This paper explicates a methodology for synthesizing theory development that has been formulated in two separate studies/research processes, especially from a perspective of argumentation construction. The first one of these studies is concerned with expanding Mezirow’s (e.g. 1991; 2000; 2009) theory of transformative learning in order to offer understanding of the prerequisites and obstacles of reflection (Luoma 2009). The second one aims to bring together Foucault's (e.g. 2000a; 2000b) and Bourdieu's (e.g. 2000; 2001a) approaches in order to study the effect of the new power mechanisms in education (Hannus 2009; Hannus and Simola).

The presented approach is linked to rational reconstruction (Habermas 1976; 1979), the internationally known method, which can be used for synthesizing theories (Heiskala 2000). Based on this, our paper continues further to explicate the accompanying phases of argumentation construction as well as the methodological bases, and considers ways of using empirical analysis as a support and challenger to the theoretical analysis.

The grounds for theory building in each of the two studies arose from both empirical problems and analysis of previous theories. More specifically, a phenomenon that was detected in the empirical analysis, was also the one that the theoretical analysis (i.e. the discovered limitations of earlier research) pointed at. Further, explicating the assumptions concerning the nature of the phenomenon opened the connection to the methodological assumptions and justifications for researching this phenomenon, thus bridging the methodology to the concepts of the theory. This kind of phenomenon-orientedness forms the foundation to the synthesizing approach presented in the paper.

Furthermore, our approach is based on regarding theories as a set of arguments, concepts and descriptions developed to conceptualize certain phenomenon (see Kakkuri-Knuutila ja Halonen 1999). Thus we do not refer to a grand theory but rather as specific conceptualization which are fallible and therefore need continuous refinement. That is to say, we understand theories to be in progress, in continuous process of sharpening and correction instead of seing any theory as completely ready (see Bourdieu et al 1991; Mezirow 2000). The criteria that may be used for assessing this kind of theory are, among the most important, internal consistency, the extent to which the theory considers the manifold nature of educational reality and how strenght of its empirical grounding (see Holma 2008).

The synthesizing methodology presented in the paper aims at considering the manifold educational practice in a theoretical research by 1) utilizing empirical research as a support and challenger of theory development and 2) synthesizing different theories in a rigorous manner to construct new argumentation in order to reach phenomenon that is not reached with any one pre-existing theory. A central feature in the presented methodological approach is that, although synthesizing different theories, the analysis starts from carefully considering the concepts and argumentation of one theory and builds on that, thus expanding the existing argumentation.

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