) its origin, application areas and characterization, (2) experiences and uses of the strategy and (3) its ethical-pragmatic implications. Additionally, some final reflections on its usefulness and validity for generating localized educational knowledge are raised.