Education- the research context

Question 1

what are the five main groups we study in this section?

Answer 1

pupils
teachers
classrooms
parents
schools

Question 2

what does Malcom Hill suggest are the 3 differences of studying young people and adults?

Answer 2

1. power and status
2. ability and understanding
3. vulnerability

Question 3

what is the problem of POWER AND STATUS when researching pupils?

Answer 3

formal research methods such as structured interviews or questionnaires reinforce power differences, as the researcher is the one who determines the questions etc. Sociologists try to overcome these power problems by using group interviews

Question 4

what is the problem of ABILITY AND UNDERSTANDING when researching pupils?

Answer 4

pupils’ vocabularies, powers of self-expression, thinking skills etc. may be limited and they may struggle with abstract ideas. Sociologists therefore have to be careful with how they word their questions so that pupils understand. The researchers also have to remember that pupils vary- depending on gender, ethnicity, age and class.

Question 5

what is the problem of researching pupils regarding VULNERABILITY?

Answer 5

• special ethical issues
• need informed consent of parents, teachers AND pupils
• researcher must consider any possible stress caused to pupils
• there are more gatekeepers to protect pupils due to the fact they are more vulnerable
• need to be DBS checked to go into schools- can delay research

Question 6

what are the two problems researchers face when researching teachers?

Answer 6

• power and status- teachers see it as THEIR classroom and see the researcher as a trespasser. If the researcher wants to go undercover they may need to present themselves as a TA but they may not be treated equally by teachers
• impression management- teacher may put on an act… Goffman calls this impression management.

Question 7

what are the problems with researching classrooms?

Answer 7

• impression management
• gatekeepers
• peer groups- young people are easily influenced by those around them

Question 8

what are the problems of researching schools?

Answer 8

• data published may be manipulated by the school because they do not want to put off applicants
• the law restricts access of outsiders to protect pupils
• there are gatekeepers

Question 9

what did Meighan and Harber say?

Answer 9

• it is dangerous to involve pupils on commenting on their teachers
• discipline would be aversely affected by research
• it would be bad for classroom relationships
• children are not competent judges of teachers

Question 10

what did Beynon and Atkinson say?

Answer 10

head teachers steer the researchers away from sensitive situation- e.g. classes with poor classroom control

Question 11

what is the problem with school organisation?

Answer 11

• some schools are single sex- the researcher may stand out and draw attention to themselves unintentionally
• schools are complex and difficult for researchers- it can take them months to work out where everything is and who does what in a school

Question 12

what is the problem with researching parents?

Answer 12

pupils may not pass on letters to their parents

-impression management