Methods In Context Flashcards
Methods in Context: Key Concept
Q. What is the methods in context question in A-Level Sociology?
A. It is a 10-mark exam question requiring students to apply a research method to a specific educational issue (e.g streaming, pupil subcultures, teacher labelling)
Methods in Context: Key Concept
Q: What three factors must sociologists consider when choosing a research method for education?
A: Practical, Ethical, and Theoretical factors (P.E.T.).
Practical Issues in Researching Education
Q: What practical issues affect research in education?
A:
• Access: Schools may refuse entry or limit researchers’ time.
• Time & Cost: Researching schools takes time (e.g., observations over months).
• Researcher Characteristics: Age, gender, and ethnicity of researcher may affect how pupils and teachers respond.
• Data Collection: Large sample sizes may be difficult in qualitative studies.
Practical Issues in Researching Education
Q: Why might covert observations be difficult in schools?
A: Schools are controlled environments, and teachers/pupils quickly notice outsiders. Also, ethical concerns arise when observing children.
Ethical Issues in Researching Education
Q: What ethical issues must sociologists consider when studying education?
A:
• Informed Consent: Needed from pupils, parents, and teachers.
• Confidentiality: Sensitive topics (e.g., bullying) require privacy.
• Protection from Harm: Research should not cause distress or disrupt learning.
• Gatekeepers: Schools act as gatekeepers, meaning researchers need permission from school authorities.
Ethical Issues in Researching Education
Q: Why are covert studies especially problematic in schools?
A:
• Pupils cannot give informed consent.
• Vulnerable groups (children) require extra protection.
• Deception could damage trust between pupils and teachers.
Theoretical Issues in Researching Education
Q: How does representativeness affect education research?
A:
• Schools have different characteristics (state/private, urban/rural), so findings may not be generalizable.
• Classrooms are small environments, so studies may not reflect wider society.
Theoretical Issues in Researching Education
Q: Why do positivists and interpretivists prefer different research methods?
A:
• Positivists prefer quantitative methods (e.g., surveys, official statistics) to find patterns.
• Interpretivists prefer qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, observations) to gain insight into pupil experiences.
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of questionnaires in education research?
Advantages:
✅ Large sample sizes → good representativeness
✅ Anonymous → good for sensitive topics (e.g., bullying)
✅ Quick & cheap → time-efficient
Disadvantages:
❌ Low response rates, especially from pupils
❌ Misinterpretation of questions due to literacy levels
❌ Lack of depth → doesn’t explore pupil experiences
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of structured interviews in education research?
Advantages:
✅ Reliable → standardized questions
✅ Quick → time-efficient
✅ Good for sensitive topics (e.g., racism)
Disadvantages:
❌ Lack of flexibility → can’t probe deeper
❌ Pupils may give socially desirable answers
❌ Teachers may fear consequences and not be honest
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of unstructured interviews in education research?
Advantages:
✅ In-depth data → explores meanings (e.g., why pupils misbehave)
✅ Builds rapport → pupils open up more
Disadvantages:
❌ Time-consuming → fewer participants
❌ Not always reliable → difficult to repeat
❌ Interviewer bias → researcher’s views may influence responses
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of overt observations in education research?
Advantages:
✅ Ethical → pupils & teachers know they’re being studied
✅ Detailed data → captures interactions & body language
Disadvantages:
❌ Hawthorne Effect → people change behavior when observed
❌ Time-consuming → months or years needed
❌ Difficult access → schools may not allow entry
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of covert observations in education research?
Advantages:
✅ No Hawthorne Effect → more natural behavior
✅ Good for studying deviance (e.g., anti-school subcultures)
Disadvantages:
❌ Ethically problematic → deception, no consent
❌ Hard to blend in → teachers/pupils may notice outsider
❌ Difficult to record data without raising suspicion
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of official statistics in education research?
Advantages:
✅ Large-scale data → covers all schools
✅ Reliable → collected regularly by the government
✅ Cheap & accessible
Disadvantages:
❌ Lacks depth → doesn’t explain why patterns exist
❌ Government bias → statistics may be presented selectively
❌ Doesn’t reflect pupil experiences
Applying Specific Research Methods to Education
Q: What are the advantages & disadvantages of experiments in education research?
Advantages:
✅ Can show cause & effect (e.g., how teaching methods affect achievement)
✅ Lab experiments are highly controlled
Disadvantages:
❌ Artificial → schools are complex environments
❌ Ethical concerns → may affect pupils’ learning
❌ Field experiments may have low control
Example Exam Questions for Methods in Context
Q: Explain how labelling could be researched using observations in schools.
A:
• Overt observations → teachers aware of study, so Hawthorne Effect may occur.
• Covert observations → difficult to conduct ethically, but avoids observer bias.
• Structured observations → allows for quantitative comparison of teacher behavior.
Example Exam Questions for Methods in Context
Q: Why is social class and achievement difficult to study using interviews?
A:
• Pupils may not understand questions or lie.
• Teachers may feel judged and not be honest.
• Parents’ social class is hard to measure accurately.
Example Exam Questions for Methods in Context
Q: Why might experiments not be suitable for researching education?
A:
• Schools are complex social settings that can’t be controlled easily.
• Ethical concerns (e.g., affecting pupil learning).
• Hawthorne Effect → students may change behavior if they know they’re being studied.
Final Tips for Answering Methods in Context Questions
1. Identify the method given in the question (e.g., questionnaires, interviews, observations).
2. Link the method to education (e.g., studying teacher labeling, school discipline, achievement).
3. Consider PET factors: Practical, Ethical, Theoretical.
4. Use real-life examples (e.g., Gilborn on racism in schools, Sewell on Black boys, Willis on working-class lads).
5. Evaluate → discuss strengths & weaknesses of the method in an educational setting.
