research setting: education
DESCRIPTION
Research setting pupils, teachers, classrooms, schools, parentsTRANSCRIPT
EducationThe research context
Methods in Context• On the exam paper, you will be asked a methods in context question
• You will have to apply your knowledge of research methods specifically to the research of education
• You will be given an issue in education such as pupil subcultures or ethnicity and achievement
• You will discuss the advantages/disadvantages of a given research method to this issue
5 areas of research
1. Pupils
2. Teachers
3. Parents
4. Classrooms
5. Schools
Pupils
Power and status
Within a school pupils have less power and status than adults
More difficult to state their opinions honestly
School is hierarchical
• One to one interviews• Pupil may feel intimidated and may not answer
honestly for fear of challenging adult opinions
• Group Interviews• May allow pupils to be more honest as they can be
‘backed up’ by other pupils
Power and status
Which ever method is used, some power imbalance will remain
Power and status
AbilityPupils may have limited :o Vocabularyo Self expressiono Thinking skillso Confidence
Why would there be a problem giving a questionnaire to reception children?
Ability
Is it possible to get informed consent if the child cannot properly understand
the nature of the research ?
VulnerabilityInformed consent:
Consent should be gained from the pupils themselves as well as parents/teachers
children may not understand the nature of the research,
children may not be mature enough to make a moral choice.
Ethical Issues
Child protectionPersonal data should not be kept unless it is vital
Personal data should be kept confidential
Ethical Issues
Stress Questioning/Interviewing children
for a long period of time would be
inappropriate
Ethical Issues
Is the research necessary, do the benefits outweigh the costs ?
Practical Issues
• Time: may take more time to understand questions
• Rapport: more important to establish trust due to vulnerability
• Maybe more important to match gender/ethnicity of the young person
Teachers
Power
Power relationships are not equal in schools
Hierarchy
Teachers may see the researcher as a Tresspasser
• Teachers may be overworked
• Interviews/Questionnaires need to be kept
short
• Teachers are used to being observed so they
may ‘put on a show’ for the researcher
Cooperation
Classrooms
• Classrooms are highly controlled social settings (mostly)
• Clear boundaries/ behaviour
• Interactions – both teachers and students are used to hiding their real thoughts and feelings in this situation.
Setting
• School groups such as classes and friendship groups may make pupils more sensitive to pressure to conform.
• May ‘copy’ when filling in questionnaires
Schools
• Schools have formal rules/hierarchies
• Researcher may be seen as part of hierarchy
• May even be seen as ‘the enemy’ (like OFSTED inspectors)
Hierarchy
• Head teachers act as gatekeepers
• Head teachers may not wish research to be done• It may interfere with the day-to-day running of the school
• The research may reflect badly on the school
• (Roland Meighan 1981)
Hierarchy
• Schools have a legal obligation to collect certain information about students• This could be used by researchers
• Legal duties of protection may limit the research that can be carried out
Law
• There is a lot of publicly available data on schools
• Schools also produce large numbers of personal documents (eg reports)
• These may not be easy to access though
Availability
Secondary sources
Advantages• They are all available in
one place
• Convenience sample
Disadvantages• Maybe be over keen to
please the establishment
• May not be keen to complete research as they have limited choice
• May not have true right to withdraw
Captive Population
Parents
• May be difficult to contact
• Interactions may be harder to observe
• Ethnicity and class may cause barriers between and researcher and parent
• Middle class parents may be more likely to take part in research
• This may bias results
Social Class