SOCIOLOGY ED RESEARCH METHODS

?
5 characteristics of education as an area for research?
1.Pupils 2.Teachers 3.Parents 4.Classrooms 5.Schools
1 of 10
Power & Status when researching pupils?
Children/young have less power/status. Difficult to state their views openly. Nautre of schools as hierarchical institution=teachers have status/power. Group interviews better than formal 1-1 interviews
2 of 10
Ability when researching pupils?
Pupils vocab/powers of self expression more limited than adults. Abstract concepts central part of investigations, problem for researchers. Will need to word questions carefully. Limitations to pupils understanding=difficult to gain informed consent
3 of 10
Vulnerability & ethical issues?
Young more vulnerable to physical/psycho harm=ethical issues. Not enough to gain consent of parent/teacher & hard to explain to child. Child protection. Consider form that participation will take/stress caused. Long questionning=innapropriate
4 of 10
Practical issues in researching pupils?
Require more time than adults to understand questions. Greater vulnerability=important to establish rapport/gain trust. Important to match gender/ethnicity of young & reaearcher to help achieve this
5 of 10
Researching teachers?
Classroom enforces more powe='my classroom'. Researcher may be viewed as tresspasser. Oftern overworked/less cooperative. Interviews & questiojnaires need to be short but restrict amount of data obtained. Used to being inspected='put on a show'
6 of 10
Researching classrooms?
Highly controlled social setting. Teacher/pupils very experienced at disguising real thoughts=may conceal them from researchers. Young in school-based groups may be more sensitive to peer pressure=effect responses. Important to supervise questionnair
7 of 10
Researching schools?
Student see researcher as teachers, teachers see them as inspectors. Head can refuse them access to school. Meighan found reactions were: Dangerous to involve pupils, not competent to judge teachers & discipline would be adversely affected
8 of 10
Collecting info from schools?
Law requires stats on attendance/achievement=useful to sociologists. Duty of care=restrict access. Produce large quantities of personal probs too. Many schools single sex=problem if researcher is different sex. School times affect when/how research
9 of 10
Researching parents?
Mostly outside school=hard to contact/research. Few opps to observe whether they help children with h/w. Social class/ethnicity important, barrier if reseacher different. M/c parents pro school=more likely to return questionnaires=unrepresentative
10 of 10

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Power & Status when researching pupils?

Back

Children/young have less power/status. Difficult to state their views openly. Nautre of schools as hierarchical institution=teachers have status/power. Group interviews better than formal 1-1 interviews

Card 3

Front

Ability when researching pupils?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Vulnerability & ethical issues?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Practical issues in researching pupils?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Sociology resources:

See all Sociology resources »See all Sociological research methods resources »