research characteristics

researching pupils - three main differences between studying young people and adults

Hill (2005) - power and status, ability and understanding, vulnerability

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researching pupils - power and status

children have less power-less open. school is a hierarchical institution: teachers choose who is researched, they influence their opinion to be changed if repeat question. pupils who dont co operate with school wont co operate with research

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researching pupils - ability and understanding

limited vocab, thinking skills, self expression and confidence. cant express abstract ideas. hard to get consent as researcher cant explain study for them to understand. may not understand questions so reduces validity

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researching pupils – vulnerability

more vulnerable to psychological and physical harm. need consent, child protection so must be anonymous, 'gatekeepers' restricting access. DBS check

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researching teachers - power and status

unequal power relationship. teachers see classroom as theirs so researcher may be a tresspasser.

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researching teachers - impression management

Goffman (1969) used to being inspected and observed reducing validity by putting on a false front

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researching classrooms - highly controlled setting

closed social setting- physical/social boundaries. highly controlled which young people rarely experience. not accurately reflect their feelings - conceal feelings. small classroom (simple social settings) -2 social roles which are easy to analyse

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researching classrooms - gatekeepers

access to classrooms is controlledby gatekeepers e.g. headteachers, teachers and child protection laws.

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researching classrooms - peer groups

peer pressure to conform in classroom as unsure about identity and status. this effects how they respond to researchers. may supervise pupils when doing questionnaire so they dont conform/ individual interview

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researching schools - schools own data

what occurs is scrutinised by parents, media and politicians. education system is marketised, parental choice and competition with schools is at heart. confidential records, change curriculum to improve results

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researching schools - the law

law requires people to attend school- captive population. researchers knows where everyone should be, school primary role is education (researchers interfere), school operate in a legal framework useful to collect info, legal acces restriction

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researching schools - gatekeepers

power to refuse access: undermines teachers authority if disrupt education. Meighan and Harber 2007: dangerous to have pupils comment on teachers (bad relationship). beynon and atkinson (1984) they steer researchers away from sensitive situations

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researching schools - school organisation

researcher seen as part of the hierarchy- if conflict with teacher they will mirror that with researcher. single sex school issues with opposite gender researcher. researcher may impact school structure

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researching parents - how they influence education

how they bring up their kids, involvement in school: parent governor, marketisation policies encourage parents to be consumers. parents vary in groups. wont consent if sensitive issue. engage in impression management

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researching parents - access to parents

parent-child interaction takes place in private setting (home), hard to contact and research. can send questionnaires home however, no guarantee they will be completed or given to parents

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researchers own experience in school

creates bias, hard to empathise for anti school subcultures. aware that their investigations will be part of a media debate

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research characteristics

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