Methods In Context Flashcards
Problems researching pupils…
-Power & Status: schools hierachical, T influence whose selected, R selects questions, Stru Int reinforce power diff instead use Group Int
-Ability & Understanding:vocab, limited confidence, abstract concepts, memories less developed- esp young. Class,age,ethn ect influence
-Vulnerability & ethics: psych harm, pupils should be aware aswell as parents (consent), child protection-unamity (Gatekeepers)
What Act protects young people
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Acts- anyone working with children needs a DBS check(prevent/delays)
-UNICEF developed special codes of practice
Problems researching teachers…
-often overworked/stressed, reduces cooperation so Int/Ques may need to be kept short, cant get deeper insight
-Power & Status:T have diff power in schls may affect response, legal responsibility of care, protective of ‘their classroom’ may not like R present, may have to do COVERT (gives lower status)
-Impression management:T used to being observed, can ‘put on’ an act-may need to gain trust, T try to avoid repercussions
Problems researching classrooms…
-Closed social setting: clear physical/social boundaries, highly controlled by T, childrens behaviour likely not natural BUT simple setting ie 2 roles, obs/analysis easier
-Gatekeepers: accessed controlled by many GK, may not get access
-Peer Groups: P may be insecure so conform to peer pressure, some methods may need supervision to ensure this doesnt occur ie Ques and group int
Problems researching schools…
-Schools vary, hard to get a REPRESENTATIVE view- OS/large surverys can help overcome but less insight than detailed obs.
-Schools own data: edu policy means schls are scrutinised so 2ndary data is publicly available (data rich places)
BUT: schl records are confidential and may be falsified to give + imp eg incidents of racism/homoph may be downplayed & exam stats can be manipulated
-The law:duty of care, RS may not be a priority/ get in way of edu
-GK: Heads, Governors have power to refuse.ie adverse effects of pupils commenting on T- worsen relationship. Sensitive subj reluctant
-Schl organisation: hierchical, P may see them as T, T may see as inspectors- become ‘the enemy’. Timing restrictions ie exam szn
Problems researching parents…
-P influence edu and how they raise kids and their involvement
-NOT AN EASY GROUP TO ACCESS: divided by sc, gender, ethnicity- affect willingness to take part ie
Pro-schl MC more likely partake= unrepresentative
-Parental permission required, sensitive issues less likely agreed to
-Impression management: exaggerate involvement=invalid data
-Access: limited, not at the school, hard to contact, schls not allowed to release contact info but may help send letters/Ques
Rs own experience…
-Can dull awareness: being back in school may feel natural as likely to have been successful students- bring assumptions/ dulls empathy for RS groups.
-Own ethnicity, gender, class may impact: need to take an objective/non bias view as the RS could influence policy, subject to debate, political issue.
Structured Obs, who prefers? PET?
-Positivists: pre-categorised obs schedules, quant, beh patterns ident
P:Easily converted to quant, quick, cheap, little training, in classrooms
Reliability:pre-cat so easily replicable across classes/schls, standardised, allows for comparions
Validity:Int argue lacks this, as ignores meaning P/T attach by simply counting behavious and categorising
EG: FIAC: used to measure P-P and P-T interactions
Unstructured obs, who prefers? PET?
-Interpretivists: flexible, access meanings, no pre-assumptions
P:Schls are complex=more time consuming to obs/familiarise, permission easier than interview (HD can give without parents), personal characteristics/skills, resticted by schl timetables, busy places- hard to record/remember conversations
E:Covert may be inappropriate (vuln/IC), can lead to ‘guilty knowledge’-hearing stuff could get P in trouble
VALIDITY:Inter- argues gives an authentic understanding BUT power differences act as a barrier-false image from P when obs (HAWTHORNE EFFECT)
-This methods gives opp to gain trust, may reduce IM.
-Rep-small scale
Reliability:unsystematic=hard to replicate
