RESEARCH METHODS- USING OBSERVATIONS TO RESEARCH EDU Flashcards
What are the strengths of the Flanders system in structured observations?
P: Gathers quantitative data (e.g., teacher-student interactions) that can be analyzed for cause-and-effect relationships, like negative teacher interactions leading to poor behavior.
P: Quick and cheap to carry out.
E: Observations are overt, meaning participants have consented, and it’s clear an observer is present in the classroom.
T: Reliable because the structured observation schedule is pre-decided, allowing replication in different schools/lessons.
What are the limitations of the Flanders system in structured observations?
T: Lacks validity – it shows how teachers and students behave but doesn’t explain the meanings behind their interactions.
What are the strengths of participant observation (PO)?
E: Participant anonymity is easily protected by using pseudonyms for schools, towns, and individuals.
T: High validity – by immersing in the day-to-day life of a school, the researcher gains a deeper understanding of the issues being studied, which is why interpretivists prefer PO.
What are the limitations of participant observation (PO)?
P: Time-consuming – often takes months or years to conduct research in schools.
P & T: Hawthorne effect – the researcher’s personal characteristics can influence how participants behave (e.g., Wright’s study on Afro-Caribbean students, where teachers disliked her but students trusted her).
P: Observers can only be in one place at a time, which limits their ability to observe all parts of the school.
P & T: Covert research may undermine validity as researchers can’t openly take notes, like overhearing conversations in staffrooms.
E: Discovering illegal activities (e.g., student behavior) may create moral dilemmas for the researcher about whether to report them.
E: Students may not be asked for consent even if the headteacher agrees to the research, raising ethical concerns.
T: Lack of validity – overt research may lead to the Hawthorne effect, where participants alter their behavior due to the researcher’s presence.
T: Unrepresentative – only one school is studied, leading to a small sample.
T: Unreliable – each study is unique, making replication difficult.
What are the strengths and limitations of Gilborn’s observational study of racism in schools at City Road comprehensive?
Strengths:
P: Access and funding were obtained for the research.
E: Confidentiality was maintained by giving the school a pseudonym.
T: Valid – Qualitative data obtained over two years achieved verstehen.
Limitations:
P: Time-consuming and difficult to analyze qualitative data.
E: The boys’ consent was not obtained.
T: Unreliable – Cannot be replicated, as each observation is unique. Unrepresentative – Only one school was studied.
What are the strengths and limitations of Sewell’s study on racism and pupil subcultures at Township School?
Strengths:
P: The sampling frame existed for students who often got into trouble, and personal characteristics helped the boys relate to Sewell.
E: Confidentiality was maintained using pseudonyms.
T: A variety of methods provided valid qualitative data, avoiding the Hawthorne effect, and allowed for verstehen.
Limitations:
P: Analyzing the data from multiple methods was challenging.
E: Deception – Sewell did not get informed consent.
T: Unreliable – The study cannot be replicated. It was unrepresentative, focusing on just one school.
Woods (1979):
What are the strengths and limitations of Woods’ ethnographic study of pupil subcultures in a secondary modern school?
Strengths:
P: High response rate for interviews, as the headteacher allowed the research.
E: Confidentiality was maintained using pseudonyms.
T: Valid – Qualitative data and methods used ensured verstehen.
Limitations:
P: Costly and time-consuming.
E: No informed consent from children.
T: Unreliable and unrepresentative – The study focused on one school, making it hard to generalize.
Ball (1980s):
What are the strengths and limitations of Ball’s ethnographic study at Beachside comprehensive?
Strengths:
P: Access to the school and confidentiality was ensured.
E: Confidentiality maintained using pseudonyms.
T: A variety of methods were used to gather valid qualitative data, achieving reliability through structured observations that can be replicated.
Limitations:
P: Time-consuming and expensive.
E: No consent from students.
T: Unrepresentative – The study involved only one school.
Lacey (Hightown Boys’ Grammar):
What are the strengths and limitations of Lacey’s study on pupil subcultures in Hightown Boys’ Grammar School?
Strengths:
P: Lacey could take notes openly when observing lessons.
E: Confidentiality was maintained using pseudonyms.
T: Valid – Open note-taking avoided the Hawthorne effect, and verstehen was achieved.
Limitations:
P: Time and money constraints.
E: Deception – No informed consent from students.
T: Non-participant observations could have led to imposed interpretations, making the study unreliable and unrepresentative
