Research setting: education

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