RESEARCH METHODS- RESEARCHING EDU Flashcards
Why might children find it difficult to state their views openly during research?
Children have less power and status than adults, making it difficult to state their views, especially if they contradict adults’ views, e.g., in interviews with adult researchers.
How can structured interviews with children affect data collection?
Structured interviews may intimidate children, causing them not to open up or say much, leading to incomplete or inaccurate data.
What did Labov’s study find about children’s responses in interviews?
Black children interviewed by a white researcher using formal interviews spoke using the restricted code, while informal interviews with a black researcher led to more comfortable and articulate responses in an elaborated code.
How might schools influence the selection of student participants?
Schools may select ‘good’ students to present themselves positively, making the findings unrepresentative.
How might anti-school subculture students behave during research?
They may see the researcher as an authority figure, rebel by refusing participation, or provide dishonest answers, affecting the validity of the data.
What is a potential issue with group interviews with students?
One or two students may dominate the conversation, making the data unreliable, invalid, or unrepresentative.
How might pupils’ abilities affect their responses in questionnaires or structured interviews?
Pupils may not understand the questions due to age, class, ethnicity, or cognitive ability, leading to incomplete or inaccurate data.
What must researchers do to ensure children understand questions?
Researchers need to carefully operationalize concepts to ensure children can comprehend and answer accurately.
Why might children struggle with giving informed consent?
Their youth and lack of understanding may prevent them from fully grasping what it means to participate in research.
How does children’s memory affect research data?
Children’s less-developed memory may result in difficulty recalling detailed information when asked.
Why are children considered a vulnerable group in research?
Children are easily psychologically harmed, and questions on sensitive topics (e.g., bullying) may upset them, raising ethical concerns.
Who gives consent for children to participate in research?
Schools and parents provide consent, but children may not fully understand, so full informed consent is often unattainable.
What legal requirement must researchers fulfill to work with children?
Researchers need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to ensure they are not a threat to children’s safety.
How might the DBS check affect research?
Obtaining a DBS check can be time-consuming, delaying or preventing the research.
How might schools’ hierarchy affect research access?
Teachers may see researchers as trespassers and deny access to their lessons, affecting data collection.
