Concepts outside of PLACID GATERS

Question 1

What specific issues apply to studying pupils?

Answer 1

Power and status
Ability
Ethical issues

Question 2

What specific issues apply to studying teachers?

Answer 2

Power and status
Classroom as territory
Cooperation
Hawthorne effect

Question 3

What specific issues apply to studying classrooms?

Answer 3

Closed, highly controlled social setting
Disguising true thoughts and feelings
Peer pressure

Question 4

What specific issues apply to studying schools?

Answer 4

Restricting access
Hawthorne efffect
Availability of secondary sources
Single-sex schools
School calendar/timetable
Pupils as ‘captive population’

Question 5

What specific issues apply to studying parents?

Answer 5

How can parents influence education?
How can researchers access parents when they are not in school?
Social characteristics
Some parents more likely to participate

Question 6

What ethical issues could you write about?

Answer 6

Sensitive topics
Confidentiality/privacy
Anonymity
Psychological/physical harm
Vulnerable groups
Deception
Informed consent

Question 7

What theoretical issues could you write about?

Answer 7

Validity
Reliability
Representativeness
Subjectivity
Verstehen