Methods in Context Flashcards
Strengths and Limitations of research methods =
Practical = Time and Money, Personal Skills, Subject Matter and Research Opportunity
Ethical = Consent, Confidentiality, Harm, Vulnerable Groups, Covert Research
Theoretical = Validity, Reliability, Representativeness, Positivism and Interpretivism
Research Characteristics =
- Who is the study going to be conducted on
- Where the research will take place
What are issues with students as research characteristics? 11
**Pupils = **
- Theoretical issues which means the data may lack validity as they may see the researcher as a teacher in disguise
- Pupils may be reluctant to discuss their true feelings of certain things as they are afraid it gets back to those who it is about
- They may give socially desirable answers as they do not want to get in trouble
- The language used may be kept simple and student friendly to the students understand as they may not understand complex questions and sociological concepts
- The Hawthorne effect may mean they change their behaviour to either stay out of trouble or to get their teacher in trouble
- There are pratical issues in terms of time and making sure the students are not bored
- Pupils are a vulnerable group so will need parental consent and informed consent
- They need to be mindful of causing harm and having a negative impact on the pupils’ education which could be mental or harm to education in terms of being taken out of lesson time
- There is no guarantee the students will take it seriously
- The presence of a researcher can lead to students reacting in a different way
- Studying them in a peer groups may prevent them from discussing their expierence out of fear or may see it in a different light than when alone
What are issues of teachers as research participants? 6
Teachers =
- Teachers may see the researcher as Ofsted in disguise which may mean that it lacks validity as they may be fearful of losing their job with honest answers
- The Hawthorne Effect may mean that teachers change their usual behaviour in order to please you or so it does not get them in trouble
- They may have timetable constraints of being busy people so it may be difficult to arrange time for a research method
- They may be reluctant to allow researchers into their classroom
- Teachers have a similiar social standing to researchers and there is less chance of status difference so they may be more likely to say what they think they want to hear
- Teachers may alter their behaviour knowingly to avoid attention
What are issues of parents as research participants? 6
Parents =
- Parents may see the reseacher as either another teacher or a social worker is disguise
- Their responses may lack validity due to not wanting to be seen as a bad parents
- They may not have access to parents as they are not in school. The only time they are in school is if they are at parents evening but it is usually middle class parents therefore it is not representative
- Working class parents may possess anti-school attitudes and be reluctant to participanting
- They may not want to speak to a middle class researcher or feel intimidated
- Parents from ethnic backgrounds may have language barriers that affect the validity
Research Settings = 13&4
Schools =
- The researcher may struggle with access to school as consent must be gained from the gatekeeper for the researcher to take place
- Even if access is granted to take place, there is time restrictions in the holidays and areas of the school such as exam halls.
- Researchers may not be allowed to observe poor teachers as it reflects ppoorly on the school
- Once access is gained, they have a captive audience which is sample stratified in year groups
- Pupils are used to filling out questionnaires so a high response rate can be obtained
- Group interviews can be arranged easily but there be a problem finding quiet spaces to conduct interviews
- There is a wide range of information available in official statistics and documents which are provided for the government. However they may be denied access to documentation to protect the pupils
- Schools may manipulate levels in order to boost their position
Classrooms =
- Students will be used to observations
- Classrooms are usually a standardised way meaning it is reliable
- Gaining access can be a problem as they may not want a researcher observing them
- Researchers cannot probe deeper
What are context considerations? 14
- Linguistic Deprivation
- Effect of Streaming
- Application and admission to secondary school
- Truancy
- Role of parents
- Anti-school subcultures
- Material Deprivation
- Teacher attitudes
- Boys underachievement
- Gender Differences
- Cultural Deprivation
- Culture Capital
- Labelling
- Selffulfilling prophecy
