Abstract:

The paradigm shift of contemporary higher education research and its paths,essentially, is a question concerning the unity of epistemology, methodology and practical theory. At the same time, its process presents some characteristics of dynamics and complexity, which makes the research put it in context of social transformation and high education reform. Being affected by inertial thinking, the single perspective is often used to explain and respond to new problems and situations emerging in the higher education research process. However, such a single angle can not fundamentally promote the shift of paradigm in complicated situations. Based on the integrated construction of the “problem-subject-method” analysis framework, this paper discusses the problem,subject,method of higher education research from a three-dimensional comprehensive perspective, as well as the interactive relationship patterns and the dilemma of the paradigm transformation.Threfore, in order to cope with the difficulties in the shift of paradigm, it needs to be solved by the trinity strategy: aim at settling the Practical issues, focuse on improving the professionalism of researchers and insist on innovating method as core.

Key words: higher education, education reform, education research, research paradigm